PERSONAL links to a Second World War bomber crash was the inspiration behind a Bradford on Avon author penning a new manual on the Halifax bomber.

After 18 months of writing the Handley Page Halifax Manual, pieced together by Jonathan Falconer of Downs View, will now be lining bookshelves across the country.

His book charts the aircraft’s operational career, including its top secret cloak and dagger sorties, maritime patrol and meteorological reconnaissance duties as well as exploring its design, construction and Second World War operation.

“As a boy I heard stories about the Halifax that had crashed onto the hillside above Bradford-on-Avon, and I have been fascinated with the four-engined bomber ever since,” said the 55-year-old who has written more than 30 books on aspects of aviation and military history.

“This is a bit of an obsession of mine. I am very pleased with how it has turned out. My publisher Haynes has done me proud.

“It has been an international effort in regards to gathering all this information. I love doing this sort of thing even after 30 years. That drive and passion I have for it is as strong as ever – or else I would not be writing another two books in the next two years.”

The Halifax holds an important place in British and Commonwealth aviation history as it flew on most of the main bombing raids over Germany during the Second World War.

As well as offering insights into what the Halifax was like to fly and maintain, the manual also reviews the salvage and restoration of a number of airframes over the past 40 years.

Mr Falconer, who is helping to write the town’s civil war re-enactment programme at the end of July, was also captivated by this topic thanks to his mother’s cousin who was a Halifax flight engineer and kept a diary of his time in his squadron in 1944.

“He kept a personal diary of his time on the squadron during the summer and autumn of 1944, which opened a window into his world, enabling me to read about what life was like on a Halifax squadron in Bomber Command,” said Mr Falconer.

“When you embark on something like this, you begin with a comprehensive understanding of a topic but when you delve deeper into it, there is so much you do not know and that is so exciting.

“There is still a demand for this type of book and a sturdy bedrock of interest for aviation in the Second World War and military history and the fact that it has links to Bradford on Avon makes it all the more fascinating.”