A Flying Life: An Enthusiast's Photographic Record of British Aviation in the 1930s

Since his childhood, E. J. Riding was fascinated by aviation. After spending much of his youth recording aircraft seen over Manchester, and touring the country's aerodromes with close friend J. G. Ellison, Riding was apprenticed to A. V. Roe & Company and employed as an aircraft engineer. In the Second World War, he became an AID inspector and was seconded to Fairey Aviation, London Aircraft Production, and the de Havilland Aircraft Company, where he signed out Halifax bombers and Mosquitoes. Sadly, he was killed in a flying accident in 1950. During his short life, Riding gained a lasting reputation as an engineer, professional photographer, draftsman, and aero modeler. Fortunately, he kept meticulous log books, recording the locations and dates of when and where aircraft were photographed, and most remarkably, their color schemes - details rarely recorded by the press at the time. He photographed everything from Tiger Moths to RAF fighters, ultra-lights to airliners, and created a compelling and exhaustive cross-section of flying in Britain up to the outbreak of the Second World War. With over 350 photographs, A Flying Life is a remarkable record of British aviation in the 1930s, providing a unique perspective into many aircraft at all stages of their service life. Combined with lighthearted but informative text and captions by Richard Riding, E. J. R.'s son, it is a glorious tribute to the lifetime's passion of a committed aviation enthusiast.