MY TARGET WAS LENINGRAD

With many previously unpublished photos, this is the firsthand account of the man who was tasked to drop a nuclear bomb on Leningrad. Goodall entered the RAF in March 1949 to complete his National Service and was selected to be trained as a pilot at the RAF College and in 1953 started training to fly jet aircraft, the Meteor and Canberra. In 1954 he joined 90 Squadron flying the Canberra at RAF Marham, was trained to fly the Valient and joined the first 'V' Bomber Squadron as a co-pilot. Deployed to Malta, they bombed Egypt in the Suez War, and he was awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air in 1959. In 1967 he commanded 27 Squadron flying the Vulcan Mk 2 equipped with Blue Steel nuclear missile and kept on alert as part of QRA. In 1972 he was posted to the HQ of Strike Command for responsibility for producing the RAF's nuclear war plans. In August 1945 the world changed forever with the release of two atomic bombs in Japan it was decided that Britain would produce its own bombs, and the result was the development of the 'V' bombers Valliant, Vulcan, and Victor. In reaction to the deteriorating relationship with Russia, the US, as part of NATO, cooperated with the UK in nuclear operational planning with US bomber aircraft being based at several RAF stations. Later as a result of the development of nuclear power, submarines were fitted with nuclear weapons. This book is unique in that it is a human story, not just a list of technical facts and bomber data. 192pp, colour.