Chris Thomas

Raised in East Yorkshire Chris developed an early obsession with aviation, fed in the late 50s and early 60s by RAF Flying Review. That magazine popularised aircraft coloured ‘profiles’ which he admired and hoped to one day replicate.  Family connection to the Hawker Typhoon and the dearth of publication information on the type led him to start his own researches with the aim of producing a book.

Meanwhile, he qualified as a civil ATCO, married and had two children (and now five grandchildren). For 20 years he worked at Heathrow and London ATCC which brought him within easy reach of all the essential research facilities.  

After producing the Air-BrItain ‘Typhoon File’ he met established author Christopher Shores and together they wrote and illustrated a series on the Typhoon and Tempest for the French magazine, Le Fana. This they would develop into ‘The Typhoon and Tempest Story’, published in 1986 and would later follow with four volumes of ‘2nd Tactical Air Force’. Chris also authored three Osprey monographs and a string of articles in all the major British and French historical aviation magazines.