The red star and the roundel are the symbols of organisations that share a century of existence, characterised by conflict as well as harmony. The Russian red star has maintained its impact in the hundred years since the October Revolution; the RAF’s red, white, and blue roundel has seen action in the air across the globe during the same period. Of the author’s forty years of RAF service, the final three and a half were in Russia, enabling him to examine the dynamics of the Russia–RAF relationship, sometimes as allies, sometimes as adversaries.

Red Star and Roundel draws on the author’s personal reminiscences, the recollections of surviving veterans of RAF service in Russia during the Second World War, and official records from throughout this shared century. The volume explores topics ranging from brutal combat in the early years to language difficulties later on, from innocent misunderstandings to deliberate deception, and from cultural contrasts to aesthetic links.