Steve Darlow is a British author, publisher, and documentary consultant renowned for his extensive work on the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. With over twenty books to his name, including Five of the Few, Flightpath to Murder, Five of the Many, D-Day Bombers, and The Bomber Command Memorial, Darlow has established himself as a leading author in the field of military aviation. His deep connection to the subject is personal; his grandfather served as a Pathfinder pilot with Bomber Command, flying 32 operations before becoming a prisoner of war.
Beyond writing, Darlow founded Fighting High Publishing in 2009, a company dedicated to producing high-quality military history publications.
His expertise has also been sought in the film and television industry, where he has contributed to documentaries such as Britain’s Flying Past – the Lancaster, the Smithsonian Channel’s Air Warriors – Spitfire. He acted as consultant and co-produced the feature documentary Lancaster, and is currently working on Mosquito.
In recent years, Darlow has expanded into theatre, developing and writing several productions. Notably, he co-created Attagirl the Musical, focusing on the women of the Air Transport Auxiliary (see www.tollettanddarlow.com), Their Finest Hour, a play based on firsthand wartime accounts, and The Valentine Letters, a new play based upon a book Steve published called Geprüft. Steve is also developing The Cormorant Tree, a tale of love, loss, deception and smuggling, set in the mid 19th century, and recently released the songs as a debut album.
His theatrical works often intertwine historical narratives with compelling storytelling, bringing lesser-known wartime experiences to the stage.
Steve actively supports fundraising for military charities, most notably as an Ambassador for the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. The RAFBF often call on Steve as a historical consultant, to appear on television, radio and podcasts, and provide website content for any RAF related anniversaries. In 2021 Steve was awarded the ‘Special Recognition’ award at the RAF Benevolent Fund annual awards night.
Before his literary and theatrical pursuits, Darlow had a distinguished career in basketball, earning 16 caps representing England.
His multifaceted career reflects a deep commitment to preserving and sharing the stories of those who served during pivotal moments in history.
