Air forces and warfare Books

Book SynopsisThe nearly half-million American airmen who served during World War II have almost disappeared. And so have their stories. In Unsung Eagles, award-winning writer and former fighter pilot Jay Stout has saved an exciting collection of those accounts from oblivion. These are not rehashed tales from the hoary icons of the war. Rather, they are stories from the masses of largely unrecognized men who―in the aggregate―actually won it. These are “everyman” accounts that are important but fast disappearing. Ray Crandall describes how he was nearly knocked into the Pacific by a heavy cruiser’s main battery during the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea. Jesse Barker―a displaced dive-bomber pilot―tells of dodging naval bombardments in the stinking mud of Guadalcanal. Bob Popeney relates how his friend and fellow A-20 pilot was blown out of formation by German antiaircraft fire: “I could see the inside of the airplane―and I could see Nordstrom's eyes. He looked confused…and then immediately he flipped up and went tumbling down.”

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis remarkable work pulls the lid off one of the legendary air forces in history at the very peak of its powerface=Calibri>–unveiling the and machines as they truly existed dayface=Calibri>–to–day, underneath the propaganda of their own regime and the scare stories of their enemies.In Hitler’s Germany, colour photography was primarily co-opted for state purposes, such as the military publication Signal, or the Luftwaffe’s own magazine, Der Adler (Eagle). But a number of men had cameras of their own, and in this painstakingly acquired collection, originally published in France, we can witness true life on Germany’s airfields during the period of the Luftwaffe’s ascendancy.Thus not only do we see famous planes such as the Me-109, Ju-87 or He-111, but the wide variety of more obscure types with which the Germans began the war. The array of Arados, Dorniers, Heinkels face=Calibri>– not to mention elegant 4-engine Condors face=Calibri>– that were initially employed in the war are here in plain sight and full colour, providing not only an insight into WWII history but a model maker’s dream.Just as fascinating are the shots of the airmen themselves, along with their groundcrews face=Calibri>– full of confidence and cheer as they bested every other air force in Europe during these years, with the single exception of the RAF’s Fighter Command in late-summer 1940. But that was no big stumbling block to the Luftwaffe, which had bigger fish to fry in Russia and North Africa the following year.In the authors’ next work, The Years of Defeat, we will see how the war turned more grim for the Luftwaffe, even as its expertise and skill at more deadly aircraft designs, increased. In The Victory Years we have a uniquely intimate view of an air force at the very apex of its capabilities.Trade Review...Being in colour, camouflage is seen, as are markings, very useful to the aircraft modeller. From origins, through development of the German air arm, the phoney war, Blitzkrieg, expansion south & east and North Africa; Fighters, bombers, transports, floatplanes, trainers are all covered in this book. An excellent publication that should prove popular with the Luftwaffe enthusiast. * Scale Military Modelling International Magazine *Highly recommended to Luftwaffe modellers. * Air Modeller *I highly recommend Luftwaffe in Colour: The Victory Years to anyone with an interest in the World War II German aircraft. The colour photos are a valuable modelling resource that will also help with the interpretation of black and white images of similar subjects…highly recommended. * Hyperscale *This is an essential book to have on your shelf to use for Luftwaffe colour references. * Model Builder International *In one single book you get valuable content, which might influence your next modelling work. Let's hope that we will see a continuation of this series. * DetailScaleView *This is a book to keep close to hand for reference, to dip into constantly. * Flightpath Magazine *The authors have done an outstanding job. Both volumes are a fantastic addition to your aviation library. The reproduction quality is superb...these two are up there with the best. * War History Online *...this is a super collection of images and a real pleasure to see them in colour rather than the more common black and white pictures from the period. * Military Model Scene *Recommended reading for February 2017. * History of War Magazine *The colour photos are a valuable modelling resource that will also help with the interpretation of black and white images of similar subjects…highly recommended. * Reale Model Review *An amazing collection of brilliant colour photographs - there have been many part works of the second world war in colour, and there is colour footage on some of the archival newsreels, but this is first-class, and quite unexpected. The quality of the photography is quite stunning! * Books Monthly *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Frantic operations were conceived in late 1943 as Soviet advances made Soviet airfields accessible to Allied long-range aircraft. American aircraft could hit targets in central Europe, refuel and rearm at Soviet bases, then fly back to bomb additional targets. In addition to hitting Nazi war industries, the political objectives of Frantic were to build closer cooperation with the Red Army as the end of the war drew nearer. For the first two weeks of the Warsaw Uprising, Soviet forces stood outside the city, and Stalin refused to let the RAF land at Soviet bases after dropping supplies to the Polish freedom fighters. But eventually the United States persuaded him to let them use Frantic to supply the Poles. On 18 September 1944, American B-17 Flying Fortresses dropped arms, ammunition, medical supplies, and food over the city of Warsaw. The assistance came too late for the Polish freedom fighters. For many, Frantic 7 remains a mere gesture to placate Western public opinion, but the events of that day, and the courage of 1,220 airmen who risked their lives to bring them aid, are still remembered by the Poles of Warsaw. This book gives a full narrative of Frantic 7, using the first-hand accounts of those on the ground in Warsaw to tell the stories of the young aircrew. It puts Frantic 7 in context, and explains how the diplomatic wrangling set the stage for the breakdown in relations between the Soviet Union and the United States.Trade ReviewAn amazingly detailed account of the US Air Force's attempt to help the Poles in Warsaw. Inspiring! * Books Monthly *The strength of the book lies largely in the human interest story. * Miniature Wargames - Chris Jarvis *

Read more less

Book SynopsisDuring World War II the Ninth Air Force comprised air-to-ground aviators, charged with destroying the enemy close to the front and below the clouds, often bringing them face to face with their German opponents.The 362nd Fighter Group, led by two very different leaders – the tough disciplinarian Col. Morton Magoffin and later the beloved motivator Col. Joe Laughlin – had one of the best track records in the Ninth Air Force. It destroyed over 5000 trucks, 350 tanks, 275 artillery pieces, 45 barges and 600 locomotives. But this score came at a cost, as over the course of 15 months of combat in 1944 and 1945 more than 70 pilots were killed in action and in June 1944 alone 30 of their P-47 Thunderbolts were lost. The other groups jokingly referred to them as the "362nd Suicide Outfit".Thunderbolts Triumphant provides a narrative history of the group and gives a glimpse at the fascinating men who flew these missions and maintained the aircraft as they navigated Europe.Starting with the D-Day invasion, the group was the aerial artillery support for U.S. ground forces, first in Normandy, then in reducing the defenses around Brest, then in supporting the U.S. Third Army as it drove across France and Germany.Special emphasis is given to its most spectacular missions such as the breaching of the Diueze Dam and its incredible performance during the Battle of the Bulge where it demolished much of the Sixth Panzer Armee as it tried to escape eastward.Illustrated with 150 black and white photographs and 24 color aircraft profiles, this is a fascinating and detailed history of a group that played a significant part in winning the air war.Trade ReviewModel builders are well served with accurate drawings and often also the story behind the Thunderbolts. In short: a well-documented war record of the 362nd Fighter Group. * Aviationbookreviews.com 15/07/2019 *I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the P-47 Thunderbolt or the Air War in Europe during World War Two and it is a moving tribute to the 70 pilots lost from the 362nd during the war. * Aviation Enthusiast Book Club 20/03/2019 *a detailed account of WW2 air-to-ground operations of the 362nd Fighter Group of the USAAF Ninth Air Force operating the Republic P-47D Thunderbolt which provided aerial artillery support for US ground forces from D-Day onwards * Aerospace/ The Royal Aeronautical Journal *An engaging read. * Aeroplane Magazine 09/05/2019 *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWilliam Gregory, "Greg," to all, was born into a sharecropper's life in the hills of northcentral Tennessee. From the back of a mule-drawn plow, Greg learned the value of resilience and the importance of living a determined life. Refusing to accept a life of continued poverty, Gregy sought and found a way out - a work-study college program that made it possible to leave farming behind him forever.While at college, Greg completed the Civilian Pilot Training Program and was subsequently accepted into the Army's pilot training program. Earning his wings in 1942, Greg became a P-38 combat pilot and served in North Africa during the summer of 1943 - a critical time when the Luftwaffe was still a potent threat, and America had begun the march northward from the Mediterranean into Europe proper.Following the war, Greg served with a B-29 unit, then transitioned to the new, red-hot B-47 strategic bomber. In his frequent deployments, he was always assigned the same target in the Soviet Union - Tblisi, Stalin's home town. While a B-47 pilot, Greg was selected to join America's first high-altitude program - the Black Knights. Flying RB-57D aircraft, Greg and his team flew peripheral "ferret" missions around the Soviet Union and its satellites, collecting critical order-of-battle data so desperately needed by the Air Force at that time. When that program neared its design end, and following the Gary Powers shoot-down over the Soviet Union, Greg was assigned to command of the CIA's U-2 unit at Edwards AFB. It was during that five-year command that Greg and his team provided critical overflight intelligence, including during the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Vietnam build-up. He found time to also become one of the first to fly U-2s off aircraft carriers in a demonstration project.Following his U-2 command, Greg attended the National War College, was assigned to the reconnaissance office at the Pentagon, and then was named Vice-Commandant of the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT). Greg retired from the Air Force in 1972.Trade ReviewBooks following pilots’ careers can become rather familiar to the avid aviation enthusiast/reader, but occasionally a real gem comes along and this is one of them. * Air Forces Monthly *...this is a fine addition to the growing body of high-quality literature on Cold War aerial reconnaissance. * The Aviation Historian 21/04/2021 *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAround 500 Luftwaffe fighter pilots were awarded the Knight's Cross, accumulating huge numbers of missions flown. A similar number achieved more than 40 victories—more than the two leading USAF and RAF fighter pilots.This volume of Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe traces the story of the Luftwaffe's day fighter arm from 1942 through to the end of the war in Europe, covering missions over Russia in 1943, over the West and the Reich, the Eastern Front and the Mediterranean. Organized campaign by campaign, this chronological account interweaves brief biographical details, newly translated personal accounts and key moments in the careers of a host of notable and lesser known Luftwaffe aces. Fully illustrated with 200 contemporary photographs, maps and profiles of the aircraft flown by these aces, this is a visual delight for anyone with an interest in the day fighter aces of the Luftwaffe.Trade ReviewThe history literally leaps off the pages and you can vividly imagine something of what it must have been like as a Luftwaffe fighter pilot. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Luftwaffe aces and World War Two Luftwaffe history. * Aviation Enthusiast Book Club *Table of ContentsIntroduction Russia 1943 The West and the Reich 1943 The Mediterranean 1943 The Eastern Front 1944 The Mediterranean 1944 1945 Post-war Appendices Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisYears before Charles Lindbergh’s flight from New York to Paris electrified the nation, a group of daredevil pilots, most of them veterans of the World War I, brought aviation to the masses by competing in the sensational transcontinental air race of 1919. The contest awakened Americans to the practical possibilities of flight, yet despite its significance, it has until now been all but forgotten. In The Great Air Race, journalist and amateur pilot John Lancaster finally reclaims this landmark event and the unheralded aviators who competed to be the fastest man in America. His thrilling chronicle opens with the race’s impresario, Brigadier General Billy Mitchell, who believed the nation’s future was in the skies. Mitchell’s contest—critics called it a stunt—was a risky undertaking, given that the DH-4s and Fokkers the contestants flew were almost comically ill-suited for long-distance travel: engines caught fire in flight; crude flight instruments were of little help in clouds and fog; and the brakeless planes were prone to nosing over on landing. Yet the aviators possessed an almost inhuman disregard for their own safety, braving blizzards and mechanical failure as they landed in remote cornfields or at the edges of cliffs. Among the most talented were Belvin “The Flying Parson” Maynard, whose dog, Trixie, shared the rear cockpit with his mechanic, and John Donaldson, a war hero who twice escaped German imprisonment. Jockeying reporters made much of their rivalries, and the crowds along the race’s route exploded, with everyday Americans eager to catch their first glimpse of airplanes and the mythic “birdmen” who flew them. The race was a test of endurance that many pilots didn’t finish: some dropped out from sheer exhaustion, while others, betrayed by their engines or their instincts, perished. For all its tragedy, Lancaster argues, the race galvanized the nation to embrace the technology of flight. A thrilling tale of men and their machines, The Great Air Race offers a new origin point for commercial aviation in the United States, even as it greatly expands our pantheon of aviation heroes.Trade Review"Among the many virtues of John Lancaster’s delightful The Great Air Race is how vividly it conveys the entirely different world of aviation at the dawn of the industry, a century ago . . . My favorite book about Antarctic exploration is The Worst Journey in the World, by the British writer Apsley Cherry-Garrard, a survivor of a doomed expedition in 1910. The Great Air Race has the same horrific but heroic fascination. Page by page you think, What else can go wrong? Page by page, you want to learn more . . . This is Lancaster’s first book. But he deftly pulls off some tricks that are harder than they seem. He embeds social, economic and political history as he writes—for instance, how coast-to-coast air travel fits into the history of wagon trails, railroads and highways connecting the continent . . . I have read a lot about aviation and the aircraft industry over the years, but almost everything in this tale was new to me. You might take it on your next airline flight, pause to look out the window and spare a thought for those who helped make it all possible." -- James Fallows - New York Times Book Review"Although the race took place during peacetime, Lancaster is in solid military-history territory… The race itself was fraught with peril, and the author recounts in great detail the inherent struggles of trying to fly cross-country when there were no navigational aids, and the weather could prove deadly. In the end, there were numerous crashes, injuries, and fatalities, and Lancaster covers all of it, making for thrilling reading. The book also includes outstanding photographs. An excellent read for those interested in aviation, the military, and American history." -- Colleen Mondor - Booklist"A dramatic account of the massive 1919 cross-country air race, ‘the likes of which the world had never seen.’… In this well-researched text, Lancaster delivers an expert description of the planes (mostly ex-WWI fighters) and biographies of the volunteers… Entertaining fireworks during the early days of flight." -- Kirkus Reviews"[An] energetic and entertaining history of ‘the greatest airplane race ever flown,’ a 1919 round-trip race between San Francisco and Long Island. . . . Lancaster brings to vivid life the eccentric cast of racers. . . The result is a high-flying history of aviation’s white-knuckle early days." -- Publishers Weekly

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisTACAMO, an unusual moniker meaning 'Take Charge and Move Out', is the Navy's well-known and respected leg of the nation's national strategic communications, a key element of the US nuclear deterrence posture. But TACAMO has not always been so recognized. For the junior officers in the early days of the 1960s and 1970s, TACAMO was a career-killing backwater, likely to put an end to their careers before they even got started. But in the 1970s, inspired by their commanding officer Bill Coyne, a handful of junior officers made the leap of faith to take a second tour in TACAMO, betting their careers that they could bring this community into existence. This is the story of eleven of those 'True Believers', told in their own words, how each came to make that leap of faith to bring the TACAMO community into existence against all odds, moulding it into what it is today. Out of this pioneering cadre came eleven future commanding officers and three commodores of a Wing yet twenty years in the future. And the 'True Believers' went on beyond TACAMO to make major contributions to all aspects of national strategic communications, some at the level of the White House.This is their story.Trade Review[C]ontains a wealth of information on a mission which is essential to the well-being of the US. McIntyre fulfils his aim of telling the story the development of the Navy’s strategic communications mission through the eyes of the 'Fathers of TACAMO.' * The Journal of the Air Force Historical Foundation *McIntyre’s writing is accessible and he is to be commended for expanding the history of Naval aviation. * The National Maritime Historical Society *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Thunderbolts of VMFA-251 were reactivated as a Marine Air Reserve squadron in 1946. Their Cold War only included a few weeks of traditional combat operations face=Calibri>– in Korea – but they would undertake constant training exercises and deployments from 1946 to 1991 as they prepared for a potential war against the USSR or China, the two giants of Communism. From South Korea to Norway to Turkey and points in between, the Thunderbolts found themselves defending the free world and living up to their motto, Custos Caelorum.Following the end of the Korean War, the squadron remained in the Far East until 1956. Back in the States it began flying the FJ-3 Fury, a jet fighter, before converting to its first supersonic fighter, the F-8U “Crusader”. In early 1962, it was the first Marine F-8 squadron to deploy aboard an aircraft carrier, as part of CVW-10 (Carrier Air Wing) aboard the USS Shangri-La. During deployment in the Mediterranean Sea, the squadron set a record for the most flight time in one month for a Sixth Fleet-based F-8 squadron by flying over 500 hours. In 1964, the Thunderbolts were the first Marine squadron in 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing to transition to the F-4B “Phantom II,” which they would fly for 21 years and 80,000 flight hours, until transitioning to the F/A-18 “Hornet” in 1987.These deployments and exercises, while not “at war,” were not without dangers. The Thunderbolts lost many personnel and aircraft, but they persevered as the armed forces of freedom-loving nations faced the ongoing threat of communism for over four decades. Compiled from archive records and interviews by a veteran of VMFA-251, this account narrates how the Thunderbolts worked hard to maintain the peace. They were indeed Custodians of the Sky.Table of ContentsChapter One: A Recap of World War II Chapter Two: Reactivation Chapter Three: The Korean War Chapter Four: Keeping the Peace Chapter Five: The Jet Age Begins Chapter Six: The Phantom Years Chapter Seven: The Fall of the Iron Curtain Appendices

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith a new century and a new enemy came a new kind of war: low intensity and civilian-dominated, blending austere rural and dense urban environments alike. Into this new kind of war, the American military launched two invasions against terrorist networks and military rivals, relying on airpower—close air support (CAS)—at a scale never before seen in combat.The Global War on Terror was the “CAS war.” Forward Air Controllers were on the front lines from the very first moments of the war, directing airstrikes against enemies in their safe havens, safeguarding friendly forces and civilians alike to their utmost, and achieving unprecedented success with limited resources. This volume captures the heroic accounts of the first Tactical Air Control Party (TACPs) in Afghanistan and Iraq, and how Close Air Support fundamentally reshaped the American war machine in the first five years of the War on Terror.Table of ContentsPreface Introduction PART I: Retribution Afghanistan: 2001–2003 1 Into the graveyard of empires 2 Ancient roads to a New War 3 Rearranging God’s furniture 4 Know thine enemy PART II: A New World War Iraq: 2003 5 The Pivot 6 Shock and Awe 7 Chasing Saddam 8 Dragging a nation out of a war Part III: Evolving the Machine Two distinct Wars: 2004-2006 9 Building a global architecture. 10 In Iraq's shadow 11 Rebuilding in ashes 12 Digitally aided Close Air Support Afterword: Scratching the surface

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book provides a comprehensive look at air war over Europe during the climactic year of World War II, combining firsthand experience with expert analysis. The centerpiece is a mission-by-mission diary of 1st Lieutenant Richard R. Ayesh, bombardier on a B-17 Flying Fortress, who flew with the 100th Bombardment Group, 13th Combat Wing of the 8th Air Forcethe legendary Bloody 100th. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Croix de Guerre and the Air Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters, amongst others.This book follows Ayesh's progress from his youth during the Great Depression in Wichita, Kansas, which was rapidly becoming the air capital of the nation, to his arrival in England as a Lieutenant in a bomber crew assigned to assault the Third Reich. Once in Europe, the author provides a look at the principles of American daylight strategic bombing, while relaying the overall military situation on the ground and in the air just after D-Day. This work is uniquely self-contained and cov

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisOn Patrol with the SAS takes the reader into the heart and soul of the men of the Australian Army's Special Air Services Regiment. It provides a clear insight into the rigours of the SAS selection process, training for war in Papua New Guinea, then in graphic and sometimes raw and brutal detail into combat behind enemy lines in Borneo and South Viet Nam.'It is an engrossing soldier's story. One in which the qualities of the men, their mental, physical and psychological toughness together with their superb battlecraft, essential for operating in small teams isolated in the enemy's backyard, emerge as the key components for their success in these two conflicts.' Brigadier Rod Curtis, AM, MC (Retd)'McKay has done what few other authors writing about the SAS achieve. He debunks the myths and lets the men who served in the Regiment tell it as it was. My children ask me what it was like to serve with the SAS in South Viet Nam: I will give them this book to read.' Brigadier Chris Roberts, AM, CSC

Read more less

Book Synopsis"The Luftwaffe - the German Air Force - will no longer have a decisive influence on the outcome of World War II, no matter how long it takes to beat Hitler." It is more than two years since I first heard these words. The man who spoke them to me continued: "No doubt, we will hear of the Luftwaffe before the war is over. We will hear a lot. But don't let us be deceived. No matter what happens, the Luftwaffe can never be used as a strategic first-line weapon within the Nazi plan. It can play no role but that of a tactical and auxiliary weapon." Curt Reiss, December 1943. Can it really be true that in 1941 insiders knew the Luftwaffe was a spent force; and a failed organization? This remarkable, but little-known book was written in 1943 and published in 1944. It argues, with remarkable clarity how incompetence at the highest level, both in planning and strategy led the Luftwaffe - pushed by the Nazi Party - to adopt a policy that left it hopelessly stretched and exposed. Little known facts shine out - such as the policy of failing to produce spares led the Luftwaffe to lose 2,500 aircraft during the invasion of Poland alone. The regime designed the Luftwaffe for Blitzkrieg, and Blitzkrieg alone. When a long-haul set in on an eastern front, on an African front and later on a western front, the collapse of Germany became simply inevitable. Crammed full of fascinating detail, and displaying much prescience, this book leaves the reader with the distinct impression that the much-vaunted German efficiency suffered from the dead-hand of the Nazi Party with its corruption and its contradictions. The insights into Goering and his wholesale thefts to fund a lavish life-style add colour to the picture of his incompetence.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThor: Anatomy of a Weapon System examines the technical aspects of the Thor Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile system as based in the UK during the period 1958 to 1963. Thor has a unique part to play in our Cold War heritage; it was the first operational ballistic missile system deployed in the western world and the only venture by the Royal Air Force into such a weapon system. This book describes the missile, its construction, systems and subsystems and the associated ground support equipment in detail. The guidance system, the "brain" of the missile, and as a result, the most complex of the missile's systems, is conveniently spread across two chapters, separating the airborne elements from the ground based components. The missile guidance description includes an illustrated sub section devoted to the basic principles governing the all - important gyroscopes, vital for controlled flight and navigation. Ballistics and how the properties of the earth affect the missile's flight to its target are also discussed. The ground based guidance chapter describes in detail, with accompanying drawings, the set up and alignment of the guidance system for the required target and the use of the "mysterious" theodolites. Explanations are in "plain English" and any associated mathematics is kept simple and, where possible, avoided altogether. Thor's liquid propellants are subject to inspection with an explanation of how these fuels are produced, stored on site, loaded and their associated ever - present dangers. Chapters are dedicated to the development of the re-entry vehicle (the nose cone), which gave Thor its characteristic blunt profile and to Thor's raison d'etre; the awesome 1.44-megaton warhead; its principles of operation and its terrifying effects. The launch countdown process is comprehensively covered in a series of easy to follow flow diagrams, accompanied by detailed drawings and descriptions of the launch control consoles and equipment. The launch sites are themselves examined, with a description of the surveys required, typical layout, locations, construction and security arrangements. Detailed drawings of the site buildings, made by the author, and believed not to be available elsewhere, complete the book which contains photographs, some from the author's collection, believed to be previously unpublished.Table of ContentsContents; Introduction; The Sites; The Site Buildings; The Missile; The Airframe; Pneumatic System; Fuel System; Engine; Hydraulic System; Electrical System; Guidance; Re - entry Vehicle; Warhead; The Launch Emplacement; Missile Shelter; Transporter Erector; Launch Mounting; Hydraulic Pumping Unit; Fuel; Propellant Transfer System; Storage; Nitrogen Supplies; Electrical Equipment Trailer; Missile Check Out Trailer; Power Switchboard; Guidance; Short Range Theodolite; Long Range Theodolite; Target Pillar; Full Guidance Countdown; Guidance Control; Guidance Alignment Set Components; Launch Control Area; Launch Control Trailer; Launch Control Consoles; Full Launch Countdown; Epilogue.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSoon after entering the war in April 1917 American propaganda promised that she would `Darken the skies over Europe’ by sending over `the Greatest Aerial Armada ever seen’. Encouraged by the French Government America promised to build no less than 22,000 aeroplanes within a year and to field, and to maintain, a force of 4,000 machines, all of the latest type, over the Western Front during 1918, not only to provide adequate air support for her own troops, but because she saw this as a way to use her industrial strength to bypass the squalor of the war in the trenches, and so bring an end to the stalemate of attrition into which the war had descended. However, by the time of the Armistice more than 18 months later just a few hundred American built aeroplanes had reached the war fronts and several investigations into the causes of the failure of the project were already in progress.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements; Author’s Note; Introduction; 1 Aviation in America before the War; 2 America Enters the War; 3 The US Standardised Aero Engine; 4 Preliminary Proposals; 5 The Mission to Europe; 6 Financing the Plan; 7 The Orders are Placed; 8 Curtiss JN-4; 9 Standard J-1; 10 Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a; 11 SPAD SVII and SXIII; 12 Curtiss R-4 and R-6; 13 Bristol F.2B Fighter; 14 Caproni Bombers; 15 Handley Page O/400; 16 Martin MB-1; 17 De Havilland DH.4; 18 USD-9; 19 LUSAC-11; 20 Growing Dissatisfaction; 21 The Air Service `Over There’; 22 The Situation at the End of the War; Conclusion; Appendix I The Liberty Engine; Appendix II DH.4 Statistics; Appendix III Aircraft Production Facts; Bibliography; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor a time, the flying boat was seen as the way of the future. These aircraft, so strange and foreign to the modern mind, once criss-crossed the world and fulfilled essential military roles. In his latest book for Fonthill, Charles Bain looks at the golden age of the flying boat, when these sometimes strange and often beautiful vessels spanned the globe. These vessels-a combination of ship and airplane-found themselves working as patrol aircraft, passenger aircraft, transports, and even as combat aircraft. This volume contains their stories, from memorable aircraft such as the Short Sunderland and Boeing 314 Clipper, to the craft that roamed the Pacific Theatre of the Second World War, to forgotten giants from Saunders-Roe and even strange jet fighters that once landed like ducks. It even includes the flying boat that has not let time get in the way of doing its job-the Martin Mars. Each of these aircraft has a story worthy of the telling, and often a memorable role to play in the history of aviation. `High Hulls' delves deeply into a long-vanished part of aviation's golden age.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe United Kingdom and the United States governments made a series of signed agreements in the early part of 1941 which allowed for the American Naval, Army and Air force to design and build campaigns against Nazi Germany. Today the United Kingdom and the United States Air Force still have a selection of operational bases but only three used for flying operations. RAF Mildenhall, The host unit at Mildenhall is the 100th Air Refuelling Wing operating the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, which deploys aircraft for and manages the European Tanker Task Force, Also housing the 352 SOW is the Air Force component for Special Operations Command Europe who operate the C130J series and the CV-22 Osprey and the 95th Reconnaissance Squadron which conducts RC-135 Rivet Joint flight operations in Europe and Mediterranean theatres. RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk being the other Airbase host the 48th Fighter Wing (48 FW), also known as the Liberty Wing, assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe--Air Forces Africa. The 48th Fighter Wing aircraft is the McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15 Eagle and here they house 3 Squadrons plus as part of the wing the 56th Rescue Squadron (56 RQS) who are a combat-ready search and rescue squadron of HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters. RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire is currently a standby airfield and therefore not in everyday use. Its most prominent use in recent years has been as an airfield for United States Air Force B-52s during the 2003 Iraq War, Operation Allied Force in 1999, and the first Gulf War in 1991. It is the US Air Force's only European airfield for heavy bombers. In this book Darren Willmin looks back on the history of USAFE in Britain and how it's developed to the present day. Darren Willmin's superb photographs capture the operational aircraft both from the ground and in the air from inside and outside of the bases.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe untold story of the hitherto secret projects that lead to the development of inertial navigation in the UK, and the many missiles that were designed for the RAF's bomber force. The result was the Blue Steel missile, which was deployed in 1963. These were cruise type missiles, and in 1959 the RAF decided to participate in the American Skybolt air launched ballistic missile. But Skybolt was cancelled by the American Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, which brought about a crisis in Anglo-American relations, only resolved when the UK obtained Polaris on acceptable terms. The cancellation brought about another crisis: Polaris would not be available until 1969, and so short-term stop gaps were needed to tide over the British deterrent until then. Many potential projects are examined in the book. But what if the UK had not been able to obtain Polaris on acceptable terms? The final chapters examine what options would have been open to Britain: ground based missiles or air launched missiles? What part could the TSR 2 have played in this? The book is the result of much archival research, and there are extensive quotes from contemporary documents to illustrate the thinking of the time.Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1 Background; 2 Britain's First Stand-Off Missile: Blue Steel; 3 The Rise and Fall of Blue Streak; 4 Setting the scene for Skybolt; 5 The Origins of Skybolt; 6 The warhead; 7 No fight more bitter; 8 The VC 10 Airliner as a Skybolt Carrier; 9 An Insurance Policy-OR 1182, the last attempt at an all British deterrent; 10 Skybolt-The Test Firings; 11 Skybolt and the V bombers; 12 The Doubts Grow; 13 The Nassau Agreement: Kennedy and Macmillan Meet; 14 The Stop Gaps; 15 What If ... ?; 16 Tidying Up; 17 So what went wrong?; Appendix: The Memorandum of Understanding; Brief History of Skybolt from the British Perspective; Bibliography.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSoviet bombers were a varied lot during the Second World War, ranging from single-engined biplanes such as the 1920's era Polikarpov U-2 to the excellent and modern twin-engined Tu-2 medium bomber. Although the use of four-engined strategic bombers was mostly limited to use of the huge Pe-8 bomber, the Soviets used many other aircraft for both strategic and tactical bombing. As the bombers of the Red Air Force were mainly tasked with supporting the Red Army, most of the bombers were used for tactical bombing, attacking tanks, troop convoys, trains, and airfields. This book will deal with both strategic bombers and tactical bombers, but will concentrate on the smaller tactical bombers, as this is where the Red Air Force's emphasis lay. Such types as the Il-4, the Su-2, the aforementioned Tu-2, and the most important bomber of all, the Il-2 Shturmovik attack bomber, will be described in great detail, including not only details on the aircraft themselves, but how they were deployed in combat. The one truly strategic bomber, the Pe-8, will not be forgotten, and neither will the comparatively tiny U-2 biplane, which was so effective in its use as a night-time "nuisance" raider that the Germans copied the tactic wholesale. Accurate colour profiles in some number will accompany the text in this comprehensive work on Soviet bombers.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book presents a little-known aspect of America's aircraft development of World War II in emphasizing unique and non-production aircraft or modifications for the purpose of research and experimentation in support of aircraft development, advancing technology, or meeting narrow combat needs. It describes some important areas of American aviation weapons maturation under the pressure of war with emphasis on advanced technology and experimental aircraft configurations. The great value of the work is illumination of little known or minimally documented projects that significantly advanced the science of aeronautics, propulsion, aircraft systems, and ordnance, but did not go into production. Each chapter introduces another topic by examining the state-of-the-art at the beginning of the war, advantages pursued, and results achieved during the conflict. This last is the vehicle to examine the secret modifications or experiments that are little known. Consequently, this is an important single-source for a fascinating and diverse collection of wartime efforts never before brought together under a single cover. The "war stories" are those of military staffs, engineering teams, and test pilots struggling against short schedules and tight resource constraints to push the bounds of technology. These epic and sometimes life-threatening endeavors were as vital as actual combat operations.Table of ContentsForeword; Acknowledgements; Glossary; Acronyms and Abbreviations; 1 Foundation; 2 Aeronautical Achievements; 3 Propulsion Challenges; 4 Rocket Promise; 5 Sonic Reach; 6 Undercarriage Variations; 7 Range Extension; 8 Piloting Diversions; 9 Mission Support; 10 Special Missions; 11 Shipboard Duties; 12 Miscellaneous Projects; 13 Foreign Influence; 14 A Step Along; Endnotes; Bibliography; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisRoyal Air Force Fighter Command's brief was to provide an effective aerial barrier to any attempt at domination of British skies. The aircraft and technical resources on hand between 1936 and WWII's initiation were thankfully improved to a level that was barely sufficient to withstand the hitherto unchallengeable Luftwaffe's advance across Western Europe. Between 1940 and 1942 the Command generally found itself on the back-foot in terms of overall success. The introduction of aircraft designs that would change the situation, however costly, in its ultimate favour, featured prominently from the mid-point of WWII. The Luftwaffe found itself being challenged and regularly bested 'round the clock'; by the advent of D-Day the Command's efforts had materially contributed to the Allied on-surge that had placed its adversary on a permanent downward spiral towards total extinction.Table of ContentsList of Abbreviations; Introduction; 1 `The Greatest Flying Club in the World'; 2 Belated Rearmament; 3 Phoney War: A Vital Respite? September 1939-April 1940; 4 Battle is Fully Joined; 5 Dunkirk: The Fortuitous `Miracle'; 6 Democracy at Bay: The Fight for Survival, June-August 1940; 7 From Crisis to Salvation; 8 Groping in the Dark; 9 Taking the Fight to the Enemy; 10 Advantage Jagdwaffe: The Fw 190 Menace; 11 Regaining the Initiative (June 1942 into 1943); 12 `The More Violent Storm'; 13 From Nocturnal Defence; 14 To Nocturnal Offence; 15 Towards D-Day; 16 D-Day and `Diver'; 17 `Final Pickings'; Appendix I: Order of Battle, 1 August 1940; Appendix II: Order of Battle, 6 June 1944; Bibliography.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 1938, the Reichsluftfahrtsministerium (German Air Ministry, RLM), issued a requirement for a new twin-engine heavy fighter to replace the Me 110. This type of combat aeroplane was known as Zerst rer (Destroyer). The first prototype flew in September 1939. The Me 210 proved very difficult to fly, having numerous deficiencies. It was said to be deadlier to its crews than the enemy. Nevertheless, the Luftwaffe ordered the Me 210 into production. Operational trials began in late 1941, but it was eventually acknowledged that the aircraft had to be redesigned in order to be accepted into Luftwaffe service. The whole Me 210 debacle proved a huge scandal. A redesigned variant, the Me 410 began to reach Luftwaffe units in mid-1943. Even if the Me 210 and Me 410 were similar in appearance, the latter had to be redesigned to avoid the extremely poor reputation of the Me 210. The Me 410 proved a quite successful aeroplane, being used as a heavy fighter and for reconnaissance duties. Its closest Allied equivalent was the British DH 98 Mosquito. More than 1,500 Me 210/410s were built in Germany and Hungary, with only two Me 410s surviving today.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe ancient Norwich firm of Boulton & Paul were brought into aircraft construction in 1915, and quickly became one of the great innovators. They pioneered metal construction and built the frame of the largest aircraft ever built in Britain, the R.101 airship. The Overstrand, the last of their superlative medium bombers, was the first aircraft in the world to feature a power-operated gun turret, and after their move to Wolverhampton in 1936 and change of name to Boulton Paul Aircraft their gun turrets became a vital component of the war effort, not least in their own Defiant, which fought in the Battle of Britain and was the most successful night fighter in the dark nights of the Blitz. Their post-war Balliol trainer was the World’s first single-engine turboprop and their last production aircraft, because the technology of their gun turrets was translated into their world lead as manufacturers of power operated control units, and then fly-by-wire. Becoming part of the Dowty Group and later GE Aviation, their advanced aerospace product line is now invested in the firm of Moog, still in Wolverhampton, still innovating.Table of Contents1 Company History: The Days before the Aeroplane; 2 The First World War; 3 The Aftermath of the War; 4 The P.71A Feederliner; 5 The Sale of the Aircraft Division; 6 The P.75 Overstrand; 7 The Electro-Hydraulic Gun Turret; 8 The Move to Wolverhampton; 9 The P.82 Defiant; 10 Turret Development; 11 Remote-Control and Radar-Guided Guns; 12 Norwich Resumes Production; 13 Further Fighter Projects; 14 Naval Aircraft; 15 The Balliol; 16 Further Trainer Projects; 17 Experimental Aircraft; 18 Sub-Contract Work; 19 Powered Flying Control Units; 20 The Merger with Dowty; 21 The Sidestrand in No. 101 Squadron Service; 22 Sidestrand Development; 23 The Overstrand in RAF Service; 24 Production Build-up; 25 The Battle of Britain; 26 New Tactics; 27 Radar Warfare and Air-Sea Rescue; 28 Target Towing; 29 Training on Defiants; 30 Experimental Flying; Appendix I: Aircraft Built Under Licence; Appendix II: Surviving Boulton Paul-built Aircraft; Appendix III: Boulton Paul Annual Production; Appendix IV: Boulton Paul Gun Turrets; Appendix V: Canberra and Lightning Conversions; Appendix VI: Powered Flying Control Units and Other Equipment P-Series Numbers.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book takes a carefully considered look at the history of many lesser known but nevertheless advanced British flying wing, delta and tailless aircraft that stretch across much of the last century. The emphasis is on classified projects considered for research or military purposes, but also includes those aircraft that were built, flown and entered service. The first commercially successful British flying wing biplane was designed by John Dunne and undertook limited military duties during the First World War. Soon, the early flying wing designs gave way to sleeker boomerangs that looked impressive, but often suffered with aerodynamic shortcomings. These were followed by the arrival of advanced wartime German jet powered delta projects initiated by Dr Alexander Lippisch. They were massively influential, with most post-war scientists and engineers immediately recognised the potential for a new generation of high performance warplanes. By the late 1940s, the UK required advanced jet powered bombers capable of carrying atomic bombs over long distances. This created many unusual, often German influenced designs that finally resulted in the V-Bombers. They were followed by short lived concepts for even larger aircraft that were not only capable of delivering nuclear weapons, but powered by nuclear propulsion. At the same time, interest in variable geometry wings gathered momentum, leading to the supersonic Swallow with its impressive science-fiction appearance. Sadly this Barnes Wallace concept was too far ahead of its time to overcome a number of technical issues, but the influence on American combat aircraft was considerable. The British also pushed ahead with ideas for vertical take-off fighters and the delta wing was often the first choice for many proposals. By the 1960s, Britain was attempting to gain a foothold in the space race. Plans were drawn up for rocket launching sites within the UK and the development of exotic delta winged space fighters. The ideas were impressive, although the technology was well beyond the UK's ability to fund and develop. These were glorious times for British aircraft designers who often pushed their ideas to the boundaries of what was possible, with design studies that remain influential today.Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1 Early Flying Wings; 2 Jet Bomber Projects; 3 Post-war Fighters; 4 Pushing the Design Envelope; 5 Rocket Powered Interceptors; 6 VTO/VTOL/STOL Projects; 7 Space Ambitions; 8 Some Final Thoughts; Select Bibliography; Glossary; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis volume focuses on the influence of America’s Second World War aviation development and experience, subsequent aviation technological advances, and world events, in shaping American choices in military aircraft and associated weapons’ development during the few years following the war. It shows how air warfare weapons from the last conflict were carried forward and altered, how new systems evolved from these, and how the choices fared in the next war—Korea. The period was one of remarkable progress in a short span of time via a great many aircraft and weapons programs, and associated technological progress. These systems were of immense importance influencing and growing the engineering, production, and operational capabilities to be exploited for the next generation of weapons that soon followed. Emphasized is the innovative features or new technology and how these contributed to advancing American military aviation, influencing the evolution of follow-on models or types. Included are military prototype, experimental, and research aircraft that are equally important in understanding the history of American aircraft development. Combat employment, progress, and equipment adaptation during the Korean Conflict is then highlighted. Tabulated characteristics are provided of those aircraft that entered production or represented significant technological advances influencing others that follow.Table of ContentsForeword; Acknowledgements; Glossary; Acronyms and Abbreviations; 1 Altered Landscape; 2 Flight Research; 3 Mission Imperatives; 4 Fighters Evolve; 5 Second Generation Fighters; 6 Deviant Fighters; 7 Bombers Transform; 8 Transport and Assault; 9 Helicopters Ascend; 10 Sea Missions; 11 Special Types; 12 Aerial Weapons; 13 The Test-Korea; 14 Precipitous; Endnotes; Bibliography; Index; Author.

Read more less

Book Synopsis1943 was the turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic, when the balance of forces, technologies and tactics turned irrevocably against Germany’s U-boats. The victory thus obtained not only secured Britain’s transatlantic lifeline to the United States, but in so doing enabled the vast build up in military forces in Britain necessary to launch D-Day in June 1944. The Allied battle to defeat the U-boat menace was a combined effort by the naval and air forces of several Allied nations, and this is the story of one part of that effort during the decisive mid-war period. Nos 10 and 461 Squadrons of the Royal Australian Air Force flew Sunderland flying boats from bases in Wales and Devon as part of RAF Coastal Command; these two sister squadrons flew long-range daylight missions over the eastern Atlantic, patrolling Britain’s southwest approaches. They hunted and killed U-boats transiting between their mid-Atlantic hunting grounds and their bases in Bordeaux, and fought furious air battles over the heaving seas of the Bay of Biscay, against Luftwaffe Ju88 long-range fighters tasked specifically with shooting them down. These two Australian squadrons established a combat record second to none.

Read more less

Book SynopsisR. J. Mitchell at Supermarine is the definitive account of the life of Britain’s best-known aeronautical engineer. Shelton calls upon unpublished letters, extensive press accounts, and updated material from his previous publications, concentrating particularly on the harsh conditions of Mitchell’s apprentice years, the precarious state of the aircraft firm he joined, and moments of good fortune of which he took advantage. He was a ‘chancer’ as well as a methodical developer of, mainly, slow flying seaplanes. Mitchell’s progress from draughtsman, with no formal training in aeronautical design, to internationally known chief designer is charted through a chronological study of his designs, revealing a formidable work ethic with a complex personality that combined ‘dreams and common sense’. It will also be shown how the success of his high-speed Schneider Trophy designs propelled him reluctantly into public attention and how his anxiety for his pilots’ safety matched an equal concern that his designs should not let down an expectant nation. Later expectations on him to produce a ‘killer fighter’ were equally daunting, and the outcome was often uncertain, but details of colleagues’ accounts highlight the essential and unique contribution of R.J.’s experience and drive to the eventual appearance of the iconic Spitfire.Table of ContentsIntroduction – No Ordinary Engineer; Normacot to Woolston; Establishing Himself; Early Designs and the Schneider Trophy; Early Military Designs and a Racer; Mixed Fortunes; Large, Medium, and Small Designs; A Turning Point; Becoming ‘R.J.’; Consolidation and International Success; Schneider Trophy Domination; A Gamble with Rolls-Royce; The Air Yacht and the Giant; Winning the Schneider Trophy Outright; His Last Flying Boats; His First Spitfire; The Real Spitfire Emerges; K5054; ‘It’s All Over’; After Mitchell.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAfter surviving three years flying the mighty Phantom, the RAF's greatest and most terrifying fighter (for those in the cockpit), Tug Wilson was sent to RAF Brawdy in Pembrokeshire and then to RAF Valley on the Isle of Anglesey to teach the flying skills he probably should have known when posted on the Cold War front line. At Valley, Wilson quickly discovered that being an instructor was much more than just teaching: it was falling out of the sky after a stall at just 300 feet, inches from pulling the ejection-seat handle; it was zooming into cloud at low level knowing there's a hill somewhere straight ahead; it was suffering the horror of nearly killing your student by chasing him too hard in air combat; it was being a mentor, a father figure, a best friend and a worst enemy if needs be; and it was the joy of guiding the struggling but hard-working ones away from the brink of being 'chopped' and towards their dream of becoming confident aviators, ready to join an operational squadron. Confessions of a Flying Instructor is a gritty, unvarnished, highly entertaining account of what it was like to be a tactics and flying instructor on an RAF squadron in the early 1990s-the banter, the egos, the insecurities, the cock-ups, the tragedies, the friendships, the triumphs, and the pure, unadulterated exhilaration of raging around the sky in a Hawk T1A day after day. Have you ever wondered what a fast-jet pilot needs to go through to learn how to win in air combat? Or how to cheat in dogfighting, for that matter? This book is an intimate, revelatory memoir of an often overlooked but intrinsic aspect of the RAF.Table of ContentsRAF Valley - June 1994 - in the back of a Hawk T1; RAF Brawdy - May 1992; RAF Valley, Isle of Anglesey.

Read more less

Book Synopsis_ I realised that this brief but abortive sortie was to be the final mission of my Luftwaffe flying career.'_ Johannes Kaufmann's career was an exciting one. He may have been an ordinary Luftwaffe pilot, but he served during an extraordinary time, with distinction. Serving for a decade through both peacetime and wartime, his memoir sheds light on the immense pressures of the job. In this never-before-seen translation of a rare account of life in the Luftwaffe, Kaufmann takes the reader through his time in service, from his involvement in the annexation of the Rhineland, the attack on Poland, fighting against American heavy bombers in the Defence of the Reich campaign. He also covers his role in the battles of Arnhem, the Ardennes, and the D-Day landings, detailing the intricacies of military tactics, flying fighter planes and the challenges of war. His graphic descriptions of being hopelessly lost in thick cloud above the Alps, and of following a line of telegraph poles half-buried in deep snow while searching for a place to land on the Stalingrad front are proof that the enemy was not the only danger he had to face during his long flying career. Kaufmann saw out the war from the early beginnings of German expansion right through to surrender to the British in 1945\. _An Eagle's Odyssey_ is a compelling and enlightening read, Kaufmann's account offers a rarely heard perspective on one of the core experiences of the Second World War.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThroughout the Second World War, Suffolk airfields and the airmen of Bomber Command made a large and vital contribution to the war effort. Just four airfields were established in the county at the outbreak of war in September 1939 - Mildenhall, Stradishall, Wattisham and Honington. Later in the war, new airfields were opened at Chedburgh, Tuddenham and Lakenheath. The losses both in men and machines, were very high. In this excellently researched book, Graham Smith describes the air war in Suffolk and the young airmen who flew night after night in the cold and the dark against desperate odds. Their Commander-in-Chief, Air Marshall Sir Arthur 'Bomber' Harris called them 'The bravest of the brave', an epithet they fully deserved.

Read more less

Book SynopsisScotland's contribution to allied success in the Second World War was colossal. The Lothian region employed thousands of workers in the building of warships, aircraft components, military vehicles, munitions, food and coal. This thoroughly researched and action packed book describes the history of the airfields, highlights the work carried out from them and describes the overall effect of the war on the daily lives of local people. It will appeal equally to aviation enthusiasts and to readers who recall the era when Scottish skies throbbed with the drone of departing and returning aircraft.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSince the Victoria Cross was first instituted on 29th January, 1856, the medal has been awarded 1,357 times, the most recent was gazetted on 22nd March, 2013, posthumously to L/Cpl J T D Ashworth for his gallantry in Afghanistan. Being the youngest of Britain's military services, it is understandable that few VCs have been awarded to airmen of the RFC, RNAS, RAF and FAA. In fact, just 51 'aerial' VCs have been awarded between 1915 and 1946 and out of this small number, 23 have been won by men from Bomber Command, or credited with flying bomber aircraft, during the Second World War. The range of actions within the book begins with the fruitless Battle of France in May 1940 through to the final stages of bomber offensive over Germany, in February 1945. Several actions came about through volunteering, while others were simply caught up in the melee of unpredictable events which hang over any operation in a bomber from the moment it lifts from the runway to the point it returns. This book will serve as an inspiration to those who are used to thinking of the citation, 'For Valour'. as referring to an action based only on land and sea. Bomber Command's catch phrase, 'Press on Regardless'. was never better exemplified than in the extraordinary bravery of the men whose stories are told here.Trade Review"...As a companion to anyone wanting a short account of what each bomber command VC and his crew went through, this is well worth the money."--Victoria Cross SocietyTable of ContentsCONTENTS Introduction 1. Carnage over the Albert Canal - Donald Garland and Thomas Gray (12 May 1940) 2. The Dortmund-Ems Canal Roderick 'Babe' Learoyd (12/13 August 1940) 3. Inferno over Antwerp John Hannah (15/16 September 1940) 4. Daylight over Bremen - Hughie Edwards (4 July 1941) 5. Out Onto the Wing - James Ward (7/8 July 1941) 6. Lone Attack on Singora - Arthur Scarf (9 December 1941) 7. The Lancaster's Baptism of Fire - John Nettleton (17 April 1942) 8. Cologne Raid in 'D' for Dog - Leslie Manser (31 May 1942) 9. The Faithful Crew - Rawdon Middleton (29 November 1942) 10. Massacre over Chouigui - Hugh Malcolm (4 December 1942) 11. The Kiwi Great Escaper - Leonard Trent (3 May 1943) 12. The Dam Busters - Guy Gibson (16/17 May 1943) 13. Target Turin - Arthur Aaron (12/13 August 1943) 14. Press On Regardless - William Reid (3 November 1943) 15. Against All Odds - Cyril Barton (31 March 1944) 16. Just One More 'Op' - Norman Jackson (26 April 1944) 17. The 'Selfless Recipient' - Andrew Mynarski (13 June 1944) 18. Second to None - Leonard Cheshire (July 1944) 19. With the Pathfinders - lan Bazalgette (4 August 1944) 20. 'Oboe' VC - Robert Palmer (23 December 1944) 21. Putting Your Life on the Line - George Thompson (1 January 1945) 22. Springbok Pathfinder - Edwin Swales, SAAF (23/24 February 1945) Appendix Abbreviations Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis1942 was a crucial year for the fortunes of Bomber Command. The newly appointed Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Sir Arthur Harris, knew he had to show quickly that his Bomber Command could make a real difference to the war, so with Churchill's blessing he set about planning a vast initial air attack by at least one thousand bombers. This was over two and a half times larger than any previous raid by the RAF. The first selected target, Hamburg, was dropped due to poor weather conditions, and so it was Cologne which became the target of the colossal raid on the night of 30th May 1942. The success of that first raid was convincing while the two major follow up 'Thousand' raids on Essen and Bremen in June were less so, but still emphatically put Bomber Command back on the military map. This book is a testament to all those who flew with Bomber Command, which lost 55,000 of its members during the war.Table of ContentsIntroduction * Cologne, Operation Millennium * The raid on Essen * The raid on Bremen * Order of Battle - groups, squadrons and their aircraft * RAF facts and figures from each raid * RAF losses

Read more less

Book SynopsisConsidered to be the best known German bomber of the Second Wold War, the Heinkel He 111 served in every military front in the European theatre, having first being deployed in the Spanish Civil War in 1936. It then saw extensive service in the invasion of Poland, the Norweigan campaign and the invasion of the Low Countries and France in 1940. When the Luftwaffe was tasked with destroying Britain's ability to resist invasion in 1940, the He 111 formed almost half of the Gruppen employed by Luftflotte 2 and Luftflotte 3. When the Luftwaffe switched to attacking cities and industrial sites the Heinkel 111 was widely employed, with raids against targets such as London, Coventry, Bristol, Birmingham and Liverpool. In this selection of unrivalled images collected over many years, the operations of this famous aircraft in the early years of the war - particularly the invasion of Poland, the Blitzkrieg in the West, the Battle of Britain and the very early stages of the Blitz - are portrayed and brought to life.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOriginally built as an airliner that could carry passengers across the Atlantic for Deutsche Lufthansa, the Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor developed into the Luftwaffe's principal long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft. It was used in the North Sea and in the Atlantic, searching for Allied convoys and warships, passing on information to waiting U-boats. The Fw 200 was also capable of carrying a bomb load of up to 2,000kg, and it was claimed that Condors sank more than 300,000 tons of Allied shipping. By September 1940, one unit, KG 40 based at Bordeaux-Merignac in Occupied France, had sunk over 90,000 tons of Allied shipping. For the next three years the C-series Condors were described by Winston Churchill as 'the scourge of the Atlantic', eventually being overcome by the introduction of long-range Coastal Command aircraft, escort carriers and the deployment of Catapult-Armed Merchantman vessels. The Fw 200 also used as a troop transport, capable of carrying thirty fully-armed soldiers. one Fw 200 was even converted into a luxury, two-cabin airliner for use as Hitler's personal aeroplane.In this selection of unrivalled images collected over many years, and now part of Frontline's new War in the Air series, the operations of this famous aircraft are portrayed and brought to life through the first-hand accounts of the pilots who flew them and those that fought against them.

Read more less

Book SynopsisGuy Gibson’s 617 Squadron was founded for one reason only – Operation Chastise – the raid on the Ruhr dams. Using Barnes Wallis’ revolutionary bouncing bomb, the hand-picked crews trained day and night over British reservoirs, perfecting the techniques required to deliver the new weapon to its target. On the night of 16/17 May 1943, three waves of modifi ed Lancasters took off and headed for the industrial heartland of Germany and a series of daring raids on the various dams providing water and electricity to the heart of the Nazi war machine. Of the three main targets – the Möhne, Sorpe and Eder dams – two were destroyed, causing chaos downstream. The Möhne dam succumbed after fi ve Upkeep bouncing bombs had hit it. It took three bombs to destroy the Eder dam but the Sorpe dam remained almost intact. Despite the losses in men and aircraft, the raid was a huge success. 617 Squadron went on to become one of the premier squadrons in Bomber Command, and destroyed the Tirpitz using another of Wallis’ bombs – the Tallboy, a 12,000lb ‘earthquake’ bomb. Made into a fi lm starring Richard Todd as Wing Commander Guy Gibson VC, their raid on the Ruhr dams has become the stuff of legend. This is the story of the Dam Busters.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCheshire's contribution to the war effort was massive and it began well before the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939. This book will appeal equally to aviation enthusiasts and to readers who recall the era when the county's skies never ceased to throb with the drone of departing and returning aircraft. Aldon Ferguson's thoroughly researched and action-packed book describes the history of each airfield, highlights the work carried out from them and puts these air stations into the overall context of a county and country at war.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThanks to a broken leg during flight school, Arthur Stanley Gould Lee gained valuable additional time flying trainers before he was posted to France during World War I. In November 1917 during low-level bombing and strafing attacks, he was shot down three times by ground fire. He spent eight months at the front and accumulated 222 hours of flight time in Sopwith Pups and Camels during a staggering 118 patrols; being engaged in combat fifty-six times. He lived to retire from the RAF as an air vice-marshal in 1946. Author of three books, this is by far his best. Lee puts you in the cockpit in a riveting account of life as a fighter pilot at the front. At turns humorous and dramatic, this thoughtful, enlightening, true account is a classic to be ranked with Winged Victory by V. M. Yeates, also published by Grub Street.Trade Review`Open Cockpit is a great read, and generously illustrated with a mix of well-known images, and the author's own album snaps to add a personal touch. For a gripping first-hand account of what flying and fighting in WWI was all about, this one has few peers and it is good to see a new edition available for a fresh generation of enthusiasts..' WINDSOCK; `Most enjoyable book... A welcome reprint.' The Aviation Historian; `Without a doubt, this is a classic account of the air war over the Western Front.' Britain at War; `There are some books which deserve a place on the shelves of anyone with an interest in WWI aviation and this is one of them.' Cross & Cockade International; `A superb account. 10/10' The Great War; `Grub Street has really done the bookshelves of WWI aviation enthusiasts a favour here. This is a must-own book. I would encourage anyone to get this very readable book while they can. You won't be disappointed with the purchase and I can promise you that you will read it more than once.' WWI Aero

Read more less

Book SynopsisRAF Second World War Fighters in Profile features more than 280 highly detailed profiles of 15 different aircraft types flown by the Royal Air Force between 1939 and 1945. Full specifications and histories are included for British and Commonwealth fighters operated on all fronts during the conflict, from the iconic Supermarine Spitfire to US lend-lease types such as the Bell P-39 Airacobra and Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, and everything in between.Written and illustrated throughout by renowned aviation artist Chris Sandham-Bailey, this book offers exquisitely drawn profile views and scale plans of aircraft such as Hawker''s Hurricane, Typhoon and Tempest, plus the Westland Whirlwind, Boulton Paul Defiant and more. Covering all of the RAF''s high-performance wartime machines, this is indispensable reading for enthusiasts and modellers alike.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisMax Immelmann was born in Dresden, the son of a paper board container factory owner. When World War I started, Immelmann was recalled to active service, transferred to the Luftstreitkräfte and was sent for pilot training in November 1914. He was initially stationed in northern France as a reconnaissance aviator. On June 3, 1915 he was shot down by a French pilot but managed to land safely behind German lines. He was decorated with the Iron Cross, Second Class for preserving his aircraft. Later in 1915, he became one of the first German fighter pilots, quickly building an impressive score of air victories. He became known as “The Eagle of Lille” (Der Adler von Lille) due to Lille being one of his favourite scouting areas.Immelmann was the first pilot to be awarded the Pour le Mérite, Germany's highest military honour. The medal became colloquially known as the "Blue Max" in the German Air Service in honor of Immelmann. His medal was presented by Kaiser Wilhelm II in January 1916. Oswald Boelcke received his medal at the same ceremony. Immelmann was credited with 15 victories. His final victory was on 30 March 1916.Immelmann will forever be associated with the Fokker Eindecker, Germany's first fighter aircraft, and the first to be armed with a machine gun synchronised to fire forward, through the propeller arc. Along with Oswald Boelcke and other pilots, Immelmann was one of the main instigators of the Fokker Scourge which inflicted heavy loses upon British and French aircrews during 1915. This new edition has been entirely reoriginated. Not a word has been changed, but the original type and page layout have been reworked, as has been the format in which the book is presented, to give a beautiful new treatment for this classic of aviation literature.Trade ReviewAn excellent, highly readable period piece. * Aircraft *

Read more less