Search results for ""FW""
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor
German long-range anti-shipping aircraft was also used as Hitler’s personal aircraft.
£9.99
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Focke-Wulf Fw 187: An Illustrated History
The twin-engined Focke-Wulf Fw 187 was a contemporary of the Messerschmitt Bf 110, however production was limited to a handful of prototypes. So far the story of this largely forgotten fighter has been shrouded in darkness. Developed by Professor Kurt Tank, the Fw 187 first flew in the summer of 1937. Not only was it faster than any other German fighter with similar engines, it was also earmarked for record attempts which had to be abandoned with the outbreak of war. The debacle of the Me 210, which was supposed to succeed the Bf 110, revived the Fw 187’s fortunes. With a speed of 700 km/h, it was faster than any contemporary fighter and was considered as a replacement for the Me 210. Once again, however, no production contract was forthcoming. The few Fw 187s built served in industry defense and were later operated by the Vaerløse Aerial Gunnery School. This little-known aircraft is documented with numerous photographs and drawings, many of them never before published. This is a book for aviation enthusiasts and modelers, which closes a significant gap in German aviation history.
£25.19
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Tempest V vs Fw 190D-9: 1944–45
Arguably two of the finest piston-engined fighters ever built, the Tempest V and Fw 190D-9 raised the bar in terms of aircraft design and operational capability during World War II. The long-nosed ‘Dora 9’, designed by Kurt Tank, first appeared in the skies over the Western and Eastern Fronts in the late summer of 1944. Fast, and with an exceptional rate of climb, it quickly bettered almost every fighter that the RAF, USAAF and Soviet Red Air Force could field. The Hawker Tempest V entered service in early 1944, initially proving itself a stalwart performer when it was deployed to intercept V1 flying bombs over southern England. From the autumn of 1944, the Tempest V also equipped squadrons of the 2nd Tactical Air Force, operating in support of the Allied armies advancing across north-west Europe. It became a potent ground-attack aircraft, armed with underwing rockets, but also a first-class interceptor when pitted against the Luftwaffe’s advanced Fw 190D-9 and Me 262. Featuring full colour artwork, this book describes in fascinating detail combats between the Tempest Vs of No 274 Sqn and the Fw 190D-9s of I. and III./JG 26 between February and April 1945.
£13.99
Schiffer Publishing Ltd The Luftwaffe Profile Series, No. 4: Focke-Wulf Fw 190
Number 4 in the Luftwaffe Profile Series describes the design and use of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190.
£13.99
Mortons Media Group Eagles of the Luftwaffe: Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor
£16.99
Pen & Sword Books Ltd FOCKE-WULF Fw 190: The Early Years - Operations Over France and Britain
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was widely regarded as the Luftwaffe's finest fighter. It first saw service in France in August 1941, immediately proving itself at least the equal of the then latest Spitfire variant, the Mk.V. There were a number of characteristics which contributed to the Fw 190's success. The first of these was that it had been designed from the outset to be a weapons platform, rather than an aircraft to which weapons were added, as was the case with previous fighters. This meant that it could carry a wide range of armament in the form of various combinations of bomb racks, cannon pods and, later, unguided rockets. It was also built to withstand heavy punishment, with the extensive use of electrically-powered equipment instead of the hydraulic systems which, used by most aircraft manufacturers of the time, were more susceptible to failure if damaged by gunfire. The relatively small diameters of electrical wires were much less likely to be hit by gunfire than larger hydraulic pipes. Another element in the Fw 190's construction which added to its durability was its wide-tracked, inwards-retracting landing gear, as opposed to the much narrower, outwards-retracting landing gear of the Messerschmitt Bf 109\. This gave the Fw 190 much greater stability on the ground which resulted in far fewer ground accidents than experienced by the Bf 109. The Fw 190's BMW 801 D-2 radial engine also produced 1,677 horse power, giving the early Focke-Wulf 190 A-8 a top speed of more than 400 miles per hour - which was considerably faster than the early variant Spitfires. It was the Spitfires with which the Fw 190 pilots frequently had to contend when in combat over the English Channel, and particularly during the Allied raid on Dieppe in August 1942, when more than 100 Focke-Wulfs (from Jagdgeschwaders JG 2 and JG 26) engaged Spitfires and Hawker Typhoons, claiming sixty-one Allied aircraft 'kills' against just twenty-five losses of their own. The Fw 190's weapons capability also saw it used as a fighter-bomber. The Fw 190 A-3/U3 Jabo was used with considerable effect against Allied shipping in the Channel and against the south-eastern coasts of England in 1942 in tip-and-runs raids. These fast, low-level attacks proved very difficult for the defending RAF squadrons to counter and only one Fw 190 was lost on these operations. In this illuminating study of the early service of the Fw 190, Chris Goss has assembled a unique collection of photographs illustrating the wide use of this highly versatile aircraft.
£14.99
Pen & Sword Books Ltd FOCKE-WULF Fw 190: The Latter Years - Prototypes to the Fall of Germany
As the war began to turn against Germany, the Luftwaffe was forced to defend the Reich against increasingly overwhelming numbers of Allied fighters and bombers. The Focke-Wulf Fw 190, together with the Bf 109G, was the mainstay of the Luftwaffe's Reichsverteidigung (Defence of the Reich) fighter force, both by day and by night. As the war progressed, the US Eighth Air Force, suffering heavy losses over Germany, changed tactics. The escorting US fighters had been expected to fly alongside the bombers to provide close protection. But this meant that they could not chase after the enemy when in combat, having to return to the bombers. So, from early 1944, the decision was made to free the fighters, allowing them to fly ahead of the bomber stream clearing the skies of German fighters. To counter this, the Luftwaffe developed the Gefechtsverband, or battle formation, composed of two units of Bf 109s and one Sturmgruppe of Fw 190s. In Gefechtsverband operations, the Bf 109s would engage the Allied fighters, particularly the long-range P-51 Mustangs, leaving the more heavily-armed Fw 190s to attack the bombers. Though the large Gefechtsverband formations were unweildy and not always effective, when they did work well, the powerful and well-armoured Fw 190s wreaked havoc amongst the US bombers. Meanwhile, on the Eastern Front, the Fw 190 was incresaingly relied upon for fighter and Jabo missions against a dogged Soviet Air Force. With the tide well and truly turned against the Luftwaffe, newer versions of the Fw 190, such as the F and G variants, were intruduced as well as the superlative D-9 which was powered by the Jumo 213 A engine, armed with two MG 131s and two MG 151/20 guns and had a new fuselage and wings. In this second volume detailing the service of the Fw 190, Chris Goss has assembled photographs, many of which have come from the archive of the late Dr Alfred Price, to illustrate the final years of the type's war.
£16.99
Mortons Media Group Eagles of the Luftwaffe: Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A, F and G
£12.99
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Focke-Wulf Fw 190A: An Illustrated History of the Luftwaffe’s Legendary Fighter Aircraft
This book deals with the development history and testing of this fighter aircraft and production of the early variants of the Fw 190 A. An interesting comparison between the Bf 109 and the Fw 190 shows the strengths and weaknesses of the two aircraft, and authentic reports by former test pilots of Focke-Wulf and the Rechlin Test Station document the aircraft’s performance. Also covered are the later torpedo-carrier and reconnaissance versions of the Fw 190. Together with the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 formed the standard equipment of the German fighter arm in the Second World War and today is considered one of the most capable fighters of that period. Initial flight trials in 1939 revealed a number of shortcomings, nevertheless the basic concept of the Fw 190 proved extremely successful. In contrast to the Bf 109, which was powered by a liquid-cooled, inverted-vee engine, in developing the Fw 190 Prof. Kurt Tank selected the BMW 801, an air-cooled radial engine that was less sensitive to battle damage. The broad-track undercarriage also gave the Focke-Wulf fighter much superior takeoff and landing characteristics. The Fw 190 entered quantity production by Focke-Wulf and license manufacturers Fieseler, AGO and Arado in 1941. It proved an immediate success in combat operations in 1942, proving itself superior to the Spitfire in some respects. Lavishly illustrated with photographs and drawings, many of which have not been published before, this book provides both aircraft enthusiasts and modelers with a wealth of information, and fills a gap in the history of aircraft design in Germany.
£28.79
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Flight Craft Special 2: The Focke-Wulf Fw 190: The A-G Series
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was arguably the Luftwaffe's most outstanding piston-engine fighter of the Second World War, virtually dominating the skies over Europe for more than a year after its initial introduction into service in the summer of 1941\. Continual development and improvements then kept it at the forefront of operations in the theatres of Northern Europe, the Mediterranean and the Eastern Front for the remainder of the war, while maintaining a competitive edge over many other types as well as gaining and retaining the grudging respect of those Allied pilots who faced it in combat. Despite being designed as a fighter, the BMW 801-powered Fw 190 sub-types performed practically every role possible for a single-engine, single-seat aircraft - including offensive and defensive day fighter, day and night fighter-bomber, ground attack, reconnaissance platform, night-fighter and trainer. The Fw 190A also served in the Hungarian Air Force during the later stages of the Second World War, the Turkish Air Force from mid-1942 to 1948, and post-war with the French, where the SNCAC aircraft company re-built over fifty Fw 190A-5/A-6s under the designation NC 900 for service with the new Arm e de l'Air. Despite having standard factory-applied camouflage and markings schemes, many Fw 190s were also finished in a variety of on unit' and seasonal' and/or operational theatre' schemes which add to the aircraft's story.
£18.99
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Jagdgeschwader 301/302 “Wilde Sau”: In Defense of the Reich with the Bf 109, Fw 190 and Ta 152
Jagdgeschwader 301 and 302 were established in 1943. Their mission was to intercept enemy bombers at night flying fast single-engined fighters. But they also had to engage Allied bombers by day. The pilots of these new fighter wings were a mix of former bomber pilots and trained fighter pilots – a unique composition for the Luftwaffe. Night missions required good instrument training, like that given to bomber pilots. The fighter pilots were more familiar with the available aircraft and combat tactics. A former fighter pilot himself, Willi Reschke describes the difficulties of crossing over from day to night fighting and vice-versa. He describes the difficult missions flown by JG 301/JG 302 and the fates of their pilots, providing the first chronicle of the “Wilde Sau” Geschwader.
£33.29
Schiffer Publishing Ltd German Heavy Bombers: Do 19, Fw 200, He 177, He 274, Ju 89, Ju 290, Me 264 and others
Covers all German heavy bomber models used during WWII.
£9.99
Schiffer Publishing Ltd German Short Range Reconnaissance Planes 1930-1945
Covers Hs 126, Bf 110, Me 262, Ju 88, Bf 109, Bv 141, Fw 189 and others.
£9.99
Schiffer Publishing Ltd German Anti-Tank Aircraft
Covers German anti-tank/assault aircraft: Bf 109, Fw 190, Ju 87, Ju 88, Hs 129, He 177 and others.
£9.99
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Stuka
Covers the variety of German aircraft used in assault, bombing and anti-tank roles - Bf 110, Ju 87, Fw 190 et al.
£25.19
Schiffer Publishing Ltd The History of German Aviation: Kurt Tank: Focke-Wulf's Designer and Test Pilot
This volume, the second in a mulit-volume history of German aviation, discusses the life work of one of Germany's greatest aircraft designers in pictures, tables, drawings and in his own words discussing flight testing of his airplanes. Examined are the birth of Focke-Wulf's airplanes, the ideas and thinking which formed the foundation of Tank's designs, his masterpieces in the areas of long-range and high-speed flight as well as flight test results. The reader experiences the metamorphosis of an aircraft design from the first pencil line on the drawing board to the screaming, nearly supersonic dives during its evaluation phase. Tank would only entrust to civilian pilots, military flyers and the captains of the Lufthansa fleet those designs whose superior flying characteristics, stability, and flawless stall handling he had been able to experience first hand. A mixture of technical history, flight testing and previously unpublished data enable the reader to catch a fascinating glimpse of the aircraft built during the 1930s and 1940s, not to mention the outstanding designs Tank worked on in other countries following the war. All of the classic Focke-Wulf aircraft are to be found: the well-known Fw 200, Fw 190, Ta 152, and Ta 154, as well as the lesser known Fw 57, Fw 187, Fw 189 and others.
£33.29
Fonthill Media Ltd Focke Wulf Jet Fighters
The biggest success of the Focke Wulf company during the Second World War was the choice of a radial engine for the Fw 190 fighter, in this way avoiding to compete against Messerschmitt for the in line engines. The decision of the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe to assign the few turbojets available to the Messerschmitt and Arado firms and the discovery of the terrible aerodynamic effect known as compressibility buffeting by mid-1942, made the life of fighter designers of the time very interesting. The Kurt Tank team proposed to install a centrifugal turbojet of his design in the nose of an Fw 190 A/3 with the intention of replacing it with a Jumo 004 B when available in 1943. Several designs followed that were able to use all turbojets, turboprops, ramjets and rocket engines, either projected or at their disposal. They constitute the documental foundation of this book. After failing in the TL Jagdfleugzeug contests in March 1943, Volksflugzeug in September 1944 and Hochleitungs Nachtjäger in January 1945, Focke Wulf could finally overcome its competitors with the great Jägernotprogramm design Ta 183. Although it was too late to intervene in the Second World War, it served as inspiration for numerous designs of other countries during the first years of the Cold War.
£27.00
Schiffer Publishing Ltd On the Highways of the Skies: The 8th Air Force in World War II
The story in words and pictures, many of them never before seen, of the U.S. 8th Air Force fighter and bomber groups of the 1st, 2nd and Third Air Divisions 1942-45. Many first person stories tell what comnbat was like in the skies in the ETO against the Luftwaffe Gruppes of Bf 109s and Fw 190s and the B-17 Flying Fortresses and B -24 Liberators. Many first hand accounts detail the frenetic missions that were fraught with flak and fighters as the U.S. Strategic Offensive reached into the deepest parts of the Reich. Also told are stories from the Luftwaffe experten who opposed the bomber fleets and the fighter escorts as they sounded the death knell of the Luftwaffe.
£57.59
Amber Books Ltd German Fighter Aircraft of World War II
Arranged by type, German Fighter Aircraft of World War II offers a highly illustrated guide to the most important fighters used by the Luftwaffe during the conflict. It features such classics as the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Bf 110, the Heinkel He 100D-1 and the Focke-Wulf Fw 187 and Fw 190, as well as curiosities such as the Arado Ar 68F-1, Henschel Hs 123 and Heinkel He 51B biplanes. Late war innovations, such as the jet and rocket powered Me 262, Me 163 and Heinkel He 162, are also included. Most types are represented in numerous variants and with examples drawn from different theatres of the war. The book includes all the major fighters that served in the invasion of Poland, the defeat of France, the Battle of Britain, Operation Barbarossa, the war in the Mediterranean, the fighting on the Eastern Front and the Defence of the Reich. Each featured profile includes authentic markings and colour schemes, while every separate model is accompanied by detailed specifications. Packed with 110 full-colour artworks, German Fighter Aircraft of World War II is a key reference guide for military modellers and World War II enthusiasts.
£16.19
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen":: A Photographic History
The legendary World War II Luftwaffe fighter unit Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen" is the subject of this new, large-format, illustrated volume. Tracing their history back to World War I fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen (the legendary "Red Baron"), JG 2 was at the forefront of aerial combat. Flying the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighters during World War II, JG 2 produced many famous aces - among them Wilhelm Balthasar, Walter Oesau, Egon Mayer, Hans Hahn, Erich Rudorfer, and Helmut Wick. Using a day-to-day chronology, the book covers JG 2's combat history during the early campaigns in Poland and France, through the Battle of Britain, North Africa, and in the later defense of the Reich battles. A short chapter also covers their post-World War II transformation to JG 71 "Richtohofen" under the command of Erich Hartmann, when they flew the F-86, F-104 and F-4 Phantom.
£57.59
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Messerschmitt Bf 109: The Early Years - Poland, the Fall of France and the Battle of Britain
The most iconic German aircraft of the Second World War, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 was the Luftwaffe's principal fighter from 1939 until 1942 when the superior Focke-Wulf Fw 190 came into greater prominence. The Bf 109 served in every theatre of the war, particularly in the invasion of France and the Low Countries, the Battle of Britain and the invasion of the Soviet Union, the Mediterranean and with Rommel in North Africa. In the later years of the war, the Bf 109 fought with success in the defence of Germany against the Allied bombers. The Bf 109 was the most produced fighter aircraft in history and more aerial kills were made with this fighter than any other aircraft. 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 in the early part of the Second World War are portrayed and brought to life.
£14.99
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Spitfire, Vol. 1: Supermarine's Spitfire Marques I to VII and Seafire Marques I to III
This first of two volumes on the Supermarine Spitfire covers the design, testing, development, and early WWII combat use of the famed British fighter aircraft's initial variants. The Spitfire in its original marques up to the Mk. VII provided a platform that allowed the Royal Air Force to challenge the German Luftwaffe's Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighters during the 1939–1942 period of WWII. The book also covers the Seafire Marques I to III, which provided similarly valuable service for the British Navy's Fleet Air Arm.
£17.09
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Messerschmitt Bf 109 F, G, & K Series: An Illustrated Study
Noted Luftwaffe historians Jochen Prien and Peter Rodeike present in this brand new book the Messerschmitt BF 109F, G and K models. Over 500 photos - most never published and some in rare color - superb line schemes, and detailed text show the late model "109s" development into the superb fighter of legend. Among the details presented are units which used the F, G and K, production numbers, prototypes, unusual markings and camouflage. Jochen Prien is the author of a three volume study of JG 53 "Pik As." Jochen Prien and Peter Rodeike are renowned historians on the BF 109 and FW 190 and the units that flew them.
£28.79
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Luftwaffe Fighter Aircraft in Profile
A superb study for both the historian and modeler, this book contains 124 color profiles showing Luftwaffe single-engine fighter aircraft - Bf 109, Fw 190, Ta 152, Me 262, Me 163, and He 162 - once piloted by some of the most famous German aces of World War II. Also shown are war-era photographs of select aircraft and pilots. The book begins with a summary of Luftwaffe fighter camouflage and color schemes on the various war fronts, then explains unit markings, tactical codes, personal markings and other markings. Luftwaffe Fighter Aircraft in Profile serves as the perfect introduction to the history of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. At the same time, it is an indispensable volume to the aircraft modeler.
£28.79
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Plot to Save South Africa
‘Superbly reported, compelling . . . wonderfully captures the spirit of that time’ Financial Times'Gripping and important' Observer __________________________________________________________________________ Nine days that set the course of a nation... Johannesburg, Easter weekend, 1993. Nelson Mandela has been free for three years and is in slow-moving power-sharing talks with President FW de Klerk when a white supremacist shoots Mandela’s popular young heir apparent, Chris Hani, in the hope of igniting an all-out civil war. Will he succeed in plunging South Africa into chaos, safeguarding apartheid for perhaps years to come? Or can Mandela and de Klerk overcome their differences and mutual suspicion and calm their followers, plotting a way forward? In The Plot to Save South Africa, acclaimed South African journalist Justice Malala recounts the rivetin
£11.69
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Johnnie Johnson's 1942 Diary: The War Diary of the Spitfire Ace of Aces
Air Vice-Marshal 'Johnnie' Johnson was a character literally from the pages of _Boys' Own_: an individual who became the RAF's top-scoring fighter pilot and wing leader par excellence of the Second World War. A one-time household name synonymous with the superlative Spitfire, Johnnie's aerial combat successes inspired schoolboys for generations. As a 'lowly Pilot Officer', Johnnie Johnson learned his fighter pilot's craft as a protege of the legless Tangmere Wing Leader, Douglas Bader. After Bader was brought down over France and captured on 9 August 1941, Johnnie remained a member of 616 (South Yorkshire) Squadron. By the beginning of 1942, when Johnnie's diary begins, Fighter Command was pursuing an offensive policy during daylight hours, 'reaching out' and taking the war to the Germans in France. It was also a period in which the Focke-Wulf Fw outclassed the Spitfire Mk.V. In Johnnie's words, the Fw 190 'drove us back to the coast and, for the first time, pilots lost confidence in the Spitfire'. As well as his participation in _Rhubarb_ and _Circus_ sorties, Johnnie was also involved in Operation _Jubilee_ on 19 August 1942. In this diary, published here for the first time, we get a glimpse of the real Johnnie, and what it was really like to live and breathe air-fighting during one of the European air war's most interesting years: 1942\. Presented on a day-by-day basis, each of Johnnie's entries is supported by an informative narrative written by the renowned aviation historian Dilip Sarkar, drawing upon official documents and his interviews and correspondence with the great man. As would be expected, Johnnie's diary also includes numerous personal references. This diary, therefore, is a unique insight into how fighter pilots lived, loved - and died.
£22.50
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Focke-Wulf Ta 152: The Story of the Luftwaffe's Late-War, High-Altitude Fighter
From the time of its appearance in 1939 the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was one of the best fighter aircraft of the Second World War – a masterpiece produced by chief designer Kurt Tank. In 1943 he developed a new fighter aircraft based on this successful concept. The project soon deviated far from the original Fw 190 concept and as an honor to the designer it was designated the Ta 152. The great performance potential of this fighter was obvious from the very first prototypes of the Ta 152A and Ta 152C. Unfortunately, however, production was limited to a few examples. But at the same time Focke-Wulf was developing the Ta 152H high-altitude fighter which, powered by the Jumo 213E and equipped with a pressurized cockpit, was capable of reaching altitudes on the order of 35,000 feet and speeds in excess of 430 mph. A few Ta 152Hs saw action at the beginning of 1945 and they made an excellent impression on their pilots. Compared to the older fighters they exhibited significantly better flight characteristics and performance at high altitude. The Ta 152 could also stand up to the best Allied fighter aircraft, such as the American P-51 Mustang. On account of its unfamiliar shape the pilots of Bf 109s sometimes mistook it for an enemy aircraft and attacked. The heavy Allied bombing at the end of the war prevented production from beginning as planned, and as a result only a very few Ta 152Hs could be delivered. With the aid of a large number of photographs – some previously unpublished – and drawings, this book details the development history of the Ta 152, one of the most advanced fighter aircraft of its day. But it also illustrates the hopelessness of Germany’s efforts late in the war to deploy advanced aircraft in large numbers.
£25.19
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Air Combat: Dogfights of World War II
The battle for the skies in World War II fuelled a race between rival air forces to develop ever faster and more capable fighter aircraft – and the struggle for air superiority was never over until the war itself ended. This volume explores four clashes of some of the finest planes and pilots, in key theatres of the war: Spitfires duelling the formidable Bf 109 over the Channel, the Fw 190 battling the Soviet La 5 and 7 on the Eastern Front, the F4F Wildcat in a desperate clash with the legendary A6M Zero-sen, and the F4U Corsair in combat with the second-generation Japanese Ki-84 in the closing days of the war. Fully illustrated with contemporary photographs, maps and colour artwork, Air Combat conveys the full story behind these dramatic aviation duels.
£25.00
Publishing Print Matters The other side: Behind the News 1
He wrote on politics and racism before the word ‘apartheid’ ever made headlines. He has questioned southern African leaders from Drs. Malan and Verwoerd to Vorster, PW Botha, FW de Klerk to the first president of Zambia, Kenneth Kuanda, and President Mugabe; including global leaders such as President Mandela, General Smuts, President Gerald Ford and Britain’s Prime Minister Harold Macmillan. Why The Other Side? In part one of Tyson’s remarkable autobiography he encourages views that are different to the fixed positions which most people hold on both sides of the political divide. He writes lightly about his most dangerous moments, and sympathetically about those who struggle to help others. He invites you to look at the situation from ‘the other side’ – wherever confrontation arises.
£19.99
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Spitfire Ace of Aces: The Album: The Photographs of Johnnie Johnson
Air Vice-Marshal James Edgar 'Johnnie' Johnson CB, CBE, DSO & Two Bars, DFC & Bar, DL was a character literally from the pages of Boys' Own: an individual who became the RAF's top-scoring fighter pilot of the Second World War. A one-time household name synonymous with the superlative Spitfire, Johnnie's aerial combat successes inspired schoolboys for generations. As a 'lowly Pilot Officer', Johnnie Johnson learned his fighter pilot's craft as a protege of the legless Tangmere Wing Leader, Douglas Bader. After Bader was brought down over France and captured on 9 August 1941, Johnnie remained a member of 616 (South Yorkshire) Squadron, in which he became a flight commander and was awarded the DFC a month after Bader's devastating loss. In time, Johnnie came to command a Canadian wing in 1943, when the Spitfire Mk.IX at last outclassed the Fw 190, and participated in some of the most important battles of the defeat of Nazi Germany, including Operation _Overlord_ and the D-Day landings in 1944, Operation _Market Garden_ and the airborne assault at Arnhem, and the Rhine Crossings, throughout all of which Johnnie also commanded Canadian wings. Johnnie's remarkable career is revealed through this unparalleled collection of archive photographs, the majority of which are drawn from his own personal album or from other members of the Johnson family. Many have not been published before. Between them, they present a fascinating insight into the man himself, the machines he flew, and the men he served alongside.
£22.50
Bookstorm The lion and the thespian: The true story of Prime Minister J.G. Strydom's marriage to the actress Marda Vanne
Margaretha van Hulsteyn (also known as Scrappy) is the daughter of respected South African attorney Sir Willem van Hulsteyn, and an aspiring actress. While studying in London after the Great War, Scrappy changes her name to Marda Vanne and enters into a relationship with one of the foremost actresses of her day, Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies. However, on a visit to her parents in the Union of South Africa, Marda meets Hans Strydom, an attorney and uncompromising radical politician with the soubriquet 'The Lion of the North'. Their meeting changes the course of her life, at least temporarily… Strydom went on to become a principal progenitor of the harshest discriminatory legislation, Apartheid, which endured for decades until his nephew, President FW de Klerk, in a volte-face, dismantled the laws of Apartheid.
£21.56
Grub Street Publishing Luftwaffe Fighter Pilot: Defending The Reich Against The RAF and USAAF
Within weeks of war being declared, Wolfgang Fischer had volunteered to join the Luftwaffe and spent nearly five of the succeeding six years of hostilities in uniform. During this time, he was given a succession of postings varying from a long-range recce unit; as a decoder in a met office in occupied France; to a bomber squadron; and as a flying instructor, before joining a squadron of the famous Richthofen Geschwader in Italy, from where he was shot down in his FW 190 by Mustangs en route to Normandy. By now a Leutnant, he survived to fly offensive rocket attacks over Gold Beach on D-Day, only to be shot down again on D + 1, and captured and sent first to a hospital in the UK, then into captivity in the USA. He was finally repatriated in April 1946. Expertly translated and edited by John Weal, this is a worthy accompaniment to Norbert Hannig's Luftwaffe Fighter Ace (9781911667223) also available in paperback.
£12.99
Kagero Oficyna Wydawnicza The Soviet Fighter Yakovlev Yak-3
Yakovlev Yak-3 is considered one of the best World War 2 fighters, invariably praised by those who flew it in combat for its remarkable performance. The Germans also treated it with respect, which is perhaps best illustrated by Generalleutnant Walter Schwabedissen’s remark: The Yak-3 was a tough nut to crack for our pilots. It outperformed our machines in speed, maneuverability and rate of climb. The emergence of the Yak-3 was a compromise between the need to improve the Yak-1’s characteristics, and the limitations of Soviet aircraft industry with its outdated technologies. The basic design concept took those shortcomings into account, which allowed a rapid launch of mass production of this inexpensive fighter. This in turn provided frontline units with timely deliveries of new equipment to recoup combat losses. The key to Yak-3’s success was not due to the use of a new powerplant (in those days hard to come by in the USSR), but rather the superior performance of the M-105PF engine, which resulted in a five percent increase in power output. In combination with some serious weight shedding, the Yak-3 had a significantly better performance than the Yak-1. At altitudes up to 5,000m (which is where most of the air combat over Eastern Front took place), Yak-3 outperformed both the Bf-109 and Fw-190 in rate of climb and maneuverability. Unlike the Yak-1, the new fighter could also stay with the enemy in a dive.
£17.00
Grub Street Publishing Luftwaffe Fighter Ace: From the Eastern Front to the Defence of the Homeland
By his own, modest, admission Norbert Hannig was a Frontflieger, or operational pilot, who really did nothing special during World War Two. He was just, he says, one of the many rank and file pilots fighting for his country and not for the Führer. But his wartime career makes for fascinating and highly informative reading on an aspect of the 1939–45 war not often covered in the English language; primarily that of the campaign against the Soviet Union. Norbert started flying during high school on gliders and joined the German air force as volunteer and officer cadet, one of the midwar-generation of Luftwaffe fighter pilots. He began operations with JG54 on the eastern (Leningrad) front in March 1943; initially he flew Messerschmitt Bf 109s before transitioning to the Focke-Wulf FW 190. After a year’s fighting, he was ordered back to Germany as a flight instructor to oppose the bomber streams of the AAF and RAF. Returning to Russia at the end of 1944, he became a Staffel CO and claimed many aircraft shot down. In April 1945 he converted to the first jet fighter, the Me 262, in south Germany, and flew his last missions with this aircraft. Also serving with JV44 (whose CO was Adolf Galland), Norbert Hannig finished the war with 42 victories from more than 200 missions. Many and varied were his experiences in action against the rejuvenated Soviet air force in the east, and the powerful western Allies over the homeland during the final chaotic months of hostilities, which culminated in his captivity. John Weal’s skilful translation ensures that the fluid descriptive style of the author is preserved. Thankfully, also, Norbert was a keen photographer who shot a profusion of images, many of which appear in this important book.
£12.99
Jacana Media (Pty) Ltd It's Me, Marah: An Autobiography
Legendary music icon writes tell-all book. 'Show business as we know it is very unpredictable. For a few years I was the talk of the town. It was getting hard to even go shopping without being mobbed by fans.' – Marah Louw. With a career spanning over 40 years, Marah Louw is counted among South Africa's musical and entertainment industry royalty and has a powerful and memorable story to tell. This book is the reader's front-row ticket to the joys, sadness, triumphs and setbacks that have been part of this legend's life. Even though she is a celebrity, her story aims to show that stars, no matter how bright, are human too. It also delves into her family secrets and her search for truth. As one of South Africa's most iconic entertainers, Marah has had an illustrious career. She performed at the Mandela Concert at London's Wembley Stadium and she sang at the Newsmaker of the Year Awards, presented to Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk, and in honour of the late Chris Hani.
£17.95
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Luftwaffe Training Aircraft: The Training of Germany's Pilots and Aircrew Through Rare Archive Photographs
The often unseen and unrecognised element in aerial warfare, is that of training the pilots and crews, yet it its value is beyond calculation. In this fundamental role, a wide variety of aircraft were used by the Luftwaffe, with trainee pilots progressing from simpler, older machines, such as the Klemm 35, the Focke-Wulf Fw 44 and the Bucker 131, to the more sophisticated Arado Ar 66, the Gotha Go 145 and the Arado Ar 76, as well as heavier aircraft like the Junkers W33 and W44. Gradually they would be introduced to newer and faster models that enabled them to experience, to some degree, the type of aircraft they would be flying in combat. Recruits would initially spend six months at a Fliegerersatzabteilung or training depot, where the main emphasis was on drill and physical training, with introductory lectures on the principles of wireless operation and map reading. This would be followed by two months studying general aeronautical subjects, before being sent to elementary flying school. The various kinds of aircraft used for training depended upon the role each individual trainee would eventually undertake, from single-seat fighters to multiple-crew bombers or transports. For example, those men ear-marked to become bomber pilots trained on early versions of He 111, the Ju 52, Ju 86 and the Do 17. In this, the Luftwaffe was also able to make use of captured enemy aircraft. It also established training units through the Occupied territories to enable its trainees to familiarise themselves with different conditions and terrain. In the less-pressurised environment of the training schools away from the front line, more care could be taken over photography, resulting in the author of this extensive study of the wide range of aircraft used for training by the Luftwaffe, being able to assemble such a fine collection of excellent images.
£14.99
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Flying to the Limit: Testing World War II Single-Engined Fighter Aircraft
During the years preceding and during WW2, the RAF and the Royal Aircraft Establishment were responsible for the selection and procurement of British military aircraft and also to evaluate their capabilities against captured enemy models whenever possible. During the lend-lease agreement with the USA, the RAF and Fleet Air Arm operated several American designs, each of which was tested to evaluate its potential. This book looks at the key area of fighter aircraft and includes the test results and pilot's own first-hand accounts of flying seventeen different models, designed in the UK, America and Germany. The reader will learn of the possibilities of air superiority offered by these types and also their weaknesses. Types included are The Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire, Boulton Paul Defiant, Hawker Tempest and Typhoon, Bell Airacobra, Messerschmitt Bf 109, Focke-Wulf Fw 190, Brewster Buffalo, Curtiss Tomahawk, North American Mustang, Grumman Martlet, Republic Thunderbolt, and Vought Corsair. All aircraft that saw a great deal of action throughout the War and which are now part of legend.
£14.99
Amber Books Ltd German Bomber Aircraft of World War II
Organised chronologically by type, German Bomber Aircraft of World War II offers a highly-illustrated guide to the main types of aircraft used by the German Luftwaffe during World War II. The book offers a comprehensive survey of German aircraft, from the Junkers Ju 87A Stuka dive-bomber and Dornier Do 17Z-2 that participated in the invasion of Poland, to the more sophisticated Arado Ar 234B-2, Heinkel He 177 and Junkers Ju 88S-1 of the final months of the war. All the major and many minor types are featured, including dive-bombers, two-seater bombers, ground attack aircraft, night bombers, strategic bombers and maritime bombers. This includes both well-known models, such as classic Heinkel He 111 and Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor, to the lesser-known Blohm und Voss Bv 141A ground attack aircraft and Heinkel He 111H-2 designed to launch V-1 flying bombs. Each featured profile includes authentic markings and colour schemes, while every separate model is accompanied by exhaustive specifications. Packed with 110 full-colour artworks with detailed specifications, German Bomber Aircraft of World War II is a key reference guide for military modellers and World War II enthusiasts.
£16.19
Kagero Oficyna Wydawnicza Fiat G-55 Centauro
The Fiat G.55 Centauro fighter was designed by Giuseppe Gabrielli at the Fiat factory in 1942 and flown in the spring of the same year (April 30). The plane was to be a response to the demand for an interceptor capable of operating at high altitudes, which was dictated by the increasing intensity of Allied air raids on Italian cities and military infrastructure. A total of 130 copies of this machine were produced.Most Fiats G.55 were stationed in bases in northern Italy, from which they defended industrial plants located in these regions. The G.55 fighters were very highly rated by the pilots who considered them superior to the German Bf 109s G and K versions, and the Focke-Wulf Fw 190A. Unfortunately, due to the bombing of Fiat factories and problems with the supply of a sufficient number of Daimler Benz 603 engines, the production of the aircraft was stopped.Published in Kagero’s renowned Top Drawings series for modellers and military historians, this volume detailssize=2 color="#333333"> the history of the Fiat G.55 Centauro fighter and includes size=2>10 quality colour profiles and drawings in scale.color="#333333">
£16.50
Jacana Media (Pty) Ltd The truth and reconciliation commision
South Africa marks the 20th anniversary of the TRC. 15 April 2016 marked 20 years since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) hearings began. The TRC was set up to give an opportunity for perpetrators of human rights transgressions to come clean about the atrocities that happened during those evil days of apartheid. Sadly, only half of the truth came to the fore. Many families still do not know what happened to their loved ones. There are few people better placed than Mary Burton to write about the TRC, having been one of its Commissioners. Burton's pocket book provides an informed account from the inside of the process and workings of the TRC and a measured and balanced assessment of its outcomes and significance. Even at the time of its existence, the TRC came in for criticism from a variety of quarters: both the African National Congress and ex-President FW de Klerk took legal action to challenge or prevent the publication of the Commission's report; however, the Commission also fulfilled a vital and important role in the transition from apartheid to democracy, and it has become a model for other countries wishing to undertake similar journeys to deal with past atrocities and come to some kind of national resolution, reconciliation or closure.
£10.99
Amberley Publishing Alarmstart South and Final Defeat: The German Fighter Pilot's Experience in the Mediterranean Theatre 1941-44 and Normandy, Norway and Germany 1944-45
Alarmstart South completes Patrick Eriksson’s Alarmstart trilogy on Second World War German fighter pilots, detailing their experiences in the Mediterranean theatre (1941‒1944), and during the closing stages of the war over Normandy, Norway and Germany (1944‒1945). He utilises extensive personal reminiscences of veterans and original documents, set within a brief factual framework of campaigns, equipment and the progress of the war. Veterans who flew in Me 109, Fw 190 and Me 110/410 aircraft provide their stories in their own words. They range from junior NCOs to Colonels, including a senior fighter controller and even one of the Luftwaffe’s psychologists. The Mediterranean theatre provided the top scoring aces on both sides for the entire war (excluding the Russian front battles): Hans-Joachim Marseille (158 victory claims) on the German side and South African ‘Pat’ Pattle (an estimated 41+), on the Allied side. In the air battles over the Mediterranean region, many aircrew ended up ‘in the drink’ with little chance of being found. Occasionally, a miracle would happen, as with Dr Felix Sauer of JG 53, a pre-war biology teacher, who used his knowledge of chemistry and a calm demeanour to survive eight days in a dinghy at sea without water, apart from rain or dew. For many pilots the war would end only in death, for others in imprisonment. Oberfeldwebel Horst Petzschler endured forced labour in southern Russia: ‘On 22 September 1949 I arrived in Berlin, my home town, weighing 118 pounds, half dead but having survived!'
£20.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd MESSERSCHMITT Bf 109: The Latter Years - War in the East to the Fall of Germany
The most iconic German aircraft of the Second World War, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 was the Luftwaffe's principal fighter from 1939 until 1942 when the superior Focke-Wulf Fw 190 came into greater prominence. The Bf 109 served in every theatre of the war, though in this book the author examines the Tip and Run era, D-Day and the Eastern Front. In the later years of the war, the Bf 109 fought with some success in the defence of Germany against Allied bombers. The Bf 109 was the most produced fighter aircraft in history and more aerial kills were made with this fighter than any other aircraft. Indeed, A total of 105 Bf 109 pilots were each credited with the destruction of 100 or more enemy aircraft; thirteen of these men scored more than 200 kills, while two scored more than 300\. The Bf 109 was flown by the three top-scoring fighter aces of the war: Erich Hartmann, the top-scoring fighter pilot of all time claiming 352 victories, Gerhard Barkhorn with 301 victories, and Gunther Rall, who claimed 275 victories. All of them flew with JG 52, a unit which exclusively flew the Bf 109 and was credited with over 10,000 victories, chiefly on the Eastern Front. The Bf 109 was also supplied to several of Germany's allies, including Finland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Slovakia. In this selection of unrivalled images collected over many years, the operations of this famous aircraft in the latter part of the Second World War are portrayed and brought to life.
£14.99
Amberley Publishing Alarmstart South and Final Defeat: The German Fighter Pilot's Experience in the Mediterranean Theatre 1941-44 and Normandy, Norway and Germany 1944-45
Alarmstart South completes Patrick Eriksson’s Alarmstart trilogy on Second World War German fighter pilots, detailing their experiences in the Mediterranean theatre (1941–1944), and during the closing stages of the war over Normandy, Norway and Germany (1944–1945). He utilises extensive personal reminiscences of veterans and original documents, set within a brief factual framework of campaigns, equipment and the progress of the war. Veterans who flew in Me 109, Fw 190 and Me 110/410 aircraft provide their stories in their own words. They range from junior NCOs to Colonels, including a senior fighter controller and even one of the Luftwaffe’s psychologists. The Mediterranean theatre provided the top scoring aces on both sides for the entire war (excluding the Russian front battles): Hans-Joachim Marseille (158 victory claims) on the German side and South African ‘Pat’ Pattle (an estimated 41+), on the Allied side. In the air battles over the Mediterranean region, many aircrew ended up ‘in the drink’ with little chance of being found. Occasionally, a miracle would happen, as with Dr Felix Sauer of JG 53, a pre-war biology teacher, who used his knowledge of chemistry and a calm demeanour to survive eight days in a dinghy at sea without water, apart from rain or dew. For many pilots the war would end only in death, for others in imprisonment. Oberfeldwebel Horst Petzschler endured forced labour in southern Russia: ‘On 22 September 1949 I arrived in Berlin, my home town, weighing 118 pounds, half dead but having survived!’
£10.99
Jonathan Ball Publishers SA Future Tense: Reflections on my Troubled Land South Africa
'Tony Leon is not only an experienced politician but also a talented writer, and this book is the highly readable result of that combination.' - Lord William Hague, former British Foreign Secretary and Conservative Party leader 'Anyone who wants to understand South Africa today - a country so beautiful, yet so broken - simply has to read this book.' - Niall Ferguson, author of The Ascent of MoneyIn his riveting new book, Future Tense, Tony Leon captures and analyses recent South African history, with a focus on the squandered and corrupted years of the past decade. With unique access and penetrating insight, Leon presents a portrait of today's South Africa and prospects for its future, based on his political involvement over thirty years with the key power players: Cyril Ramaphosa, Jacob Zuma, Thabo Mbeki, Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk. His close-up and personal view of these presidents and their history-making, and many encounters in the wider world, adds vivid colour of a country and planet in upheaval.Written during the first coronavirus lockdown, Future Tense examines the surge of the disease and the response, both of which have crashed the economy and its future prospects.As the founding leader of the Democratic Alliance, Leon also provides an insider view for the first time of the power struggles within that party, which saw the exit of its first black leader in 2019.There is every reason to fear for the future of South Africa but, as Leon argues, 'the hope for a better country remains an improbable, but not an impossible, dream'.
£17.09
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Aces at Kursk: The Battle for Aerial Supremacy on the Eastern Front, 1943
The Battle of Kursk in July 1943 is known for being the largest tank battle in history. A Russian victory, it marked the decisive end of the German offensive capability on the Eastern Front and set the scene for the Soviet successes that followed. While many have focused on the tank engagements, especially the Battle of Prokhorovka, there was an intense air battle going on overhead that was bigger than the Battle of Britain. As part of the German offensive, the Luftwaffe's VIII Air Corps deployed around 1,100 aircraft in the south alone, while the opposing Soviet Second and Seventeenth air armies initially deployed over 1,600 aircraft. There was a similar effort surrounding the German attack in the north. The battle in the south began with a Soviet air strike on German airfields and a fight for control of the air that continued throughout the day across the front. On the first day of the battle, 5 July 1943, the Germans flew at least 2,387 sorties in the south while the two Soviet air armies flew 1,688 sorties. That first day of battle resulted in 19 to 27 German planes and 189 Soviet aircraft shot down. This was an aerial engagement like no other ever seen before. Involved on the German side were the 52nd and 3rd Fighter Wings. The 52nd Fighter Wing was the most accomplished fighter wing in history and many of its top aces were involved in the combats over the Kursk battlefield. These included Walter Krupinski (197 claimed kills in the war), Gunther Rall, the third highest scoring ace in history (275 claimed kills), and the highest scoring ace in history, Erich Hartmann (352 claimed kills). Opposing them were what were to become three of the top five Soviet aces: Kirill Yevstigneyev (53 claimed kills), Nikolai Gulayev (55 claimed kills) and the top scoring Allied ace of the war, Ivan Kozhedub (62 claimed kills). This was indeed the battle of the aces. But there was also the massive ground attack effort by both sides, including the Junkers Ju 87 Stuka fitted with 37mm anti-tank guns flown by the man who would become most decorated soldier of the Third Reich, Hans-Ulrich Rudel. The aerial battle involved hundreds of Soviet Sturmoviks, or IL-2s, Stalin's armoured ground attack plane. The battle featured the famous attack by Luftwaffe Hs-129s and Fw-190s on Soviet armour on 8 July 1943. Aces at Kursk is not just a war story, but a revealing investigation that analyses the entire air battle that turned the tide of the war on the Eastern Front.
£27.00
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Plot to Save South Africa: The Week Mandela Averted Civil War and Forged a New Nation
‘Superbly reported, compelling . . . wonderfully captures the spirit of that time’ Financial Times'Gripping and important' Observer __________________________________________________________________________ Nine days that set the course of a nation... Johannesburg, Easter weekend, 1993. Nelson Mandela has been free for three years and is in slow-moving power-sharing talks with President FW de Klerk when a white supremacist shoots Mandela’s popular young heir apparent, Chris Hani, in the hope of igniting an all-out civil war. Will he succeed in plunging South Africa into chaos, safeguarding apartheid for perhaps years to come? Or can Mandela and de Klerk overcome their differences and mutual suspicion and calm their followers, plotting a way forward? In The Plot to Save South Africa, acclaimed South African journalist Justice Malala recounts the riveting story of the next nine days – never before told in full – revealing rarely seen sides of both Mandela and de Klerk, the fascinating behind-the-scenes debates within each of their parties over whether to pursue peace or war, and their increasingly desperate attempts to restrain their supporters despite mounting popular frustrations. Flitting between the points of view of over a dozen characters on all sides of the conflict, Justice Malala offers an illuminating look at successful leadership in action… and a terrifying reminder of just how close a country we think of today as a model for racial reconciliation came to civil war. __________________________________________________________________________‘A dramatic work of history, prodigiously reported and beautifully crafted. Justice Malala is a first-rate storyteller, deftly weaving history with a narrative that reads like a novel. I couldn’t put it down’ Jonathan Eig, New York Times bestselling author of Ali: A Life‘Magnificent, furious and unputdownable’ Andrew Harding, BBC Africa correspondent and author of These Are Not Gentle People
£22.50