Flak Bait, the Story of the Men who Flew the Martin Marauders

Flak Bait, the Story of the Men who Flew the Martin Marauders PDF Author: Devon Francis
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : World War, 1939-1945
Languages : en
Pages : 418

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Flak Bait, the Story of the Men who Flew the Martin Marauders

Flak Bait, the Story of the Men who Flew the Martin Marauders PDF Author: Devon Francis
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : World War, 1939-1945
Languages : en
Pages : 418

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Book Description


Flak Bait

Flak Bait PDF Author: Devon Francis
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 424

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Flak

Flak PDF Author: Edward B. Westermann
Publisher: University Press of Kansas
ISBN: 0700614206
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 432

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Book Description
Air raid sirens wail, searchlight beams flash across the sky, and the night is aflame with tracer fire and aerial explosions, as Allied bombers and German anti-aircraft units duel in the thundering darkness. Such "cinematic" scenes, played out with increasing frequency as World War II ground to a close, were more than mere stock material for movie melodramas. As Edward Westermann reveals, they point to a key but largely unappreciated aspect of the German war effort that has yet to get its full due. Long the neglected stepchild in studies of World War II air campaigns, German flak or anti-aircraft units have been frequently dismissed by American, British, and German historians (and by veterans of the European air war) as ineffective weapons that wasted valuable material and personnel resources desperately needed elsewhere by the Third Reich. Westermann emphatically disagrees with that view and makes a convincing case for the significant contributions made by the entire range of German anti-aircraft defenses. During the Allied air campaigns against the Third Reich, well over a million tons of bombs were dropped upon the German homeland, killing nearly 300,000 civilians, wounding another 780,000, and destroying more than 3,500,000 industrial and residential structures. Not surprisingly, that aerial Armageddon has inspired countless studies of both the victorious Allied bombing offensive and the ultimately doomed Luftwaffe defense of its own skies. By contrast, flak units have virtually been ignored, despite the fact that they employed more than a million men and women, were responsible for more than half of all Allied aircraft losses, forced Allied bombers to fly far above high-accuracy altitudes, and thus allowed Germany to hold out far longer than it might have otherwise. Westermann's definitive study sheds new light on every facet of the development and organization of this vital defense arm, including its artillery, radar, searchlight, barrage balloon, decoy sites, and command components. Highlighting the convergence of technology, strategy, doctrine, politics, and economics, Flak also provides revealing insights into German strategic thought, Hitler's obsession with micromanaging the war, and the lives of the members of the flak units themselves, including the large number of women, factory workers, and even POWs who participated.

The B-26 Goes to War

The B-26 Goes to War PDF Author: Stan Walsh
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 1546221654
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 194

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Book Description
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar Chantilly, Virginia Two complete and separate design cycles chronicles our story – The B-26 Goes to War. War fever caused authorities to forego prototype testing – the B-26 went straight from drawing board to battle. The 22nd Bomb Group, with short 65 ft. wingspan B-26s entered combat in the Southwest Pacific. The Army’s Torpedo Challenge chronicles exploits in the realm of pure fantasy. Getting-it-right – Navy torpedoes on Army bombers – is intense, vivid and entertaining. Flying the “straight” uncovered deficiencies. A modified B-26B emerged with a 71 ft. wingspan. These were earmarked for combat in North Africa and Europe. For the Flak-Bait story see Appendix H. The ultramodern Martin B-26 prototype medium bomber first flown 25 November 1940 achieved a top speed of 315 mph, fastest of any U.S. bomber and narrowing the gap between its speed and that of existing Army pursuit planes. Innovations include: self-sealing gas tanks, armor plating and a full bomb load of two tons.

Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. Warbird Survivors 2003

Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. Warbird Survivors 2003 PDF Author: Harold A. Skaarup
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 1462047491
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 380

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Book Description
North America is replete in aviation history, both military and civilian. The sheer size of the United States dictated an early interest in air defense and profoundly influenced the nations dependence on air travel. It is no wonder that the United States developed as an air-faring nation. A large part of the leadership that contributed to that development can be traced to Americas Air Force. Indeed, its proud military heritage is embodied in the dedicated individuals who have served and continue to do soand in the marvelous aircraft they have flown. The preservation and public display of these aircraft is a labor of love for many, including the editor of this book. If you are an enthusiast of military aviation history, or one with a passing interest who simply wishes to learn more, you will find a wealth of information in these well-researched pages.

Popular Science

Popular Science PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 302

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Book Description
Popular Science gives our readers the information and tools to improve their technology and their world. The core belief that Popular Science and our readers share: The future is going to be better, and science and technology are the driving forces that will help make it better.

Best of the National Air and Space Museum

Best of the National Air and Space Museum PDF Author: F. Robert van der Linden
Publisher: Smithsonian Institution
ISBN: 1588345815
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 225

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Book Description
Experience the thrill of flying some of the world's most important airplanes and spacecraft. Best of the National Air and Space Museum provides unprecedented access to the most popular museum in the world. The Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum hosts an average of seven million visits every year. The Udvar-Hazy Center—three football fields long and ten stories high—receives more than one million visits annually. Best of the National Air and Space Museum features the best of both museums, from the Challenger space shuttle and the Wright flyer to the Spirit of St. Louis and the stealth bomber. Robert Van der Linden, curator of aeronautics, has selected the most important, popular, and just plain impressive aircraft and spacecraft from the collections of both museums to be showcased in this beautiful book. Each page spread includes intriguing facts of the item's design, use, mission, specifications, and dimensions. A must-have for space and aviation buffs.

The Putt-putt Air Force

The Putt-putt Air Force PDF Author: Patricia Strickland
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Aeronautics
Languages : en
Pages : 140

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Air Classics

Air Classics PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Airplanes, Military
Languages : en
Pages : 862

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Flak Bait

Flak Bait PDF Author: James P. Simpson
Publisher: Eakin Press
ISBN: 9781681790268
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 202

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Book Description
James P. Simpson is a gifted storyteller whose life embraced some of the most significant events of the 20th century. He is the last survivor of the small team that investigated and prosecuted the forces of organized crime on Galveston Island 50 years ago. His tales of defeating the Maceo gambling empire, without the assistance of local law enforcement, add a colorful chapter to Texas history. His memories of a Depression-era childhood are full of charming and bittersweet moments. Some of the most insightful writing about America's air war in Europe appears in accounts of his 59 bombing missions over France and Germany. Adventure often gives way to misadventure in his hilarious chronicle of life as an FBI agent in Chicago and Minnesota. And as a trial lawyer in Galveston County, Jim Simpson tackles some of the area's most important litigation, enthralling all with his folksy, eloquent voice-in court, in life, and in these pages. James P. Simpson is a retired trial lawyer who now lives in League City, Texas. He is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law and the FBI Academy. In 1957, as Special Assistant Attorney General, he led a small team of investigators who were responsible for closing scores of gambling enterprises, houses of prostitution, and other illicit businesses on Galveston Island, ending decades of organized crime. Geoffrey Leavenworth is the author of Isle of Misfortune, a novel, and the architecture volume, Historic Galveston. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Texas Monthly, Time, and many other publications.