Achtung Spitfire: Luftwaffe over England

Achtung Spitfire: Luftwaffe over England PDF Author: Hugh Trivett
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 075098130X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 257

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Book Description
14 August 1940, which Hitler code-named 'Adlertag', or 'Eagle Day', was fated to become one of the most significant days in the Battle of Britain. It signified the start of the Luftwaffe's aerial offensive, planned to cripple Britain and clear the path for the German troops ammased in readiness for invasion. The Luftwaffe sent out waves of unescorted bombers to attack difficult and long-range targets by daylight, hoping to confuse and split the fighter defences with the small but numerous bomb formations. The tactic was a calculated gamble and one that cost the Germans deeply. Despite successes in attacking and damaging airfields, the losses were severe and and the following day Goering vetoed such tactics, now convinced his bombers could never operate over Britain without fighter cover. Using first-hand recollections of both Luftwaffe and RAF pilots as well as local witnesses to the day's action, gleaned from interviews and written accounts and with many unpublished photographs, Hugh Trivett has collated the definitive record of Eagle Day.

Achtung Spitfire: Luftwaffe over England

Achtung Spitfire: Luftwaffe over England PDF Author: Hugh Trivett
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 075098130X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 257

Get Book Here

Book Description
14 August 1940, which Hitler code-named 'Adlertag', or 'Eagle Day', was fated to become one of the most significant days in the Battle of Britain. It signified the start of the Luftwaffe's aerial offensive, planned to cripple Britain and clear the path for the German troops ammased in readiness for invasion. The Luftwaffe sent out waves of unescorted bombers to attack difficult and long-range targets by daylight, hoping to confuse and split the fighter defences with the small but numerous bomb formations. The tactic was a calculated gamble and one that cost the Germans deeply. Despite successes in attacking and damaging airfields, the losses were severe and and the following day Goering vetoed such tactics, now convinced his bombers could never operate over Britain without fighter cover. Using first-hand recollections of both Luftwaffe and RAF pilots as well as local witnesses to the day's action, gleaned from interviews and written accounts and with many unpublished photographs, Hugh Trivett has collated the definitive record of Eagle Day.

Achtung Spitfire: Luftwaffe over England

Achtung Spitfire: Luftwaffe over England PDF Author: Hugh Trivett
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 075098130X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 246

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Book Description
14 August 1940, which Hitler code-named ‘Adlertag’, or ‘Eagle Day’, was fated to become one of the most significant days in the Battle of Britain. It signified the start of the Luftwaffe’s aerial offensive, planned to cripple Britain and clear the path for the German troops ammased in readiness for invasion. The Luftwaffe sent out waves of unescorted bombers to attack difficult and long-range targets by daylight, hoping to confuse and split the fighter defences with the small but numerous bomb formations. The tactic was a calculated gamble and one that cost the Germans deeply. Despite successes in attacking and damaging airfields, the losses were severe and and the following day Goering vetoed such tactics, now convinced his bombers could never operate over Britain without fighter cover. Using first-hand recollections of both Luftwaffe and RAF pilots as well as local witnesses to the day’s action, gleaned from interviews and written accounts and with many unpublished photographs, Hugh Trivett has collated the definitive record of Eagle Day.

The Spitfire Summer

The Spitfire Summer PDF Author: Peter Haining
Publisher: Virgin Books Limited
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 212

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Book Description


How the Spitfire Won the Battle of Britain

How the Spitfire Won the Battle of Britain PDF Author: Dilip Sarkar
Publisher: Amberley Publishing Limited
ISBN: 1445609819
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 223

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Book Description
Finally lays to rest the myth that the Hurricane won the Battle of Britain rather than the numerically inferior, yet more glamorous, Spitfire.

The Battle of Britain Story

The Battle of Britain Story PDF Author: Graham Pitchfork
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0752484826
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 128

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Book Description
The summer of 1940 witnessed the greatest air battle in history, as the men Winston Churchill dubbed ‘The Few’ fought over the skies of Britain to prevent the Luftwaffe from gaining air superiority, which would have paved the way for Hitler to invade our island. Graham Pitchfork charts the development of the epic battle fought by Fighter Command as it reacted to the changes in the Luftwaffe’s strategy, reaching a climax on 15 September before finally coming to a conclusion in October 1940. In addition to the exploits of the pilots in the air, the contribution of the many ground organisations that played such a crucial role is also highlighted in this lavishly illustrated book. Air Commodore Graham Pitchfork is a well-known aviation author whose previous books include The RAF Day by Day and The RAF’s First Jet Squadron: 616 (South Yorkshire).

Spitfire vs Bf 109

Spitfire vs Bf 109 PDF Author: Tony Holmes
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472847857
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 147

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Book Description
Churchill's words, 'never was so much owed by so many to so few', came to encapsulate how, in a few critical months, the entire fate of the British Empire, if not the war, hung in the balance, to be determined by a handful of pilots fighting tirelessly in the skies over Britain. Tony Holmes describes the Battle of Britain, the clash between the Spitfire I/II and the Bf 109E - detailing not only the key elements of both aircraft types - the airframe, engine, armament and flying characteristics, but also the pilots' training and tactics accompanied by diagrams of actual flight formations. The growing influence of radar and the efforts of British air defences are also examined, as are real-life engagements - from both German and British perspectives. With a wealth of first-hand accounts from the veterans who strapped themselves into these legendary machines as well as illustrations and cockpit-view artwork, this book puts the reader in the midst of a dogfight, providing a unique insight into one of the greatest duels of history in the world's first major aerial battle.

Last of the Few

Last of the Few PDF Author: Max Arthur
Publisher: Skyhorse
ISBN: 1628730463
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 304

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Book Description
After the fall of France in May 1940, the British Expeditionary Force was miraculously evacuated from Dunkirk. Britain now stood alone to face Hitler’s inevitable invasion attempt. For the German army to land across the channel, Hitler needed mastery of the skies—the Royal Air Force would have to be broken. So every day throughout the summer, German bombers pounded the RAF air bases in the southern counties. Greatly outnumbered by the Luftwaffe, the pilots of RAF Fighter Command scrambled as many as five times a day, and civilians watched skies crisscrossed with the contrails from the constant dogfights between Spitfires and Me-109s. Britain’s very freedom depended on the outcome of that summer’s battle: Its air defenses were badly battered and nearly broken, but against all odds, “The Few,” as they came to be known, bought Britain’s freedom—many with their lives. More than a fifth of the British and Allied pilots died during the Battle of Britain. These are the personal accounts of the pilots who fought and survived that battle. Their stories are as riveting, as vivid, and as poignant as they were seventy years ago. We will not see their like again.

Celebrating a Century of Flight

Celebrating a Century of Flight PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 32

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Book Description


Spitfire Ace

Spitfire Ace PDF Author: Martin Peter Davidson
Publisher: Boxtree Limited
ISBN: 9780752225111
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 255

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Book Description
The Battle of Britain, 1940, was one of the most famous air battles in the history of warfare and it is a story of ruthless organisation, brilliant control and command. But at its heart is one particular figure, a legend ever since. The RAF fighter pilot. And one particular plane - a piece of machinery that has almost mythic historical glamour - the Supermarine Spitfire. reintroduces us to the few that flew in the Battle of Britain and includes interviews with 25 of the 35 remaining veteran Spitfire pilots. Combined with a historical narrative of the events surrounding the Battle of Britain, the reader learns what is was like to fly a Spitfire and to experience combat flying at its most visceral. Illustrated with over 80 photographs and contemporary archive material, Spitfire Pilot provides a vivid portrait of the fighter boys and their finest hour, their planes (including Spitfires, Hurricanes and Messerchmitts) and Fighter Command - RAF versus the Luftwaffe.

The Story of the Spitfire

The Story of the Spitfire PDF Author: Ken Delve
Publisher: Greenhill Books/Lionel Leventhal
ISBN: 9781853677250
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 272

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Book Description
To many people, the Spitfire was the embodiment of air fighting during World War II. The Spitfire Story presents a thrilling appraisal of this remarkable aircraft's fighting capability and the tactics of the pilots who flew it. Using official evaluations and reports, alongside technical and tactical developments, plus the recollections of Spitfire pilots, the book provides an unparalleled insight into the combat career of this legendary plane. Despite some problems with their new aircraft, the Fighter Command pilots of 1940 were generally delighted with the Spitfire – speed, maneuverability and fire-power were all far greater than they had been with the biplanes of only a year or so earlier. Tactics, training and experience were another matter, and the RAF was out of date. The air battles over Britain in late 1940 forged the Spitfire legend – but how justified was it? There were only nineteen Spitfire squadrons in Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain, but as the RAF turned to the offensive the numbers of Spitfire units dramatically increased. The combat initiative was lost to improved Bf109s and Fw190s, but developments in the Spitfire clawed back the advantage, with increased performance and, crucially, better training. By 1944 the Spitfire was operating as a fighter-bomber in various theatres of war, with new tactics and new problems. To many fighter-pilots having bombs strapped under the aircraft verged on an insult – but with aerial targets in short supply this was the most effective, but risky, way of taking the war to the enemy. The Spitfire Story details the introduction, development and successes of this incredible aircraft, and charts the training and skills of its pilots. It is a compelling account which will be welcomed by both enthusiast and general reader alike. Ken Delve is the author of more than twenty aviation books, including Bomber Command, D-Day: The Air Battle and Night Fighter.