Author: Robert Forsyth
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472852923
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 97
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Book Description
A full account of the German airmen who achieved ace status by destroying Allied bombers. Viermot Aces' were pilots who shot down five or more USAAF and RAF bombers during the daylight Defence of the Reich missions from May 1942 through to VE Day. This book tells the complete story of the men and the planes that challenged the great bomber offensive. Flying a number of different aircraft including the Bf 110G, Me 210 and the Me 410, they fought their desperate battles against the numerous machine guns of B-17s and Lancasters. This book also covers the 'jet aces' that flew the Me 262 jet-powered interceptors in the closing days of the war to wage a desperate last-ditch fight against the endless Allied bomber fleets.
Author: Jeremy Dixon
Publisher: Pen and Sword Aviation
ISBN: 152677867X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 322
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Book Description
The German fighter pilots of the Second World War are among the undoubted heroes of the conflict, their reputation for flying skill, single-minded determination and solitary courage hasn’t diminished or been clouded by controversy over the years. Their daring and commitment, often displayed when, towards the end of the war, they were fighting against the odds, matches that of any of the other air forces they fought against. This detailed, highly illustrated reference book, which covers the exploits of the most famous and successful individuals among them, shows just how effective and undaunted they were. All the Luftwaffe day fighter pilots who flew single-seater aircraft and won the Knight’s Cross during the war are featured. The entries give information about their early lives and pre-war careers and record how many aircraft they shot down, the type of aircraft involved and where and when the combat took place. Included are accounts of particular actions which led to the award of the Knight’s Cross, and the fate of these remarkable pilots later in the war and in the post-war world is described too. Jeremy Dixon’s book will be fascinating reading and reference for anyone who is interested in the aviation history of the Second World War.
Author: Tony Holmes
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472848500
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 289
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Book Description
World War II saw pilots from around the world battling in the skies over Europe, Asia and Africa, with victory resting upon their nerve, skill and the capabilities of some of history's most iconic aircraft. In the chaos of battle, it was vital that they could quickly identify friend from foe. But do you know your Hurricane from your Bf 109, or what the legendary P-51 Mustang looks like? Do you know the wingspan of the A6M Zero-sen, or how fast it could fly? THE WORLD WAR II FIGHTER PLANES SPOTTER'S GUIDE answers all of these questions and more, providing essential information on over 90 legendary aircraft, from the celebrated Spitfire to the jet-powered Me 262. Featuring full-colour artwork to aid recognition, as well as all the details you need to assess their performance, this is the perfect pocket guide to the Allied and Axis fighters of World War II.
Author: Robert Forsyth
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472822935
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 97
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Book Description
Formed shortly after the outbreak of World War 2, and equipped with Messerschmitt Bf 109Es, Jagdgeschwader 1 was initially tasked to defend the regional North Sea and Baltic coastal areas and Germany's main port cities and naval bases. The greatest task for JG 1 though came after 1942 in its defence of the Reich against the US Eighth Air Force's B-17s and B-24s, bearing the brunt of defence against increasingly regular, larger and deep penetrating USAAF daylight bomber raids with fighter escort. Levels of attrition subsequently grew, but so did experience among the leading aces, who were often the subject of propaganda films and literature. Many of Germany's most famous World War 2 aces flew with JG 1 including Herbert Ihlefeld (132 victories), Heinz Bär (220) and Walter Oesau (127), piloting Bf 109Es, Fw 190s and the Heinkel 162 jet fighter. Packed with photographs and profile artwork and revealing first-hand accounts, this is the compelling story of the Luftwaffe fighter pilots who battled to defend the skies of Germany.
Author: Colin D. Heaton
Publisher: Zenith Press
ISBN: 0760345902
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 315
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Book Description
DIVIn The German Aces Speak II, Colin Heaton and Anne-Marie Lewis profile the WWII air war over Europe through the eyes of Johannes Steinhoff, Erich Alfred Hartmann, Guther Rall, and Dieter Hrabak—four of the Luftwaffe’s’s most interesting and significant pilots. /div
Author: Douglas C. Dildy
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472824539
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 97
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Book Description
A rigorous new analysis of America's legendary 'Big Week' air campaign which enabled the Allies to gain air superiority before D-Day. The USAAF's mighty World War II bomber forces were designed for unescorted, precision daylight bombing, but no-one foresaw the devastation that German radar-directed interceptors would inflict on them. Following the failures of 1943's Schweinfurt-Regensburg raids, and with D-Day looming, the Allies urgently needed to crush the Luftwaffe's ability to oppose the landings. In February 1944, the Allies conceived and fought history's first-ever successful offensive counterair (OCA) campaign, Operation Argument or “Big Week.” Attacking German aircraft factories with hundreds of heavy bombers, escorted by the new long-range P-51 Mustang, it aimed both to slash aircraft production and force the Luftwaffe into combat, allowing the new Mustangs to take their toll on the German interceptors. This expertly written, illustration-packed account explains how the Allies finally began to win air superiority over Europe, and how Operation Argument marked the beginning of the Luftwaffe's fall.
Author: Barrett Tillman
Publisher: Regnery Publishing
ISBN: 1621572080
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 354
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Book Description
November 1943—May 1945—The U.S. Army Air Forces waged an unprecedentedly dogged and violent campaign against Hitler’s vital oil production and industrial plants on the Third Reich’s southern flank. Flying from southern Italy, far from the limelight enjoyed by the Eighth Air Force in England, the Fifteenth Air Force engaged in high-risk missions spanning most of the European continent. The story of the Fifteenth Air Force deserves a prideful place in the annals of American gallantry. In his new book, The Forgotten Airmen: The Daring Airmen Who Crippled Hitler’s Oil Supply, Tillman brings into focus a seldom-seen multinational cast of characters, including pilots from Axis nations Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria and many more remarkable individuals. They were the first generation of fliers—few of them professionals—to conduct a strategic bombing campaign against a major industrial nation. They suffered steady attrition and occasionally spectacular losses. In so doing, they contributed to the end of the most destructive war in history. The Forgotten Airmen is the first-ever detailed account of the Fifteenth Air Force in World War II and the brave men that history has abandoned. This book is a must-read for military history enthusiasts, veterans, current servicemen and their families. Includes glossy photo signature of historic pictures and documents
Author: Richard Worrall
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472859308
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 228
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Book Description
The first book to cover the full history of the RAF's air war against Hamburg, one of the most important target cities in Germany. The city of Hamburg became synonymous with the destructive power of RAF Bomber Command when, during summer 1943, the city suffered horrific destruction in a series of four heavy firebombing attacks, Operation Gomorrah. However, few know how varied or long the Hamburg campaign was. In this book, RAF air power expert Dr Richard Worrall presents the complete history of the RAF's air campaign against the city, a campaign that stretched well beyond the devastating fire raids of 1943. Dr Worrall explains how Germany's second city was an industrial centre of immense proportions and proved a consistent target for Bomber Command throughout World War II. It was home to oil refineries, U-boat pens, and ship-building and submarine-building yards, all sustained by a large industrial workforce. Bomber Command evolved tactically and technically throughout the war, and the Luftwaffe's defensive capabilities would do likewise in response. Drawing on a wide range of primary and secondary sources available on this topic, and packed with photos, artwork, maps and diagrams, this is an important new history of the air campaign against the industrial and naval heart of Nazi Germany.
Author: Robert Forsyth
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472857445
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 154
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Book Description
An illustrated account of how the USAAF's might was challenged by the Jagdflieger and their heavily armed, and armoured, Fw 190A-8 Sturmjäger. Developed from one of the finest fighters of World War II, the radial-engined Fw 190A-8 was conceived as a heavy assault aircraft and armed accordingly. Its mission was to provide a response to the increasing numbers of USAAF B-17 and B-24 bombers operating against targets in the western and central Reich. This book explores the fascinating feats of the men flying the Fw 190A-8 and its subvariants. These pilots were given exceptional training and many were volunteers, some of whom were willing to sign oaths that they would bring down a bomber at all costs – even if it meant ramming the enemy aircraft. Using first-hand accounts, archival photos, full-colour illustrations, maps and tactical diagrams, acclaimed Luftwaffe expert Robert Forsyth puts readers in the cockpit of a Sturmjäger defending the Fatherland from USAAF bombers protected by powerful Allied escort fighters.
Author: Robert Forsyth
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472814592
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 100
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Book Description
With the Third Reich on the brink of defeat Hitler's instructions to his designers were clear. He wanted a Volksjäger – a People's Fighter that was quick to produce and used minimal quantities of strategic materials. Heinkel rose to the challenge with the He 162, a fighter constructed of wood and metal that was designed, built and flown in the staggeringly short time of ten weeks. Professional pilots were in short supply, and so the Luftwaffe was ordered to man the He 162 with hastily trained members of the Hitler Youth – a flawed plan that fortunately never came to fruition. Detailed aircraft profiles and never before seen photographs perfectly complement the analysis of the revolutionary Heinkel He 162 as author Robert Forsyth traces its entire history, from the early design and production through to its limited combat experience.
