The Coming of the Aerial War

The Coming of the Aerial War PDF Author: Michele Haapamäki
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 0857735845
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 346

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Book Description
In the first half of the 20th century the possibility of flight opened up entirely new avenues of thought and exploration. In the age of H.G. Wells and Biggles, the opening up of the air to balloons and planes- the Royal Flying Corps was founded in 1912 - appealed to concepts of courage and bravery which would be both encouraged and undermined by the experiences of World War I. The sky also held new terrors for everyday people who were now within reach of an airborne enemy- these fears included the possibilities of bombing, poison gas, surveillance and social contol. This duality of fear and enthusiasm drove the Air Raid Precaution movement, while vocal elements in the press and in parliament called for radical plans to cope with apocalyptic scenarios. Here, Michele Haapamaki charts the history of flight and of war in the air in the early twentieth century, addressing the key issues of interwar historiography such as patriotism, fear, masculinity and propaganda.

The Coming of the Aerial War

The Coming of the Aerial War PDF Author: Michele Haapamäki
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 0857735845
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 346

Get Book Here

Book Description
In the first half of the 20th century the possibility of flight opened up entirely new avenues of thought and exploration. In the age of H.G. Wells and Biggles, the opening up of the air to balloons and planes- the Royal Flying Corps was founded in 1912 - appealed to concepts of courage and bravery which would be both encouraged and undermined by the experiences of World War I. The sky also held new terrors for everyday people who were now within reach of an airborne enemy- these fears included the possibilities of bombing, poison gas, surveillance and social contol. This duality of fear and enthusiasm drove the Air Raid Precaution movement, while vocal elements in the press and in parliament called for radical plans to cope with apocalyptic scenarios. Here, Michele Haapamaki charts the history of flight and of war in the air in the early twentieth century, addressing the key issues of interwar historiography such as patriotism, fear, masculinity and propaganda.

Marked for Death

Marked for Death PDF Author: James Hamilton-Paterson
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1681771977
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 311

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Book Description
A dramatic and fascinating account of aerial combat during World War I, revealing the terrible risks taken by the men who fought and died in the world's first war in the air. Little more than ten years after the first powered flight, aircraft were pressed into service in World War I. Nearly forgotten in the war's massive overall death toll, some 50,000 aircrew would die in the combatant nations' fledgling air forces. The romance of aviation had a remarkable grip on the public imagination, propaganda focusing on gallant air 'aces' who become national heroes. The reality was horribly different. Marked for Death debunks popular myth to explore the brutal truths of wartime aviation: of flimsy planes and unprotected pilots; of burning nineteen-year-olds falling screaming to their deaths; of pilots blinded by the entrails of their observers. James Hamilton-Paterson also reveals how four years of war produced profound changes both in the aircraft themselves and in military attitudes and strategy. By 1918 it was widely accepted that domination of the air above the battlefield was crucial to military success, a realization that would change the nature of warfare forever.

The War in the Air

The War in the Air PDF Author: Herbert George Wells
Publisher: Boni and Liveright, Incorporated
ISBN:
Category : Imaginary wars and battles
Languages : en
Pages : 422

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Book Description


Air War on the Edge

Air War on the Edge PDF Author: Bill Norton
Publisher: Ian Allan Publishing
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 440

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Book Description
Never before has there been a book published on the aircraft, units and exploits of the Israel Air Force in such depth. Interest in the IAF has always been high and seldom are its aircrew and aircraft out of the world's headlines. Previous books have failed to satisfy, either being sensationalist and low on factual content, or lacking in fundamental research. Bill Norton has trawled through thousands of documents, reports, and illustrations to produce a work that is staggering in its depth and knowledge. Those that think they know the IAF will find a wealth of new material and countless previously published 'facts' re-evaluated and righted. Detailed type-by-type coverage supported by a barrage of photographs of the IAF from the mixed bag of aircraft of its formative days, through the Suez Campaign, the Six Day War, Yom Kippur and on to be a sophisticated, well-equipped force, arguably the most experienced in the world. Included for the first time are all of the badges and heraldry of the units of the IAF, in full color.

Command Of The Air

Command Of The Air PDF Author: General Giulio Douhet
Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing
ISBN: 1782898522
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 620

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Book Description
In the pantheon of air power spokesmen, Giulio Douhet holds center stage. His writings, more often cited than perhaps actually read, appear as excerpts and aphorisms in the writings of numerous other air power spokesmen, advocates-and critics. Though a highly controversial figure, the very controversy that surrounds him offers to us a testimonial of the value and depth of his work, and the need for airmen today to become familiar with his thought. The progressive development of air power to the point where, today, it is more correct to refer to aerospace power has not outdated the notions of Douhet in the slightest In fact, in many ways, the kinds of technological capabilities that we enjoy as a global air power provider attest to the breadth of his vision. Douhet, together with Hugh “Boom” Trenchard of Great Britain and William “Billy” Mitchell of the United States, is justly recognized as one of the three great spokesmen of the early air power era. This reprint is offered in the spirit of continuing the dialogue that Douhet himself so perceptively began with the first edition of this book, published in 1921. Readers may well find much that they disagree with in this book, but also much that is of enduring value. The vital necessity of Douhet’s central vision-that command of the air is all important in modern warfare-has been proven throughout the history of wars in this century, from the fighting over the Somme to the air war over Kuwait and Iraq.

The Early Air War in the Pacific

The Early Air War in the Pacific PDF Author: Ralph F. Wetterhahn
Publisher: McFarland
ISBN: 147666997X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 320

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Book Description
 During the first 10 months of the war in the Pacific, Japan achieved air supremacy with its carrier and land-based forces. But after major setbacks at Midway and Guadalcanal, the empire's expansion stalled, in part due to flaws in aircraft design, strategy and command. This book offers a fresh analysis of the air war in the Pacific during the early phases of World War II. Details are included from two expeditions conducted by the author that reveal the location of an American pilot missing in the Philippines since 1942 and clear up a controversial account involving famed Japanese ace Saburo Sakai and U.S. Navy pilot James "Pug" Southerland.

The Next War in the Air

The Next War in the Air PDF Author: Brett Holman
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317022637
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 303

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Book Description
In the early twentieth century, the new technology of flight changed warfare irrevocably, not only on the battlefield, but also on the home front. As prophesied before 1914, Britain in the First World War was effectively no longer an island, with its cities attacked by Zeppelin airships and Gotha bombers in one of the first strategic bombing campaigns. Drawing on prewar ideas about the fragility of modern industrial civilization, some writers now began to argue that the main strategic risk to Britain was not invasion or blockade, but the possibility of a sudden and intense aerial bombardment of London and other cities, which would cause tremendous destruction and massive casualties. The nation would be shattered in a matter of days or weeks, before it could fully mobilize for war. Defeat, decline, and perhaps even extinction, would follow. This theory of the knock-out blow from the air solidified into a consensus during the 1920s and by the 1930s had largely become an orthodoxy, accepted by pacifists and militarists alike. But the devastation feared in 1938 during the Munich Crisis, when gas masks were distributed and hundreds of thousands fled London, was far in excess of the damage wrought by the Luftwaffe during the Blitz in 1940 and 1941, as terrible as that was. The knock-out blow, then, was a myth. But it was a myth with consequences. For the first time, The Next War in the Air reconstructs the concept of the knock-out blow as it was articulated in the public sphere, the reasons why it came to be so widely accepted by both experts and non-experts, and the way it shaped the responses of the British public to some of the great issues facing them in the 1930s, from pacifism to fascism. Drawing on both archival documents and fictional and non-fictional publications from the period between 1908, when aviation was first perceived as a threat to British security, and 1941, when the Blitz ended, and it became clear that no knock-out blow was coming, The Next War in the Air provides a fascinating insight into the origins and evolution of this important cultural and intellectual phenomenon, Britain's fear of the bomber.

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in the Battle for Sicily

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in the Battle for Sicily PDF Author: Morten Jessen
Publisher:
ISBN: 9788799335206
Category : Focke-Wulf Fw 190 (Fighter plane)
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
"A fascinating and thoroughly researched account of Focke-Wulf 190 units, personnel and operations in the Sicilian campaign of the summer of 1943. Based on a variety of primary sources, this book describes many of the very eventful missions flown by a handful of Luftwaffe Fw 190s against a multitude of British and American land and naval targets. The book features numerous firsthand accounts from German, British, American and Commonwealth personnel, along with a wide selection of photographs and maps, and color aircraft profiles by well-known aviation artist Claes Sundin. The reader is also given a good idea of daily life for the Fw 190 pilots and mechanics during what was a long, hot Mediterranean summer, as they battled Allied bombing raids, lack of supplies, malaria, and many other complications. This is the first time that the full story of the Fw 190 in the battle for Sicily has been told, and this book will serve as the definitive account of this aspect of aviation history." REVIEWS "There are plenty of books on the Focke-Wulf Fw 190; many volumes have been published on WWII s second-most famous German fighter in service in north-west Europe and the Eastern Front, but the battle for Sicily? To my memory, nothing in any depth has been issued on this particular campaign and that s what makes Danish and Australian authors Morten Jessen and Andrew Arthy s new title so fascinating and unique. The book is a follow-up to their 2004 volume Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in North Africa and is an imposing production; it s a large format, 224 page hardback and the highly photogenic (if fighter aircraft can be considered photogenic) full-bleed image on the cover is almost irresistible if you are addicted to WWII aviation. The book is clearly produced with an eye for visual impact; as I often seem to state in this section each month, the photographic reproduction is excellent and many of the images are printed large on the page, all grist-to-the-mill for the modeler, hungry for Luftwaffe eye-candy. There are no less than 137 b/w and three color photographs in the book, plus eleven color profiles (by distinguished artist Claes Sundin) as well as maps that clearly define the specific zones of Fw 190 operation. For the modeller, there is a great deal of interest in this book. Naturally, lashings of punchy wartime photos of Fw 190s are scattered throughout and they give tantalizing clues to camouflage schemes, markings and the inevitable weathering; great stuff. But what really impresses is the sheer attention to detail; those six years of research were well spent and the result is an exhaustive account of the infamous Butcher Bird and its exploits in the vicious battle for the island of Sicily. Very highly recommended." - Tamiya Model Magazine, Marcus Nicholls "In this book the eventful history of the Fw 190 units in the Mediterranean is described from 14 May to 2 September 1943, with special attention to the battle for Sicily. It is extremely well-researched and excellently illustrated, with the story focusing on, amongst other things, why the Fw 190 was so important there. Like everywhere in this book, facts and figures complement each other perfectly, with many eyewitness accounts from both sides. Although the presentation follows a chronological thread, it remains a varied and well told story and an easy read. This exemplary book provides an overall picture of what happened, and tops it off with no less than ten meticulously compiled appendices, i.e. detailed casualty lists, camouflage and markings etc., not to mention the eleven exceptional color profiles by Claes Sundin. Conclusion: one of the best new releases for a long time!" - Flugzeig Classic, Wolfgang Muhlbauer"

A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940–1945. Volume 2

A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940–1945. Volume 2 PDF Author: Christopher Shores
Publisher: Grub Street Publishing
ISBN: 191069097X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 736

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Book Description
This second volume in the seminal series on aerial combat, pilots, and tactics in Libya and Egypt in the middle of World War II. In volume two of this series, historian Christopher Shores begins by exploring the 8th Army’s movements after Operation Crusader when they were forced back to the Gazala area in northeastern Libya, as well as their defeat in June, 1942, the loss of Tobruk, and the efforts of Allied air forces to protect their retreating troops. Shores continues with the heavy fighting that followed in the El Alamein region. This features the Western Desert Air Force and the arrival of the first Spitfires. The buildup of both army and air forces and the addition of new commanders on the ground aided the defeat of Rommel’s Deutsche Afrika Korps at Alam el Halfa, after which came the Second Battle of El Alamein. With the arrival of the United States Army Air Force, the Allied air forces gained dominance over the Axis. Shores recounts the lengthy pursuit of the Italo-German forces right across Libya, including the capture of Tripoli and the breakthrough into Southern Tunisia. This allowed a linkup with other Allied forces in Tunisia (whose story appears in Volume 3). Included with the action are stories of some of the great fighter aces of the Desert campaign such as Jochen Marseille and Otto Schulz of the Luftwaffe, Franco Bordoni-Bisleri of the Regia Aeronautica and Neville Duke, Billy Drake, and “Eddie” Edwards of the Commonwealth air forces. Finally, Shores touches on the Allied and Axis night bombing offensives and the activities of the squadrons cooperating with the naval forces in the Mediterranean.

The Great Air War

The Great Air War PDF Author: Aaron Norman
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 624

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Book Description
"The Great Air War is the first comprehensive account of the battle fliers, their planes, and their vital role in World War I. Aerial combat in "the war to end war" was an utterly unprecedented new chapter in military potential of the flying machine was unfathomed. It had been only a decade since Orville Wright had made history's first successful airplane flight. High- ranking officers in all countries dismissed the use of the plane for any purpose except possible reconnoitering. But as the war progressed, aviation technology boomed, the plane became a lethal weapon - and a new warrior breed was born. The story of these men - the now legendary heroes and their man-to-man encounters, their breathtaking victories and heartbreaking defeats is spellbinding: Aaron Norman seats the reader right in the cockpit beside the great aces and many less famous but equally courageous airmen. Some of the individual stories rank with the classics of adventure literature. Colourful biographies of the top aces of each nation, and their victory scores, are a feature of the Great Air War. The various war planes are described in detail: the Sopwiths, Nieuports, Fokkers, Spads, Albatroses, SE-5's, and performance, strong points and weaknesses. The incredible story of Count Zeppelin's terrifying if vulnerable dirigibles is recounted at length. It was with this giant craft that the German high command hoped to bring Britain to her knees, and the dramatic picture of these monsters hovering ominously in the night skies over England is one of the many high spots of the book. For its complete story of the monumental action as the seesaw battle went on for supremacy in the sky, and for its many anecdotal stories in human terms throughout, The Great Air War is superb reading; the book in its entirely is also of major importance as history, since the chronicle of World War I is incomplete without this first full coverage of the part played in it by ariel combat. The illustrations add to the comprehensive coverage. There are two 16-page inserts of photographs - 65 photos in all - and 54 side -view drawings of the planes. With full index, appendices and bibliography". - Publisher