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Initially designed as a high-speed mail aeroplane and airliner, the
Do 17 first made an appearance as a military aircraft in the
Spanish Civil War, both as a bomber and in reconnaissance roles. In
the early stages of World War II, it, together with the Heinkel He
111, formed the backbone of the German bomber arm over Poland,
France, Belgium and the Low Countries, and saw action in almost
every major campaign in this period. However, by the start of the
Battle of Britain, the Do 17's limited range and small bomb load
meant that it was ripe for replacement by the Ju 88. Though it
performed well at lower altitudes, the model suffered heavy losses
during raids, particularly during the Blitz and were increasingly
phased out. This fully illustrated study uses detailed full-colour
artwork and authoritative text from an expert author to tell the
full operation story of one of Nazi Germany's best light bombers
from the early years of World War II.
The ace pilots of the Republic of China Air Force have long been
shrouded in mystery and obscurity, as their retreat to Taiwan in
1949 and blanket martial law made records of the RoCAF all but
impossible to access. Now, for the first time, the colourful story
of these aces can finally be told. Using the latest research based
on released archival information and full-colour illustrations,
this book charts the history of the top scoring pilots of the RoCAF
from the beginning of the gruelling, eight-year Sino-Japanese War
to the conclusion of the Civil War against the Chinese Communists.
Beginning as a ragged and very disparate group of planes and pilots
drawn from various provincial air forces, the RoCAF gradually
became standardised and was brought under American tutelage.
Altogether it produced 17 aces who scored kills whilst flying a
startling variety of aircraft, from biplanes to F-86 Sabres.
The 357th Fighter Group produced 42 aces, more than any other group
within the USAAF. It was also the first group in the Eighth Air
Force to be equipped with the P-51. Thanks to this fighter and the
talented pilots assigned to the group (men such as Bud Anderson,
Kit Carson, John England and Chuck Yeager) the 357th achieved a
faster rate of aerial victories than any other Eighth Air Force
group during the final year of the war. It also claimed the highest
number of aerial kills - 56 - in a single mission.
The group was awarded two Distinguished Unit Citations (the unit
equivalent of the Medal of Honor). Written by Chris Bucholtz, this
book is crammed full of first-hand accounts, superb photography and
some of the most colorful profiles to be found in World War II
aviation.
The F/A-18 Hornet in its various guises was the 'universal soldier'
of OIF, with around 250 seeing combat. Flown by various squadrons
and groups, the Hornet attacked a range of targets including tanks
of the various Iraqi Republican Guard units and government
buildings housing elements of the Baath party regime. Apart from
its ability to drop precision munitions such as laser-guided bombs,
the Hornet was also capable of launching anti-radar missiles and
acting as an aerial tanker and reconnaissance platform for other
strike types. This book explores the Hornet's versatility which has
enhanced its reputation as one of the world's leading
strike-fighter aircraft.
The Fw 200 Condor first made an appearance over Norway in April
1940, flying with the unit that eventually become synonymous with
it - Kampfgeschwader 40. As the war in the west progressed, and
German forces advanced, French airfields opened up, allowing the
Condor to fly around the UK and out into the Atlantic, where it
rapidly established itself as one of the key menaces to Allied
shipping. Able to attack shipping directly, or able to guide
U-Boats to their prey the Condor scored its first major success
when it crippled the liner Empress of Great Britain. But the tables
were to turn on the 'Scourge of the Atlantic' as mechanical
failures induced by their harsh operating environment and changes
in Allied tactics began to take a toll. Vulnerable to aerial
attack, the deployment of Allied carriers and their associated
fighters combined with the introduction of more loing range
maritime patrol aircraft exposed the Condor's deficiencies. Packed
with rare first-hand accounts, profile artwork and photographs,
this is the history of one of the unsung types to take to the skies
during World War 2.
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