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How the Jagdflieger challenged the might of the USAAF in 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, critically
acclaimed Luftwaffe author Robert Forsyth puts the reader in the
cockpit of a Sturmjäger attempting to defend the Fatherland from
formations of heavily defended USAAF bombers protected by powerful
Allied escort fighters.
A detailed, illustrated account of the air campaign that
accompanied the Red Army's final push towards Berlin, in which
massed Soviet air power defeated the Luftwaffe's high-tech Me 262
jets and Mistel exploding drones. The last months of World War II
on the Eastern Front saw a ferocious fight between two very
different air forces. Soviet Air Force (VVS) Commander-in-Chief
Alexander Novikov assembled 7,500 aircraft in three powerful air
armies to support the final assault on Berlin. The Luftwaffe
employed some of its most advanced weapons including the Me 262 jet
and Mistel remotely-guided bomb aircraft. Using photos, 3D
diagrams, maps and battlescene artwork, William E. Hiestand, a
military analyst with a longstanding interest in Soviet military
history, explains how Germany's use of high-tech weaponry and
massed Soviet air assaults was not just the culmination of World
War II air combat, but also pointed to how the future rivalry with
NATO would play out. The VVS used powerful and flexible air armies
to control and employ its huge force of aircraft – organizational
and employment concepts that would shape Soviet plans and
preparations for combat during the Cold War. For the first time,
this volume explains how air power helped win the war on the
Eastern Front, and how victory shaped Soviet air power doctrine for
the decades to come.
Packed with illustrations, this is a new history and analysis of
how the Royal Navy's most important fleet operated and fought the
German Navy in the crucial first years of World War II. Throughout
its history, the Royal Navy's most powerful fleet has been the one
guarding home waters. In this book, naval historian Angus Konstam
explores the fighting power, the roles, and the battles of the Home
Fleet, in the crucial first years of World War II when it was
Britain's most powerful fighting force, anchored in the northern
bastion of Scapa Flow. He explains the complex responsibilities of
the fleet, charged simultaneously with preventing the powerful
German Navy from breaking out into the Atlantic; preparing to
challenge any cross-Channel invasion force; and attacking German
naval operations in the North Sea. Home Fleet actions included the
loss of HMS Hood, the sinking of the Bismarck and countering the
invasion of Norway, Germany's biggest amphibious operation of the
war. Packed with striking new artwork and 3D diagrams and maps,
this book offers a detailed portrait of the Home Fleet during these
most crucial years of the war, from the capabilities of the
warships to logistics and intelligence-gathering, to how the fleet
was organized and commanded, and how and why it fought as it did.
A fully illustrated study of the Nakajima Ki49 ‘Helen’, the
twin-engined bomber of the Pacific War, from Japanese aviation
expert George Eleftheriou. The Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu (‘Dragon
Eater’), codenamed ‘Helen’ by the Allies, was a twin-engined
Japanese bomber designed to undertake daylight attacks without the
protection of escort fighters. Consequently, while it was
officially known as the Army Type 100 Heavy Bomber, its formidable
defensive armament and armour were so heavy that they restricted
the Ki-49 to payloads comparable to those of smaller medium
bombers. While only five heavy bomber sentai (regiments) were
equipped with the ‘Helen’, the over 800 Ki-49s built between
1941 and 1944 saw extensive action in Burma, Papua New Guinea, the
Philippines, northern India and north Australia. In an act of
desperation, a small number of ‘Helens’ were even employed,
unsuccessfully, as kamikaze aircraft against US Navy warships
operating off the Philippines and Okinawa. In this fascinating
book, George Eleftheriou provides a comprehensive account of the
units that saw action flying the ‘Helen’, based on original
Japanese sources. Also featuring high-quality photographs never
published before, specially commissioned colour profile artwork,
official unit histories and veteran accounts, this title is a
must-have for Japanese aircraft enthusiasts.
Using specially commissioned artwork and detailing technical
specifications, this book explores the Bf 109's different roles
occasioned by wartime necessity, from its employment as a fighter
to its evolution as a fighter-bomber. One of the principal types in
the Luftwaffe's inventory at the beginning of World War II, the
piston-engined Bf 109 was central to the many initial victories
that the Germans achieved before coming up against the unbeatable
RAF during the Battle of Britain. Nevertheless, by the second half
of 1940 the Bf 109's operability was widened due to operational
needs and it was flown as a fighter-bomber for precision attacks in
Southern England. At first ad hoc conversions were made 'in the
field' to allow the aircraft to carry a bomb or extra fuel tank.
Such modifications were soon formalised by Messerschmitt, which
created the Jabo Bf 109s. Drawing from pilots' first-hand accounts,
author Malcolm V. Lowe explores the number of specialised units,
including Lehrgeschwader 2 and dedicated fighter-bomber sections of
standard fighter units such as 10. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 26,
which flew this highly specialised fighter-bomber. Including
technical specifications, rare photographs and outstanding artwork,
this book explores the Jabo versions of the Bf 109E, F and G both
on the production line and with the addition of Rustsatze field
conversion kits.
An illustrated exploration of the dramatic aerial combats between
the US Navy's long-range bomber and Japanese flying boats in the
Pacific War. Edward Young explores these rarely written about
combats, examining the aggressive and strategic tactics deployed by
both US Navy and Imperial Japanese Navy Air Force and analyzing the
technical improvements installed throughout the war. The PB4Y-1/2
Liberator/Privateer was the US Navy's first four-engined,
land-based bomber, adapted and allocated to fight the U-boat menace
in the Atlantic and protect the vast reaches of the Pacific Ocean.
The long range, speed, armament and bomb load of the PB4Y-1 enabled
the US Navy's Pacific squadrons to adopt more aggressive tactics.
The PB4Y-1, and its follow-on PB4Y-2, engaged in dangerous bombing
missions against Japanese installations, shipping strikes, and air
combat. On the other side, with its doctrine of making the first
strike against an enemy fleet, the Imperial Japanese Navy
recognized the vital importance of maritime reconnaissance, relying
on carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft, ship-borne floatplanes
and, for long-range maritime patrol, flying boats. The Japanese
would continue to develop their aircraft throughout the war,
resulting, among others, in the H6K 'Mavis' and the H8K2 'Emily',
which despite never achieving a victory, was regarded by the Allied
pilots as the most difficult Japanese aircraft to destroy. Enriched
with specially commissioned artwork, including armament and cockpit
views, battlescenes and technical diagrams, this title analyses
technical specifications in detail. By including first-hand
accounts, aviation expert Edward Young provides a detailed account
of these one-sided yet dramatic and aggressive combats.
Using maps, contemporary photographs, and new artwork, this book
examines the Hellcat and the naval aviators who flew them. Joining
combat in the Pacific in late 1943, the Hellcat squadrons soon
demonstrated their ascendency over their Japanese opponents,
culminating in the great "Marianas Turkey Shoot" during the Battle
of the Philippine Sea in June 1944. The fighter proved to be a
dream for pilots to fly, allowing both novice and veteran Naval
Aviators alike to prevail in largescale aerial combats. From
October 1944 to January 1945, the Fast Carriers supported General
MacArthur's invasion of the Philippines. Featuring specially
commissioned armament views and battlescenes, this book covers the
key role played by Naval Aviators flying the Hellcat into action
during the Fast Carrier Task Force's strikes against the
Philippines in September and October 1944. Using maps, contemporary
photographs, and technical diagrams, the volume examines the highly
effective tactics used to prevail against large enemy formations,
and reveals the training that underpinned the success enjoyed by
the Naval Aviators and their Hellcats. The key combat actions are
vividly described through 3D ribbon diagrams providing a
step-by-step depiction of the main dogfights featured in the book,
as well as action reports, both from previously unknown pilots and
from more famous Hellcat aces.
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.
An detailed illustrated exploration of the Japanese raid into the
Indian Ocean in April 1942 – one of the largest operations
conducted by the Imperial Navy during the war. In the wake of
Japan’s conquest of Burma in early 1942, plans were formed by the
Imperial high command to capture Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka) to
consolidate Japan’s defensive perimeter and disrupt British
shipping lanes to India, Australia, and the Middle East. The
Imperial Japanese Army, however, could not release sufficient
troops for an invasion, and so in response the Japanese Navy
developed Operation C, an aggressive raid by the Combined Fleet
into the Indian Ocean. The key objective was to destroy the British
Eastern Fleet in port. Expert naval historian Mark Stille documents
the high point of Japanese naval air power as its carriers struck
Ceylon – the heart of British naval power in the East – sinking
several Allied ships. He describes the Allied air attempts to
destroy Admiral Chuichi Nagumo’s force, and the Japanese attacks
against British shipping and the cities along the Indian coast.
Specially commissioned battlescenes bring to life the sinking of
British carrier Hermes, the Bristol Blenheim attacks on the
Japanese carrier force, and a Zero vs Hurricane dogfight over
Colombo on 5 April. Easy to follow maps and diagrams reveal the
strategic situation at the start and end of the campaign, and track
the movements of the Japanese carrier task force and the British
Eastern Fleet throughout. Details of weaponry, equipment, personnel
and the events of the fascinating battles that took place are
revealed in over 60 photographs, many of which are from Japanese
sources.
Strap in alongside the Sabre pilots as they experienced the world's
first large-scale jet-vs-jet combats. Brought to life with
innovative tactical artwork and dramatic first-hand accounts from
the pilots themselves. The F-86A Sabre had entered USAF service in
1949, and in December 1950 three squadrons were sent to South
Korea. Despite primitive basing conditions and overwhelming Chinese
opposition, the Sabre pilots stopped communist air forces from
attacking UN ground troops and allowed Allied fighter-bombers to
operate without threat of interception. The ensuing air battles
between Sabres and MiG-15s were the first since World War II, and
the last in recent times to involve large numbers of jet fighters
in direct confrontation. In all of them the victorious F-86 pilots
demonstrated the superiority of their training and tactics and the
outstanding qualities of their Sabres. Contemporary photographs and
specially commissioned artwork, including a dramatic battlescene,
armament views, technical diagrams and ribbon diagrams illustrating
step-by-step each main dogfight explored in the book, bring the
experiences of the Sabre pilots and their battle tactics vividly to
life.
An illustrated study of premier US anti-ship missile, the
AGM/RGM-84 Harpoon, and its 1986 and '88 uses against Libyan and
Iranian naval vessels. In this study, defence technology expert Lon
Nordeen details the role played by the Harpoon missile in two Cold
War flare-ups in the 1980s. The Harpoon was the first tactical
anti-ship missile developed by the US Navy to provide a counter to
the anti-ship missiles exported around the world by the Soviet
Union and China. It was deployed on ships, aircraft, submarines and
land vehicles and soon became the most widely used anti-ship
missile system in the West, with 7,000+ having been produced since
1977, operated by the military forces of more than 30 nations. This
exciting book explores the engagements of the Harpoon by the US
Navy against its Libyan and Iranian adversaries, using original
photographs and specially commissioned artwork to examine the naval
systems and weapons employed by both counterparts. Drawing upon
interviews with the US Navy A-6 Intruder crews that deployed the
AGM084 variant of the Harpoon in 1986 and 1988, the author brings
unique insight to his examination of these fascinating duels.
An examination of two of the most high-profile air and land weapons
to be deployed on the Eastern Front in World War II. In late 1942,
as part of its attempts to strike back at ever-increasing numbers
of Soviet tanks, the German air ministry authorised the development
of an adaptation and enhancement of the longspan Junkers Ju 87D-5
Stuka dive-bomber. The aircraft was duly fitted with two underwing
pods containing 37 mm BK cannon – an antiaircraft cannon with its
origins dating back to 1933. The solid, slow, Ju 87 airframe
offered the Luftwaffe an ideal platform for specialist, low level,
‘tank-killing’ operations. Despite the wealth of experience
possessed by some of the Luftwaffe’s ground-attack and
dive-bomber aces, knocking out T-34 tanks from the air was a
demanding and difficult process. Nevertheless, some Luftwaffe
pilots notched up impressive tank scores, and the Ju 87 is credited
with the destruction of more than 100 tanks across the central and
southern sectors of the Eastern Front, including during the Battle
of Kursk. Including personal accounts from Stuka pilots and
biographies of the anti-tank aces, together with detailed
photographs of the cannon installation into the Ju 87G and details
of the construction of the T-34 illustrated using specially
commissioned artwork, this book covers the epic clash of two
legendary machines of World War II.
This book details the exploits of the highly skilled Naval Aviators
charged with achieving air supremacy over New Guinea in their
A6M2/3 Zero-sens. The combat record of the Zero-sen in New Guinea
has mostly been overstated, with little due being given to the
constraining conditions under which the fighter operated. The air
combats fought over New Guinea in 1942 between Imperial Japanese
Naval Air Force (IJNAF) pilots and their Allied counterparts in
P-39 Airacobras and P-40 Warhawks were often ‘trial and error’
affairs, with both belligerents being caught out by weather. This
study covers the key role played by governing factors including
geography and climatic conditions, and examines the modified
tactics employed by IJNAF Zero-sen pilots to help them cope
in-theatre through the comprehensive analysis of RAAF, USAAF and
Japanese operational after action reports. Using first-hand
accounts from both famous aviators and previously unknown RAAF and
Japanese pilots, and specially commissioned artwork, leading South
Pacific historian and author Michael John Claringbould sheds new
light on the air war fought over the wilds of New Guinea during the
course of 1942.
Using archival photographs sourced directly from Vietnam, specially
commissioned diagrams and combat accounts from veterans, István
Toperczer reveals how the MiG-21 defended Vietnam between 1966 and
1968. One of the most successful communist jet fighters ever built,
the MiG-21 "Fishbed" was involved in a series of deadly duels with
American fighters over North Vietnam as the USAF and US Navy ramped
up strike missions during Operation Rolling Thunder, culminating in
the destruction of over 70 US aircraft for the loss of 35
"Fishbeds." Having honed their skills on the subsonic MiG-17,
pilots of the Vietnam People's Air Force received their first
examples of the legendary MiG-21 supersonic fighter in 1966. Soon
thrown into combat over North Vietnam, the guided-missile-equipped
MiG-21 proved a deadly opponent for the American crews striking at
targets deep into communist territory. Although the communist
pilots initially struggled to come to terms with the fighter’s
air search radar and weapons systems, the ceaseless cycle of combat
operations quickly honed their skills. The best fighter then
available to the VPAF, more than 200 MiG-21s (of various sub-types)
were supplied to the North Vietnamese. In this study, leading VPAF
authority István Toperczer analyzes the tactics used by the MiG-21
pilots over the bitter fighting in North Vietnam during Rolling
Thunder. The highspeed ‘hit and run’ attacks employed by the
communist pilots proved to be very successful, with both R-3S
air-to-air missiles and heavy-caliber cannon inflicting a rising
toll on American jets. Using first-hand accounts from MiG-21
pilots, battlescene artwork, combat ribbon diagrams, and armament
views, the author details the important role played by the
"Fishbed" in the defense of North Vietnam.
With specially commissioned artworks and dynamic combat ribbon
diagrams, this volume reveals how the 'last of the gunfighters', as
the F-8 was dubbed by its pilots, prevailed against the growing MiG
threat of the Vietnamese People's Air Force. When the Vietnam War
began, the F-8 was already firmly established as a fighter and
reconnaissance aircraft. It entered combat as an escort for Alpha
strike packages, braving the anti-aircraft artillery and
surface-to-air missiles alongside the A-4 Skyhawk bombers and
meeting MiGs for the first time on 3 April 1965. Although the
Crusader was nicknamed 'last of the gunfighters', its pilots
employed 'secondary' AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles in all but one of
their MiG kills, with guns also used as back-up in three. Its 20 mm
guns were unreliable as they often jammed during strenuous
manoeuvres, although they were responsible for damaging a number of
MiGs. However, in combat the F-8 had the highest 'exchange ratio'
(kills divided by losses) at six-to-one of any US combat aircraft
involved in the Vietnam War. Through the copious use of first-hand
accounts, highly detailed battlescene artwork, combat ribbon
diagrams and armament views, Osprey's Vietnam air war specialist
Peter E. Davies charts the successful career of the F-8 Crusader
over Vietnam.
This new volume straps the reader into the cockpit of the P-51B/C
as the Mustang-equipped fighter groups of the 'Mighty Eighth' Air
Force attempt to defend massed heavy bomber formations from deadly
Luftwaffe fighters charged with defending the Third Reich.
Luftwaffe Reichsmarschall Hermann Goering admitted that the
appearance of long-range Mustangs over Berlin spelled the end of
the Jagdwaffe's ability to defeat American daylight bombing. But
the Mustang was far more than an escort - it was a deadly hunter
that could out-perform nearly every German fighter when it was
introduced into combat. Entering combat in Europe in December 1943,
P-51Bs and P-51Cs had advantages over German Bf 109s and Fw 190s in
respect to the altitude they could reach, their rate of climb and
top speed. Initially tapped for close bomber escort, Mustangs were
quickly turned loose to range ahead of the bomber stream in order
to challenge German fighters before they could assemble to engage
the bombers en masse. Thanks to the Mustang's superior performance,
USAAF pilots effectively blunted the Luftwaffe's tried and tested
tactic for destroying B-17s and B-24s. Boldness and aggression in
aerial combat meant that P-51B/C pilots inflicted a rapidly
mounting toll on their German counterparts in the West during the
early months of 1944, contributing mightily to Allied air
superiority over northern France on D-Day. This volume, packed full
of first-hand accounts, expertly recreates the combat conditions
and flying realities for Mustang pilots (including headline aces
such as Don Blakeslee and Don Gentile, as well as lesser known
aviators). It is heavily illustrated with photographs, artwork and
innovative and colourful 3D ribbon diagrams, which will provide a
realistic overview of the most dynamic dogfights in aviation
history.
An exciting account of the aerial battles fought by the USAAF's P38
Lightnings and the Jagdflieger's Bf 109Gs for dominance over North
Africa and the Mediterranean. USAAF fighter pilots experienced a
baptism of fire when flying the technically advanced but fragile
P-38 Lightning over North Africa in the wake of 1942's Operation
Torch. Their opponents were battle-hardened jagdflieger of the
Jadgwaffe, flying the tried and tested Bf 109 in its very lastest
Gustav iteration. Responsible primarily for escorting USAAF bombers
attacking Afrika Korps installations in Tunisia, the P-38 units in
North Africa had to develop effective tactics to defend the bombers
against Luftwaffe fighter attacks. For several months the Lightning
squadrons had to also cope with shortages of aircraft and spare
parts, steady losses and a lack of replacement pilots. To survive,
American aviators had to learn quickly. While it is difficult to
definitively attribute victories in air combat, in the air battles
over Tunisia and later over Sicily and Italy, the claims made by
Lightning pilots were comparable to Luftwaffe claims for P-38s
destroyed. Edward M. Young turns his attention to the bitterly
fought air war in North Africa and the Mediterranean in 1942–43.
Using original archival sources, official records and first-hand
accounts from both USAAF and Luftwaffe veterans, as well as newly
commissioned artwork and 50 carefully selected photographs from
official and personal archives, this book sees two of the most
iconic piston-engined fighters of their era pitted head-to-head for
control of the skies in a key theatre of World War II.
Launching Osprey's new Fleet series, this is a spectacularly
illustrated, concise and comprehensive account of the Imperial
Japanese Navy's striking force at the height of its power. The
Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) entered the Pacific War as one of the
most formidable navies in the world, and its combat power was
concentrated into one force, the Combined Fleet. In the months that
followed Pearl Harbor it enjoyed an unrivaled string of victories,
shattering American, British, Australian, and Dutch naval forces.
This period of expansion and constant victories ended at the Battle
of Midway, after which the Combined Fleet was forced onto the
defensive. In this book, Mark Stille draws on his decades of IJN
research to explain what made the Combined Fleet the fighting force
that it was. Packed with superb original artwork, explanatory 3D
diagrams and maps, it examines the fleet's doctrine, innovative
tactics and powerful warships. It also details the qualities and
importance of IJN leadership, logistics, naval infrastructure, and
Japan’s shipbuilding capability, and gives an account and
analysis of the IJN's combat performance during these crucial
months – not just in the famous carrier battles, but also
exploring lesser-known elements such as IJN amphibious forces and
land-based aviation.
This book explores the fascinating feats of RAF’s photographic
reconnaissance aircraft. During World War 2, photographic
reconnaissance in the RAF started gathering intelligence on the
enemy using cameras installed in PR Spitfires. The aircraft that
proved this concept was the Supermarine Spitfire, which, stripped
of all excess weight, and carrying cameras and additional fuel,
penetrated deep into enemy territory to bring back photographs that
specialist interpreters could scrutinise to determine the enemy’s
activities. This fascinating book examines the evolution of the
Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU), from a small clandestine
flight of the British Secret Intelligence Service into an
operational group fulfilling the photographic requirements of
clients including the RAF and the War Office. From various bases in
Britain, the uniquely camouflaged blue (and, occasionally, pink)
Spitfires of the PRU covered targets in occupied Europe from the
Norwegian fjords to the great German industrial centres. Their
superior performance made an immediate impact in North Africa and
Malta as the PR Spitfires kept watch on German and Italian forces.
Further afield, in India, Spitfires flew over the jungles of Burma
monitoring Japanese troops. Using specially commissioned aircraft
profile artwork, first-hand accounts and original photography,
aviation expert Andrew Fletcher explores the fundamental role of
the iconic PR Spitfire throughout the war and its various theatres.
With first-hand insight into the into the key role of the US Air
Force's fighter-bomber from the Vietnam War through to Operation
Desert Storm during the First Gulf War, this book is an unmissable
account of some of the most dangerous and demanding missions in the
two wars. The advent of the surface-to-air missile (SAM) in the
early 1950s threatened the whole concept of aerial bombing from
medium and high altitude. Countermeasures were developed during the
Korean War, but with little initial success. It was only in the
closing stages of the Vietnam War, with the F-4Cww Phantom II (Wild
Weasel 4), that this equipment started to become successful enough
to allow a substantial investment in converting 116 F-4E Phantom
IIs into dedicated SEAD aircraft. This move introduced a new
generation of anti-radar missiles which became invaluable in later
operations including operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and
Northern Watch over Iraq. This volume features dynamic archival
photography from crews who flew the jet, alongside mission accounts
and technical details of the development and fielding of the F-4
Wild Weasel in its various iterations. Including specially
commissioned artwork of 'sharkmouthed' Phantom IIs in Vietnam
jungle camouflage and more modern USAF 'Ghost Gray', this book is
the ultimate visual and technical guide to the F-4 Phantom II Wild
Weasel Units in combat.
Drawing on rare, historical photography and specially commissioned
artwork, Matthew Willis explores the heroic feats of the few Royal
Navy's obsolescent biplanes that stood between the state-of-the-art
Axis warships and their objectives. Focusing on the technical
specifications of both opponents, using original records, and
detailed armament and cockpit views, this book explores the key
attributes and drawbacks of the disadvantaged Royal Navy
torpedo-bombers against the mighty Regia Marina and Kriegsmarine
destroyers and raiders, covering a wide range of sea battles, from
the more famous attacks such as the strike on the Bismarck, the
tragic events of the Channel Dash or the clash with the Italian
battle fleet at Taranto, to less covered sea battles such as the
Battle of Matapan. Despite their powerful weaponry and heavy armour
protection, the Axis warships proved vulnerable to a skillfully and
audaciously flown torpedo-bomber, thanks to innovative commanders
exploiting every possible advantage. Including rare personal
recollections from the airmen who flew the torpedo-bombers and
historical accounts from the Axis warship crews, this book
describes each and every facet of this dramatic duel.
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F2H Banshee Units (Paperback)
Rick Burgess; Illustrated by Jim Laurier, Gareth Hector
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R494
R401
Discovery Miles 4 010
Save R93 (19%)
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Ships in 9 - 15 working days
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A fully illustrated study of the extraordinarily successful
early-generation jet, the F2H Banshee, a frontline aircraft that
served with 27 US Navy and US Marine Corps squadrons and three
Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) squadrons. The F2H Banshee was an
extraordinarily successful early-generation jet that outlasted both
contemporary and more modern fighter types on the decks of the US
Navy's aircraft carriers in the 1950s. It served in a variety of
roles and was a frontline aircraft for more than a decade in an era
when jet fighters came and went with relatively short service
careers. This book examines the entire service life of the F2H in
the service of the US Navy, US Marine Corps and the RCN. Initially
created as a replacement aircraft for McDonnell's pioneering FH1
Phantom, the F2H served in the Korean War as a strike fighter,
close air support aircraft, B29 escort, and photoreconnaissance
aircraft, including the latter's forays over the Soviet Union and
China. Post service in Korea, the Banshee served as a carrier based
nuclear strike aircraft, followed by its service as a defensive
fighter for antisubmarine aircraft carriers. Filled with first-hand
accounts and rare colour photographs, this is the engrossing story
of the F2H Banshee, exploring its variety of roles in service and
detailing the technology development that improved the aircraft's
capabilities over time.
Using first-hand accounts and brand-new artwork, this book brings
to life the realities of flying the Bf 109 in combat during the
very first battles of World War II. The Bf 109 was one of the
principal fighter aircraft types in the Luftwaffe's inventory
during the opening months of World War II and it was central to
many of Germany's early victories, before coming up against the
unbeatable RAF during the Battle of Britain. This book presents
first-hand experiences of the pilots who flew the Bf 109E, the
aircraft which first featured a Daimler-Benz DB 601 powerplant, and
which was in the front line in the skies over Poland, the Low
Countries and France, and the older Bf 109D, still in use in the
Polish campaign. The early variants of the Messerschmitt fighter,
the Bf 109E-1, Bf 109E-2 and Bf 109E-3, swept all before them
during the opening wartime campaigns, their successes only fading
at the Battle of France, when the Bf 109's seasoned pilots
encountered modern and well-flown RAF and Armee de l'Air fighters.
In a rigorous and engaging new analysis, Luftwaffe aviation expert
Malcolm V. Lowe examines and assesses the Bf 109 as a fighting
machine from the perspective of the Luftwaffe at the forefront of
the German blitzkrieg. Contemporary photographs and specially
commissioned artwork, including a dramatic battlescene, armament
views, technical diagrams and ribbon diagrams illustrating
step-by-step each battle tactic of the main dogfights explored in
the book, bring the experiences of the Bf 109 pilots vividly to
life.
A detailed look at the deadly battle between US Navy F9F Panther
jet fighter-bombers and communist anti-aircraft artillery (AAA)
defenses that proliferated throughout the Korean War. The F9F
Panther was one of the many fighters converted for ground-attack
duties, following an established US tradition. Originally designed
as a jet fighter, in April 1951 it became the first jet to launch
from a carrier with bombs loaded, using them to destroy a crucial
railway bridge at Songjin. The Panther's four 20 mm guns were
considered to be very effective for flak suppression and these
aircraft were used as escorts for propeller-driven AD Skyraider and
F4U Corsair attack aircraft. However, later in 1951, flak damage to
Panthers increased as the Chinese established better AAA weapons to
defend key transport routes. The communist AAA crews had heavy guns
of 37 mm caliber and above. Gunners could use optical height
finders, predictors and in many cases radar control. They learned
to conceal their weapons in civilian buildings, use wires to bring
aircraft down, and set up false targets as "flak traps." Both
opponents' tactics and gunnery are explored in depth in this study
of the F9F Panthers and of their adversaries. Containing full-color
illustrations including cockpit scenes and armament views, this
innovative volume also includes a detailed analysis of the US Navy
Panthers' loss rates and their causes.
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