Martin Bowman's revealing narrative of the aerial conflict in South-East Asia, 1965-1972, which had its beginnings in 1 November 1955, engulfed Vi tnam, Laos, and Cambodia and only ended with the fall of S ig n on 30 April 1975 has resulted from decades of painstaking fact-finding as well as detailed correspondence with surviving aircrew incorporating a wealth of first-hand accounts, some never told before, supported by dozens of rare and unusual photographs. Together they describe in adrenalin-pumping accuracy the furious aerial battles of a long suffering and bitter war in South-East Asia and in particular the frontline action in the skies over Vietnam that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. They too will find a new and useful perspective on a conflict that cost the Americans 58,022 dead and brought the USA worldwide condemnation for its role in Southeast Asia. Nearly 2,500 Americans remained missing'. This work serves as a tribute to the courageous pilots who flew the F-104 Starfighter in the Widowmakers' war and B-52 bomber crews on Arc Light' Linebacker II' strikes and the eleven days of Christmas which ultimately ended the aerial campaign against North Vi tnam. And as well, strike aircraft such as the USAF F-4 Phantom and the F-105 Thud' and the US Navy carrier-borne jet and propeller-driven strike aircraft and the Americans' sworn enemy, the North Vi?tnamese MiG fighters, feature large, from Rolling Thunder' onwards. Equally, the Hueys and Chinooks and other notable work horses that participated on combat assaults or Ash & Trash missions and transports like the C-130 Herky-Bird', C-123 Provider, Caribou and Vi tnamese C-47 - the Haulers On Call' - that performed sterling service during the gruelling air campaign are not forgotten either. Here, at first hand, are their stories which also include some of the less publicised American forces like the pilots and crewmen who flew the Bird Dogs and all manner of helicopters as well as the largely forgotten Australian and New Zealand Air Force units and the Anzac Battalions whose valuable contributions are too often overlooked. So too is the cost in human misery, death and destruction.

The flak started about four or five minutes before the target and immediately it was apparent that it was intense and extremely accurate. Oboe entailed the pilot flying dead straight and level for ten minutes on the attack run. Suddenly a tremendous flash lit up the sky about 50 yards ahead of our nose and exactly at our altitude. Within a tenth of a second we were through the cloud of dirty yellowish-brown smoke and into the blackness beyond. I shall never forget the spontaneous reaction of both my pilot and myself. We turned our heads slowly and looked long and deep into one anothers eyes - no word was spoken - no words were needed. The Mosquito was probably World War IIs most versatile combat aircraft. This book contains hundreds of first-hand accounts from many of the twoman crews who flew in them; pilots and navigators. It portrays the dramatic experiences of flying in its many roles as pathfinder, night fighter, reconnaissance aircraft, precision bombing and low-level ground attack aircraft. It describes many of the RAFs most audacious raids on prime but difficult targets where carpet bombing by heavy bombers was likely to be ineffective and cause unnecessary casualties to civilians. It is a remarkable record of the aircraft and the men that flew them.

Founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing, a wealthy timber merchant, the mighty Boeing Company's 100-year history spans decades of rich achievement and technological development. Beginning with the manufacture of seaplanes, fighters and, from the 1930s onwards, huge bombers, Boeing pioneered innovative transports - gigantic airliners, missiles, rockets and most recently vehicles for space exploration and satellites. Constantly evolving, Boeing set out to develop an entirely new jet transport, and in 1954 the innovative 707 appeared. The 727 and 737 airliners quickly followed and in 1969 the revolutionary 747. By 1975 the 'Jumbo Jet' was being produced in seven different models and new versions continue to be developed to this day. Aviation author and historian Martin Bowman looks back over 100 years of Boeing's history, detailing the story of the company from its humble side-project beginnings to its ascent into being one of the world's largest aircraft manufacturers.

The story in words and pictures, many of them never before seen, of the U.S. 8th Air Force fighter and bomber groups of the 1st, 2nd and Third Air Divisions 1942-45. Many first person stories tell what comnbat was like in the skies in the ETO against the Luftwaffe Gruppes of Bf 109s and Fw 190s and the B-17 Flying Fortresses and B -24 Liberators. Many first hand accounts detail the frenetic missions that were fraught with flak and fighters as the U.S. Strategic Offensive reached into the deepest parts of the Reich. Also told are stories from the Luftwaffe experten who opposed the bomber fleets and the fighter escorts as they sounded the death knell of the Luftwaffe.

Designed in response to a 1951 requirement, the C-130 Hercules is the most successful military airlifter ever built. Since it first flew in prototype form on 23 August 1954, more than 2,100 have been produced in over eighty different versions. Across its variants, the Hercules serves more than sixty air forces, as well as many civilian cargo operators, in a multiplicity of roles, including air-to-air refueller, gunship, airborne command post, flying hospital and fire-fighter. This rugged and easily maintained aircraft entered service in 1956 with the USAF Tactical Air Command. Ten years later the 'Charlie 130' was providing essential logistical support in Vietnam. This period in South-East Asia was the Hercules' finest hour. Paradrops, airlift and evacuation operations were completed around the clock, often at low level, usually under fire and nearly always in bad weather. A generation later this 'Mr Dependable' was serving with equal distinction in the Gulf War in the role of airlifter, radio-countermeasures and 'psy-ops' platform, gunship and, once again, 'block-buster bomber'. The 'Herky Bird' or 'Fat Albert', as the C-130 is fondly known, has proved a key component in humanitarian relief operations ever since, in all parts of the world. The incredible success story of the C-130 is far from over. Here Martin W. Bowman tells the full story of this remarkable aircraft at first-hand.

This new volume from Martin Bowman examines the closing years of the Second World War, as the tide turned against the German and Axis forces. It includes riveting first-hand accounts from German fighter pilots caught up in some of the most dramatic night time conflicts of the latter war years. Viewing Bomber Command's operations through the eyes of the enemy, the reader is offered a fresh and intriguing perspective. Set in context by Bowman's historical narrative, these snippets of pilot testimony work to offer an authentic sense of the times at hand.

Sothe had already decided to use his nose armament against the 4-mot [four engined bomber]. He looked out and focused on a black shape of the Britisher. Small, bluish exhaust flames made it easier to keep the target in sight. Four engines, twin tail were recorded almost subconsciously. No sudden movement that might attract their attention. Calm now! Guns armed? Night sight switched on? Everything OK! Now he could see that it was a Lancaster, crossing gently from starboard to port. He applied a little more power and approached cautiously. Now he was exactly behind him at about 100 metres' range. The rear turret was clearly recognisable. Bronies kept silent. Pauke! Pauke!' [ Kettledrums! Kettledrums!'] Sothe announced with a cry. Bronies immediately transmitted Ich beruhe'. Then they closed in rapidly for the kill. One can almost smell the flak, taste the cordite and experience the nervous twitch' before jumping out of one's skin to the sound of exploding shells and detonating bombs in this pulsating and highly intriguing selection of never-before-told stories recalled largely by members of the revered Lancaster crews of RAF Bomber Command. From this bomber's introduction into service in 1942 with the famous if flawed raid on Augsburg on 17 April that year, to the attacks on the Tirpitz in 1944, each chapter is a tribute to the spirit of those who flew the Lanc' in anger and gained the respect of their enemies.

From 1942 until the end of the war in Europe, the aircraft of the RAF's Bomber Command and the United States 8th and 15th Air Forces provided twenty-four-hour �round-the-clock' bombing of the Third Reich. Aircraft and crew casualties were heavy as bomber after bomber succumbed to flak and fighter defences. For those not killed outright by the Luftwaffe's onslaught, only baling out over hostile enemy territory could offer any hope of survival. But this generally meant solitary confinement, interrogation, indignities and even extreme hardship for the men who became known as �Kriegies', a word derived from the German Kriegsgefangenen meaning �prisoners of war'. Many months of incarceration, sometimes in appalling conditions, would become commonplace for those held in camps throughout Germany, Poland and the Greater Reich. Here, at first hand, are stories of some of those Allied bomber crewmen faced with sudden leaps into that dangerous unknown. For most, and particularly the injured, capture was immediate - imprisonment inevitable. For some evasion was possible, but rarely for long. For others taken prisoner, staying alive was uppermost in the minds of most and in many cases only the comradeship of fellow prisoners and, for some, thoughts of escape became a constant preoccupation. Never to be forgotten too are the conditions and suffering endured by many PoWs when, in the face of the relentless Soviet Army advance into Germany, the camps were hastily emptied and the prisoners forced to march westward as the Germans staged their last gasp, futile attempts to prevent the �Kriegies' falling into Russian hands. For these men, many of whom had been behind the wire for years, this was the final injustice. Martin Bowman's revealing narrative describes in adrenalin-pumping detail the furious air battles that led to the predicament of many shot-down airmen, as well as the personal campaigns they fought to regain their freedom. Fascinating for its gripping and factual recreation of the bombers' encounters with enemy fighters and flak, as well as the confrontations in captivity between PoWs and guards, Stories from the Stalags provides a real insight into the war as some of those who �fell from formation' saw it.

This is the story of the air war over Western Europe, much of it told by the Halifax pilots and air crew who took part. It spans the period between 1942 and 1945 and covers the encounters between the Luftwaffe and the air forces of Britain and the Commonwealth. Many unique experiences are recounted from the day bombing raids that were hurled against Hitler's war machine. The author has sought the experiences of RAF and German fighter pilots, who explain how they stalked their prey and pounced from. This book contains vivid accounts of some of the most heroic actions in the history of air warfare.

If ever there was a real pilot's aeroplane it was the Hunter; an outstanding multi-purpose aircraft which excelled in the roles of interceptor fighter, ground attack, reconnaissance, research vehicle and two-seater trainer, not forgetting its dramatic formation aerobatic performances. The Hunter is one of the world's greatest aircraft. For three decades, pilots have enthused about it, extolling the virtues of its smooth, aerodynamic lines, 4 x 30mm cannon, the Rolls-Royce Avon engine, and its outstandingly honest handling characteristics combined with a lively performance. It saw operational deployment in Europe with Fighter Command and 2nd TAF, in Cyprus, the Middle East and the Far East, operating in the ground-attack role against rebels in Aden and Malaysia respectively. The Hunter was a classic thoroughbred of its time, from the stables of one of the finest fighter manufacturers in the world and, for fifty years, its adaptability was rarely challenged. Although the last example was retired in July 2001, the Hunter legend undoubtedly lives on, with 114 potentially airworthy airframes located in fourteen countries around the world. Here, the legendary tale of the Hunter is told in words and images.

The F-104 Starfighter is quite possibly one of the most photographed aircraft of all time. It is certainly one of the most iconic. Here, Martin Bowman offers up a well researched, comprehensive and thoroughly entertaining history of this impressive interceptor aircraft and fighter bomber. First-hand insights gathered from pilots who have flown the Starfighter in a variety of international contexts make for a rich and diverse narrative, interspersed throughout with a good selection of black and white and colour illustrations that really bring the story to life. Over the course of an eventful history, the Starfighter has been caught up in an extensive variety of conflicts across the world. This book not only acquaints us with the landmark milestones of a widely utilised aircraft type, it also illuminates our understanding yet further of the dynamic history of aviation in the second half of the twentieth century.

The early 1950s were a boom time for British aviation. The lessons of six years of war had been learned and much of the research into jet engines, radar and aerodynamics had begun to reach fruition. In Britain, jet engine technology led the world, while wartime developments into swept wing design in Germany and their transonic research programme were used to give western design teams a quantum leap in aircraft technology. The English Electric Lightning emerged at this time. This supersonic fighter aircraft of the Cold War era is perhaps best remembered for its amazing take-off performance, its exceptional rate of climb and its immense speed. Here, Martin Bowman takes us on a photographic journey of the famed Lightning, illustrating the various landmarks of its impressive operational history.

On 18 December 1935 when the first flight of the Douglas DC-3 took place, few could have imagined that it would become one of the world's most celebrated aircraft of all time, not just as a commercial airliner but also as the C-47 military transport. When production ceased in the summer of 1945, a total of 10,926 had been built. This wonderfully versatile aircraft played a significant part in airborne operations around the world; but perhaps its most notable employment occurred during the June 1944 Normandy campaign. This important episode within the wider history of �D-Day' is enlivened here in classic fashion by Martin Bowman, in a narrative that features both extensive historical notes as well as deeply personal accounts of endurance and individual gallantry. This amplified account of events as they unfolded in the skies above France on D-Day (5/6 and 6/7 June, 1944) reveals the invaluable contribution these workhorses of World War II made to the overall success in Normandy. It follows the author's comprehensive five part work published by Pen & Sword (Air War D-Day) that included a multitude of personal military accounts from both Allied and German personnel who took part in Operation �Overlord' and the Normandy campaign.

Did a German invasion or invasions take place along the shores of East Anglia in 1940? Though Operation 'Sealion', the intended invasion of southern England, never materialised, Hitler openly confided that 'even a small invasion might go a long way', and asked that his forces might mount one, two or even three 'small invasions' in 1940. So were the mass raids on London merely a diversion? Why have all the files on this most dramatic period in British history been placed under lock and key for the foreseeable future? Why have the instances involving setting fire to the sea and skirmishes around our coasts been covered up? Martin W. Bowman tells the full story of these remarkable events - both actual and 'factional' - involving British defenders in the Army, Home Guard and Auxiliary Units and the invading Fallschirmjager (German paratroopers) and Brandenburgers (Fifth Column troops, many in civilian or captured British uniforms); Luftwaffe Fieseler Storch aircraft and Junkers Ju 52s towing DFS 200 gliders and parachutists. This is a thrilling edge of your seat publication, drawing upon details of actual Allied and German airborne operations during the Second World War. It is complimented by an extensive Appendix section and scores of previously unpublished photos.

The Wellington Bomber was omnipresent during the Second World War, employed in a variety of contexts in the fight against the Axis powers. The pilots who flew this aircraft did so with an immense amount of pride, and there is perhaps no-one better placed to tell the story of this incredible aircraft than these men. Martin Bowman has drawn together a selection of first-hand pilot testimonies in an effort to record authentically the experience of flying the much-mythologised Wellington during one of the most challenging eras of aviation history. The book is supplemented by two plate sections of stirring black and white images.

From 1942 until the end of the war in Europe, the aircraft of RAF Bomber Command and the United States' 8th and 15th Air Forces maintained a twenty-four hour, round-the-clock' bombing offensive against the Third Reich. However, aircraft and crew casualties were heavy as bomber after bomber succumbed to the Germans' flak and fighter defences. For those not killed outright by the onslaught, only baling out - almost inevitably over hostile enemy territory - could offer a hope of survival. For those faced with such sudden leaps into the dangerous unknown over Germany and Occupied Europe, a few were able to evade capture. For the rest, and particularly the injured, capture was immediate and imprisonment inevitable. Once incarcerated in one of Hitler's infamous prisoner of war camps, escape became a constant preoccupation for many. The ultimate aim of these men was to complete a Home Run' - to escape the Third Reich and reach the safety of Britain or other safe Allied territory. In this revealing narrative, the renowned aviation historian Martin Bowman draws on many first-hand accounts, some never told before, to describe the furious air battles that led to the capture of many shot-down airmen, as well as the subsequent personal campaigns they fought to regain their freedom. Fascinating for its gripping and factual re-creation of the bomber-fighter/flak encounters, the confrontations in captivity between PoWs and Stalag guards, Escape from Hitler's Reich provides a real insight into the war as those who fell from formation' saw it.

RAF Marham's history reaches back into the First World War when its aircraft served a vital home defence role,intercepting raiding Zeppelins and Gothas. In the late 1930s the station was reopened as a bomber base and, post-war, operated bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Its squadrons played a leading role in the Falklands and Gulf Wars, and over Bosnia and Iraq. Today the Marham Wing is one of the largest and busiest in the RAF, operating four squadrons of Tornado GR4 aircraft in the attack and reconnaissance roles.