Download or read book Hampden squadrons of World War II written by Mark Postlethwaite and published by Red Kite / Air Research. This book was released on 2003 with total page 106 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Beretter om RAF enheder, der under 2. verdenskrig fløj bombeflyet Handley Page Hampden.
Download or read book No 7 Bomber Squadron RAF in World War II written by Tom Docherty and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2007-07-01 with total page 409 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the story of one of the RAF's oldest and most distinguished heavy bomber squadrons in WW2, although an outline history of the unit since it was formed in WW1 and its post-war history are included. It was the first operational Stirling Squadron, the RAF's first four engine heavy bomber, and flew the first long-distance raids into the heart of Nazi Germany. This new aircraft was a break-through in terms of range and bomb load but it was also an aircraft that suffered from many teething problems. Long-distance navigation was also a black art before the introduction of radio navigation systems and the squadron suffered many fatalities in those early wartime years. Having gained expertise in their task the unit was the first to be equipped with the H2S navigational aid and eventually became one of the original elite Pathfinder squadrons. When the Lancaster came into service the Squadron re-equipped and joined 8 Group and had the dubious reputation of suffering the third greatest loss of aircraft in Bomber Command. It did however participate in more Lancaster raids than any other 8 Group squadron.
Download or read book 5 Group Bomber Command written by Chris Ward and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2007-10-06 with total page 375 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the immediate period before World War Two, the RAF modified its command structure to rationalize for rapid expansion. Bomber Command was divided into six operational groups, each flying the same type of aircraft. In 1939 5 Group was flying the Handley Page Hampden, a fast, modern aircraft that carried a large payload. However, during the early daylight raids into enemy occupied Europe it suffered great losses due to its defensive armament leaving too many blind spots. The Group now turned to night bombing and mine-laying operations. During November 1940, the first Avro Manchesters entered service but were to prove dangerously unreliable. It was not until the Avro Lancaster began arriving in strength that the Group began its proud history of successful and often highly dangerous raids into the Reich, the most famous of which was No 617 Squadrons attack on the Mohne, Eder and Sorpe dams.Between 1939 and 1945 the Group flew 70,351 sorties with the loss of 1,888 aircraft. This book contains a lengthy narrative of the groups operations and contains individual squadron statistics, their commanding officers, stations and aircraft losses. It provides a detailed reference for one of the RAFs most important and successful operational groups.
Download or read book Piece of Cake written by Derek Robinson and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2011-10-06 with total page 640 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the Phoney War of 1939 to the Battle of Britain in 1940, the pilots of Hornet Squadron learn their lessons the hard way. Hi-jinks are all very well on the ground, but once in a Hurricane's cockpit, the best killers keep their wits close. Newly promoted Commanding Officer Fanny Barton has a job on to whip the Hornets into shape before they face the Luftwaffe's seasoned pilots. And sometimes Fighter Command, with its obsolete tactics and stiff doctrines, is the real menace. As with all Robinson's novels, the raw dialogue, rich black humour and brilliantly rendered, adrenalin-packed dogfights bring the Battle of Britain, and the brave few who fought it, to life.
Download or read book Bomber Offensive written by Arthur Harris and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2005-03-01 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sir Arthur Harris - Bomber Harris - remains the target of criticism and vilification by many, while others believe the contribution he and his men made to victory is grossly undervalued. He led the men of Bomber Command in the face of appalling casualties, had fierce disagreements with higher authority and enjoyed a complicated relationship with Winston Churchill. Written soon after the close of World War 2, this collection of Sir Arthur Harris's memoirs reveals the man behind the Allied bombing offensive that culminated in the destruction of the Nazi war machine but also many beautiful cities, including Dresden.
Download or read book The Bomber Command War Diaries written by Martin Middlebrook and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2014-04-02 with total page 941 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The essential WWII historical reference detailing RAF Bomber Command’s extensive campaign of strategic bombings across occupied Europe. The Royal Air Force Bomber Command's strategic bombing campaign started on the first day of the Second World War and ended five and a half years later with the final victory in Europe. It was a campaign of such enormous scale that historians have only recently begun to piece together the finer details of the individual raids. Aviation historian Martin Middlebrook and his research colleague, Chris Everitt, were the first to compile a complete review of all the raids and their background stories. The Bomber Command War Diaries not only documents every Bomber Command operation but also details their effects on the ground, drawing on local archives from Germany, Italy, and the occupied countries. It is a groundbreaking work on historical research, bringing together the two sides of Bomber Command’s war. This edition includes retrospective observations and a new appendix.
Download or read book Famous Bombers of the Second World War written by William Green and published by Doubleday Books. This book was released on 1975 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Oversigt over og beskrivelse af bombefly under 2. verdenskrig fra flere lande
Download or read book 83 Squadron written by Chris Ward and published by . This book was released on 2016-12-14 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 83 Squadron began the Second World War as one of six front-line units representing 5 Group, and, together with 49 Squadron, occupied the well-established station at Scampton, four miles north of Lincoln. RAF Scampton was destined, later, to become part of the folklore of Bomber Command through the exploits of another squadron. The future leader of that squadron, 617, had joined 83 Squadron in 1937 in the rank of pilot officer, and, at the outbreak of war, had not progressed a single step up the commission totem pole. P/O Guy Gibson was among a group of dashing young men, who faced the impending conflict with courage, determination, and, in most cases, the conviction that they were destined to die. The squadron operated on the first day of the war, the 3rd of September 1939, and, when Gibson was posted out in September 1940, with almost forty operations behind him, he was the last of the originals, most of his closest friends and mentors having sacrificed their lives, or, at the very least, their freedom. With Gibson and his contemporaries departed, a new squadron arose, with a spirit of its own, bolstered from time to time by the return of some of the originals for a second tour. Equipped with the trusty twin-engine Hampden medium bomber, the squadron continued to play a magnificent part during the dark days of 1940 and 1941, roaming deep into Germany to attack economic and industrial targets, albeit, to little effect. Mining operations from south-western France to the Baltic kept the squadron gainfully employed when not engaged in bombing, and the loss of brothers-in-arms was a constant theme. With 1942 came the passing of the Hampden and the brief interlude with the ill-fated Manchester, but then came the Lancaster, and from May to August of that year, 83 Squadron was at the tip of the 5 Group spear. When the Pathfinder Force was formed in August 1942, 83 Squadron was selected as a founder member, representing 5 Group, and drawing fresh crews from its squadrons. It continued proudly to serve the Pathfinders, or 8 Group, as it became, through the campaigns against Italy, the Ruhr, Hamburg and Berlin. Its commanding officers were renowned for leading from the front; three lost their lives on operations, two of them during the Berlin offensive. In April 1944, advances in bombing tactics led to the effective independence of 5 Group, and 83 Squadron returned to its former family to perform a marking and illuminating role on permanent loan from 8 Group until war's end. There was never a time when the influence of 83 Squadron was not felt within the ranks of Bomber Command. It distinguished itself with outstanding performances and below average losses from the first day of the war to the last. Its achievements will live forever in the annals of RAF Bomber Command in WWII.
Download or read book The Hampden File written by Harry Moyle and published by . This book was released on 1989 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Squadron of Deception written by Stephen M. Hutton and published by Schiffer Military History. This book was released on 1999 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here at last is the exciting, detailed story of the U.S. Eighth Air Force's only Radar Countermeasure squadron that flew from England duing World War II. This book tells of the men of the elite 36th Bomb Squadron and the special operations they flew in modified B-24s to jam the German radar which controlled the fighter and flak batteries. Here too is the story of the men behind the scenes who sought to develop an extension of modern air warfare into the electronic arena and keep ahead of German scientists in the "War in the Ether." This chronological account gathered from secret records, personal diaries, and interviews with the "Old Crows" describes the night missions with the Royal Air Force and the daylight missions with the Eighth. The first jamming mission on the morning of D-Day "contributed materially to the success of the landings on the beachhead." Later missions during the Battle of the Bulge involved trickery, ingenious deception, spoofs, and tank communications jamming. This squadron flew on bad weather days, when the rest of the Eighth Air Force stood down, and paid its price in blood. Before the war in Europe ended the 36th Bomb Squadron screened Eighth Air Force radio transmissions to stop the enemy from learning important mission details. Here now is the story of how this secret squadron saved many Allied lives during World War II. Included are over 330 rare photographs and illustrations never before published.
Download or read book Flying Flak Alley written by Alan L. Griggs and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2015-01-28 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Air warfare was a decisive component of World War II, especially in western Europe and over Japan, where Allied bombers damaged 66 of the country's largest cities. The guts and glory of the bomber crews came, however, with a high casualty rate which had only improved marginally by the war's end. Descriptions of the bombers' harrowing missions told from the firsthand perspective of their pilots, navigators, bombardiers and gunners create the immediacy of a single person's experience during one of America's most daring military expeditions. A short biography of each veteran accompanies these tales of typical and not-so-typical missions.
Download or read book Eagles of the RAF written by Philip D. Caine and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 1994-07 with total page 428 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: U.S. citizens fought and died in WW II long before the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Among them were the pilots of the Eagle Squadrons, three fighter squadrons of Britain's Royal Air Force manned by young U.S. flyers. This book tells how the Eagle squadrons were formed and summarizes the history of the units and evaluates their deeds, motivations, and contributions. Draws on interviews from more than 35 surviving Eagles, their letters and memoirs, and official records. Depicts their daily lives along with special heroes and amazing sacrifices. "An important contribution to the study of American involvement in WWII. Highly recommended."
Download or read book Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War Aircraft and crews lost during 1939 1940 written by W. R. Chorley and published by Midland. This book was released on 1992 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Beretter om tabene ved RAF Bomber Command omfattende enheder, flytyper og besætningerne, herunder en kort beskrivelse af pågældende hændelse/mission.
Download or read book Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War Aircraft and crew losses 1941 written by W. R. Chorley and published by Midland. This book was released on 1992 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the second volume in the series which deals with the losses sustained by the RAF Bomber Command during the 2nd World War. It has already found favour with historians, and those friends and relatives affected by the loss.
Download or read book Short Stirling written by Pino Lombardi and published by Fonthill Media. This book was released on 2017-04-21 with total page 490 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book RAF Bomber Command Strike Hard Strike Sure 1936 1945 written by Ron Mackay and published by Fonthill Media. This book was released on 2022-03-31 with total page 716 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: -> Historically rich in detail with previously unpublished photographs from private archives -> Researched and written by an aviation and military historian renowned author -> Essential for military/historians, modellers, flight-sim enthusiasts (War Thunder, IL-2 Sturmovik: Great Battles and DCS) and those interested in the complexities of aircraft design and production during the Second World War ‘They sowed the wind and now they are going to reap the whirlwind.’ Arthur ‘Bomber’ Harris The concept of an aerial campaign on a nation’s industrial and military might was advocated by Britain before the start of the First World War; however, a stringent post-war economy ensured that the creation of Bomber Command in 1936 witnessed a daunting disparity between the aim of striking at an adversary’s ability to sustain itself and the means to do so. From 1939 to 1942, Bomber Command was very weak in terms of human and material losses. The navigational means with which to accurately guide bombers to targets was almost completely lacking while the enemy defensive network inflicted serious casualties. Consequently, the punishment handed out was minimal. The resurgence of Bomber Command’s fortunes coincided with the appointment of Sir Arthur Harris. The advent of four-engine designs such as the Avro Lancaster and Handley Page Halifax ensured that a greatly increased bomb tonnage could be delivered. Also, electronic aids such as Gee, Oboe and H2S simplified the task in finding targets. Therefore, by 1944-1945, the RAF’s bombers pulverised Hitler’s Third Reich. Although flak and night-fighters took a heavy toll on the bombers, the RAF’s nocturnal offensive in conjunction with the USAAF’s daylight assaults crippled Germany’s ability to fight back.
Download or read book Canadian Warbird Survivors 2002 written by Harold A Skaarup and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2001-11-29 with total page 440 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this handbook is to provide aviation enthusiasts with a simple checklist on where to find the surviving retired military aircraft that are preserved in Canada. The majority of the Canadian Warbird Survivors are on display within a great number of well maintained aviation museums, many others are displayed as ¡°gate guards¡± near or in a number of Canadian Forces Bases, and a good number are in the hands of private collectors. Many are not listed in any catalogue, but have been found by ¡°word of mouth,¡± or personal observation. The museum staffs and volunteer organizations throughout Canada have done a particularly good job of preserving the great variety of Canadian military aircraft, illustrated here. Hopefully, as more aircraft are recovered from their crash sites in the bush and restored, traded or brought back from private owners, they too will be added to the record. The book lists the aircraft alphabetically by manufacturer, number and type. This list is also appended with a brief summary of the aircraft presently on display within the nation and a bit of its history within the Canadian Forces. Canadian Warbirds books are available through the iUniverse.com or the Amazon.com online bookstores.
