Download or read book Heroes of Fighter Command written by Rupert Matthews and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Heroes of Fighter Command : Surrey

Download or read book Heroes of Fighter Command written by Rupert Matthews and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Heroes of Fighter Command written by Rupert Matthews and published by Countryside Books (GB). This book was released on 2007 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A tribute to the pilots and crews who flew from airbases in Sussex during the last war and whose actions displayed some of the finest examples of courage and devotion to duty. It describes many of the operations and tells the story of courageous individuals who despite the odds, flew mission after mission.

Download or read book Strike Command written by John Parker and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 376 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By the 1960s the two key components of air warfare, the fighters and bombers, had been honed to an elite - the Strike Command and the Top Gun pilots. This volume is full of personal tales of derring-do in just about every conflict in which Britain has been engaged.

Download or read book Heroes of Coastal Command written by Andrew D. Bird and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2019-09-30 with total page 380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Real-life, action-packed, personal stories of valor from the history of the RAF’s maritime arm during World War II. It took thirty minutes for one Coastal Command crew to sink two U-boats. The crew of Flying Officer Kenneth “Kayo” Moore in their 224 Squadron Liberator carried out this remarkable achievement on the evening of 7/8 June 1944. While patrolling the western end of the English Channel, Moore’s crew first dispatched U-629, followed just under thirty minutes later by U-373. The story of this remarkable engagement is just one of many recounted by the author in Heroes of Coastal Command. Established in 1936, Coastal Command was the RAF’s only maritime arm. Throughout the war, its crews worked tirelessly alongside the Royal Navy to keep Britain’s vital sea lanes open. Together, they fought and won the Battle of the Atlantic, with RAF aircraft destroying 212 German U-Boats and sinking a significant tonnage of enemy warships and merchant vessels. Often working alone and unsupported, undertaking long patrols out over opens seas, Coastal Command bred a special kind of airman. Alongside individuals such as Kenneth Moore, there were Allan Trigg, Kenneth Campbell and John Cruickshank, all of whom were awarded the Victoria Cross; Norman Jackson-Smith, a Blenheim pilot who flew in the Battle of Britain; Jack Davenport, who flew his Hampden to Russia; John Watson, the sole survivor of a Short Sunderland which was lost during a rescue mission; and Ken Gatward, who flew a unique daylight mission over Paris to drop a Tricolore on the Arc de Triomphe. Theirs are just some of the many exciting stories revealed by the author.

Download or read book Fighter Command written by Jeffrey L. Ethell and published by Zenith Press. This book was released on 1991 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Subtitled: American Fighters in Original World War II Color. Contrary to the impression left by most World War II books, the war was not fought in black-and-white. We_re proud to recall this era with the greatest collection of World War II color photography ever assembled. Crisp color photos of P-51s, P-38s, B-26s, B-17s, Me 262s, Me 109s, FW 190s, and many more. All are of such high quality you would swear they were just taken. The men, bases, planes and countryside _ plus firsthand accounts of experiences from U.S. and German pilots and ground crews. "...An excellent indication of the life of a fighter unit." Air Classics. Hdbd., 10 x 10, 176 pgs., 200 original b&w color photos.

Download or read book Fighter Command written by Jeffrey L. Ethell and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Fighter Commands Air War 1941 written by Norman Franks and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2016-10-14 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An extensive history of the Royal Air Force’s Circus offensive against Nazi Germany in World War II, by the author of Jasta Boelcke. Following the Battle of Britain, the RAF started taking the air war to the Germans. A small number of bombers, escorted by large numbers of fighters, tried to force the Luftwaffe into battle. Much air combat ensued, but it was not until Germany invaded Russia in June, 1941, that operations were stepped up in an effort to take pressure off Stalin’s Russian Front. Two major German fighter groups, JG26 and JG2, were, however, more than able to contain the RAF’s operations, generally only intercepting when conditions were in their favor. As author Norman Franks describes, over-claiming combat victories by pilots of both sides is amazing, and several of the top aces had inflated scores. Fighter Command, however, lost massively even though they believed they were inflicting equal, if not better, losses on the Luftwaffe. This battle of attrition was virtually a reverse of the 1940 battles over England, and pilots who had to bail out over France, were lost completely. The book covers the 100+ Circus operations and their accompanying fighter sweeps in detail, while also mentioning lesser operations where the RAF were concerned. The tactics employed by both sides are examined and show how each fighter force quickly adapted to changing conditions tempered by experiences gained in air combat.

Download or read book To Hell and Back written by Laurie Woods and published by Boolarong Press. This book was released on 2012 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To Hell and Back is the story of some of the other Australian airmen who flew with Bomber Command. Laurie Woods either knew these men personally or had heard of them during the campaign.

Download or read book Heroes of World War II written by T Dennis Reece and published by . This book was released on 2019-07-10 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using official and unofficial sources, the accomplishments of the XXIX Tactical Air Command, the 1st Brazilian Fighter Squadron, and 209 individuals who fought in WW II, largely forgotten about since 1945, are presented herein for the gratitude and inspiration of future generations.

Download or read book Dowding of Fighter Command written by Vincent Orange and published by Grub Street. This book was released on 2008-10-30 with total page 375 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An extensive biography of the life and distinguished military career of the Scottish air chief marshal. Making full use of archival sources, studies by other scholars, and information provided by family members, Vincent Orange has completed the first biography of Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding to cover his entire life. Soldier, pilot, wireless pioneer, squadron commander, spiritualist, champion skier, “Stuffy” Dowding is perhaps best known as the creator of the first radar-based air defense system and his no less remarkable management of such throughout the Battle of Britain. Dowding served in “delightful and dangerous Iraq,” helped to pacify unrest in the Holy Land, was involved in the R.101 airship disaster, and oversaw the creation of Britain’s first eight-gun monoplanes, the Hurricane and Spitfire. Controversially dismissed from Fighter Command and refused the R.A.F.’s highest rank, he nevertheless became the first airman elevated to the peerage since Trenchard. Westminster Abbey was packed for his memorial service in March 1970 with more than 46 air marshals in attendance; and in 1988, H.M. the Queen Mother unveiled a statue in his honor. With his expert eye, respected historian Orange has analyzed and evaluated every episode of Dowding’s exceptional career to produce the definitive biography.

Download or read book Vanished Hero written by Jay A. Stout and published by Casemate. This book was released on 2016-09-30 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A superb, edge-of-the-seat account of [Elwyn] Righetti’s stellar combat career during the final months of the air war against Germany” (Eric Hammel, author of Two Flags over Iwo Jima). A hell-bent-for-leather fighter pilot, Elwyn G. Righetti remains one of the most unknown, yet most compelling, colorful and controversial commanders of World War II. Arriving late to the war, he led the England-based 55th Fighter Group against the Nazis during the closing months of the fight with a no-holds-barred aggressiveness that transformed the group from a middling organization of no reputation into a headline-grabbing team that made excuses to no one. Indeed, Righetti’s boldness paid off, as he quickly achieved ace status and scored more strafing victories—twenty-seven—than any other Eighth Air Force pilot. Ultimately, Righetti’s calculated recklessness ran full speed into the odds. His aircraft was hit while strafing an enemy airfield only four days before the 55th flew its last mission. Almost farcically aggressive to the end, he coaxed his crippled fighter through one more firing pass before making a successful crash landing. Immediately, he radioed his men that he was fine and asked that they reassure his family. Righetti was never heard from again. Vanished Hero tells a story “worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster . . . It is a fitting tribute to both Righetti and the man who collected his life’s journey” (Military Heritage). “An excellent biography of a true American hero . . . a worthy contribution to an understanding of the application of air power in the Second World War.” —History News Network

Download or read book Stanford Tuck written by Helen Doe and published by Grub Street Publishing. This book was released on 2023-11-30 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first full reappraisal of one of Britain’s great fighter aces, this book examines the truth behind Tuck’s 1956 biography, Fly for Your Life. It looks at the evidence behind the myths, checks out some of the exaggerated stories and reveals the real Stanford Tuck. In January 1942 Bob Tuck was the top-scoring British fighter ace with an official score of 29 enemy aircraft destroyed. With film-star looks he was the glamorous role model for the RAF publicity machine and an eager press and public wanting wartime heroes. He had joined the RAF in 1935 and quickly showed his excellent flying skills. In 1940 his Spitfire squadron was fighting over Dunkirk where he proved himself an expert shot. During the Battle of Britain his legendary prowess grew and he was posted to command a leaderless and demoralized squadron, this time flying Hurricanes. He continued to prove he was an outstanding fighter ace, gaining the rare distinction of three DFCs and then the DSO for his leadership. He was shot down over France in January 1942. Imprisoned in Stalag Luft III. His room-mate was Roger Bushell, the mastermind of the Great Escape and Tuck worked with him on the committee and was to be his partner in the escape. In January 1944 however, around 20 POWs, including Tuck, were purged to a new camp. Still determined to escape, when his camp was moved out on the Long March westwards, Tuck and a Polish officer took a risky chance and made their way east to Russian forces and thence to England. This book reveals a more complex man than the one-dimensional hero of the previous biography. Post war, he became good friends with the Luftwaffe ace, Adolf Galland, and was a key advisor with him on the film, Battle of Britain, and, often with his other friend, Douglas Bader, made many media appearances. His health suffered in later years from the impact of his war service and his imprisonment and he died aged 70 in 1987.

Download or read book My Eternal Heroes written by Desmond Joseph McCarthy and published by AuthorHouse. This book was released on 2019-04-29 with total page 122 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This vivid story from an Anglo-Irish-American veteran of World War II tells firsthand of the terror and hardship of the Battle of Britain and the Blitz on London and the bravery of the British during those eighteen months when they stood alone against Germany and Italy. Tapping into the memories etched deeply into his mind while a young man, McCarthy tells of his coming of age in war-torn London. His unique perspective as an Irishman born in Wales, raised in London, and immigrated to the United States offers a truly unique voice in the narrative of World War II.

Download or read book The Dangerous Book of Heroes written by Conn Iggulden and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2010-04-20 with total page 484 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Conn Iggulden, co-author of the phenomenally successful The Dangerous Book for Boys, and David Iggulden now bring us The Dangerous Book of Heroes—featuring great stories of courage and adventure to thrill and inspire any reader. From George Washington to Sitting Bull to Martin Luther King to the passengers on Flight 93, here are amazing stories of heroism that parents can share with their children, or enjoy all by themselves.

Download or read book American Hero written by Nelson W. Aldrich and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2016-09-01 with total page 373 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Born to wealth, adventuresome in spirit, shrewd in business, gallant in war, and a beau ideal of his class, Tommy Hitchcock was the epitome of the American hero, a legend even in his own time. To Scott Fitzgerald, Tommy embodied the ideal of the aristocratic man of action, basing two of his characters loosely on Tommy. Tommy joined the Lafayette Escadrille during WWI at the age of 17. He was shot down, captured by the Germans, and then made a dramatic escape to Switzerland. Within a few years after the war, he had become one of the stars of the “Golden Age of Sport.” In the 20s and 30s, Tommy dominated polo more decisively than Bobby Jones did golf or Babe Ruth did baseball. Settling in New York with his growing family, he became an investment banker and threw famous parties in Great Neck, Long Island, which attracted the rich and famous as well as celebrities such as Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. Always impecunious, the Fitzgeralds were easy to attract to a lavish party, but not so easy to convince to leave. When America entered WWII, Tommy re-entered the service, but was told he was “too old” for combat flying. He became the biggest booster of the new P-51, then in development, becoming instrumental in convincing the Army to build it to protect Flying Fortresses on their bombing raids over Germany. We were losing hundreds of the heavy bombers to Luftwaffe Messerschmitt’s because we didn’t have a fighter that could reach Germany with the bombers. The P-51 was a game-changer. Hermann Goering, commander of the Luftwaffe, told his American interrogators after the war that when he saw P-51s flying unopposed in the skies over Berlin, he knew the gig was up and Germany would lose the war. Tragically, on April 18, 1944, Tommy died test-flying one of the new P-51s in England. He will forever be an American hero.

Download or read book Canine Commandos written by Nigel Cawthorne and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2012-04-17 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Moving accounts of morale-boosting, life-saving dogs in combat—from ancient armored war dogs to the highly-trained canines of today’s modern military. On Stone Age battlefields through both world wars to present-day Afghanistan, dogs have been the loyal companions and trusted compatriots of soldiers worldwide. Now the exciting, heartwarming and heroic stories of history’s most famous combat dogs are compiled in this incredible collection. CAIRO, SEAL Team Six’s Belgian Malinois, who was choppered in with his top-secret unit on their heroic mission to take out Osama bin Laden. RAGS, a Highland terrier who dodged German shell-fire, shrapnel and poison gas to deliver crucial messages to the Western Front. GANDER, the Canadian Royal Rifles’ Newfoundland, who sacrificed his life by scooping up a grenade and carrying it in his mouth away from his unit. EBONY, the fearless German shepherd who alerted soldiers to an imminent ambush, saving 25 men from sudden death in Vietnam’s unyielding jungle. COOPER, the bomb-sniffing Labrador who relentlessly scoured Iraq for explosives until the fateful day when an IED killed him and his handler.