Download or read book The Squadron That Died Twice The story of No 82 Squadron RAF which in 1940 lost 23 out of 24 aircraft in two bombing raids written by Gordon Thorburn and published by Metro Publishing. This book was released on 2015-07-02 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Apart from the quiet chatter of a few mechanics, who were checking that one aircraft was too badly damaged ever to fly again, there was a shocked silence over the aerodrome as everyone there tried to understand the impossible.Twelve twin-engined bombers of 82 Squadron RAF had set out on a fi ne May morning in 1940, from Watton, Norfolk, in a brave but hopeless attempt to slow down the German armour ripping through Belgium. Sergeant Thomas 'Jock' Morrison was the pilot of the only one to come home.Heavy losses in Bomber Command in the Second World War were common, normal, came with the territory, but this? Eleven out of twelve were shot down, by flak and fighters, and lay in burning fragments along the Belgium/ France border.It is said that history repeats itself. And so it was, almost exactly three months later, on a cloudy day in August 1940, that twelve more twin-engined Bristol Blenheim bombers, each with a crew of three men, set off from Watton, Norfolk, in a brave but hopeless attempt to destroy a Luftwaffe base in enemy-occupied Denmark. One aircraft had to turn for home before it reached the target. The other eleven pressed on as the clouds disappeared and, on a fi ne sunny morning, were all shot down, by flak and fighters, and lay in burning fragments on the shores of the Lymfjord.At the time, when the whole world was trying to understand the impossible, how Germany could conquer Denmark, Norway, The Netherlands, Belgium and France in a few weeks, and Poland before that - and surely Great Britain next? - 82 Squadron's disasters were barely noticed.Based on the accounts of survivors and on squadron and other records, Gordon Thorburn's moving retelling of the story, of the events of it and the men in it, at last puts right that terrible omission.
Download or read book The Squadron That Died Twice written by Gorden Thorburn and published by . This book was released on 2015-10-23 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Apart from the quiet chatter of a few mechanics, who were checking that one aircraft was too badly damaged ever to fly again, there was a shocked silence over the aerodrome as everyone there tried to understand the impossible. Twelve twin - engined bombers of 82 Squadron RAF had set out on a fine May morning in 1940, from Watton, Norfolk, in a brave but hopeless attempt to slow down the German armour ripping through Belgium. Sergeant Thomas 'Jock' Morrison was the pilot of the only one to come home. Heavy losses in Bomber Command in the Second World War were common, normal, came with the territory, but this? Eleven out of twelve were shot down, by flak and fighters, and lay in burning fragments along the Belgium/France border. It is said that history repeats itself. And so it was, almost exactly three months later, on a cloudy day in August 1940, that twelve more twin - engined Bristol Blenheim bombers, each with a crew of three men, set off from Watton, Norfolk, in a brave but hopeless attempt to destroy a Luftwaffe base in enemy - occupied Denmark. One aircraft had to turn for home before it reached the target.The other eleven pressed on as the clouds disappeared and, on a fine sunny morning, were all shot down, by flak and fighters, and lay in burning fragments on the shores of the Lymfjord. At the time, when the whole world was trying to understand the impossible, how Germany could conquer Denmark, Norway, The Netherlands, Belgium and France in a few weeks, and Poland before that - and surely Great Britain next? - 82 Squadron's disasters were barely noticed. Based on the accounts of survivors and on squadron and other records, Gordon Thorburn's moving retelling of the story, of the events of it and the men in it, at last puts right that terrible omission.
Download or read book Death Rattlers written by William Wolf and published by Schiffer Pub Limited. This book was released on 1999 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nearly every World War II fighter squadron that flew in Europe has had its history chronicled. Other than "Pappy" Boyington's famous VMF-214 "Black Sheep", little has been written about Marine Corps squadrons in World War II. The contribution of VMF-223, the "Death Rattlers", over Okinawa in the Spring of 1945 is virtually unknown. In two months there, the squadron became the top-scoring unit of any service with 124 1/2 victories and produced 12 aces, the most for one tour of any Marine squadron. The squadron downed 24 3/4 Japanese aircraft twice in its tour, the most for a single Marine squadron in any single action. The squadron's story is not only one of its pilots, combat, and valor, but also of the enlisted men, "the ground-crunchers," who made it function against the Japanese kamikaze menace. Along with the traditional historical perspective, it is an inside look at the personal side of training and war. It is the story of a group of untried young men who trained long and hard and became "family."
Download or read book Goshawk Squadron written by Derek Robinson and published by MacLehose Press. This book was released on 2013-09-03 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Known for his black humor and expertise in military aviation, Derek Robinson is best renowned for his novels on the Royal Flying Corps. The Goshawk Squadron was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. World War One pilots were the knights of the sky, and the press and public idolised them as gallant young heroes. At just twenty-three, Major Stanley Woolley is the old man and commanding officer of Goshawk Squadron. He abhors any notion of chivalry in the clouds and is determined to obliterate the decent, gentlemanly outlook of his young, public school-educated pilots--for their own good. But as the war goes on he is forced to thrown greener and greener pilots into the meat grinder. Goshawk Squadron finds its gallows humor and black camaraderie no defense against a Spandau bullet to the back of the head.
Download or read book A Double Death on the Black Isle written by A. D. Scott and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2011-09-27 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Featuring an Atria Paperback readers club guide"--P. [4] of cover.
Download or read book Combat Squadrons of the Air Force World War II written by Maurer Maurer and published by . This book was released on 1969 with total page 856 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collection of squadron histories has been prepared by the USAF Historical Division to complement the Division's book, Air Force Combat Units of World War II. The 1,226 units covered by this volume are the combat (tactical) squadrons that were active between 7 December 1941 and 2 September 1945. Each squadron is traced from its beginning through 5 March 1963, the fiftieth anniversary of the organization of the 1st Aero (later Bombardment) Squadron, the first Army unit to be equipped with aircraft for tactical operations. For each squadron there is a statement of the official lineage and data on the unit's assignments, stations, aircraft and missiles, operations, service streamers, campaign participation, decorations, and emblem.
Download or read book Mighty by Sacrifice written by James L. Noles and published by University of Alabama Press. This book was released on 2009-07-26 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dispatched on what was to be an easy assignment of attacking the Privoser Oil Refinery and associated railroad yards at Moravska Ostrava, Czechoslovakia, the 20th Squadron of the 2nd Bombardment Group saw the bloodiest day in their history. Not a single one of the 20th Squadron's B-17 bombers returned from the mission. In this book, the 90 airmen on that mission provide a remarkable personal window into the Allies' Combined Bomber Offensive at its height during World War II. Their stories encapsulate how the U.S. Army Air Force built, trained, and employed one of the mightiest war machines ever seen. These stories also illustrate, however, the terrible cost in lives demanded by that same machine.
Download or read book The Jolly Rogers written by Tom Blackburn and published by . This book was released on 2009-06-18 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In his action-packed war memoir and unit history, Blackburn describes VF-17's intense, winning campaign against the Japanese over the northern Solomon Islands and Rabaul in late 1943 and early 1944.
Download or read book Former U S World War 2 POW s written by United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on the Judiciary and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 88 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents State estimates of personal income. It presents the following estimates for each State, for the eight Census regions, and for the U.S. Includes: annual estimates of total and per capita personal income for 1929-93; annual estimates of total and per capita disposable personal income for 1948-93; annual estimates of personal income by major type of payment and by industry for 1929-93, and quarterly estimates of total personal income for 1969-93. Extensive maps, charts and tables.
Download or read book Distant Passages The Best from Double Edged Publishing 2005 written by Bill Snodgrass and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2006-04-01 with total page 214 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A collection of the best fantasy and science fiction poems and stories selected from the award-winning magazine, The Sword Review and from Internet web magazine pioneer, Dragons, Knights, & Angels. Twenty stories and poems were selected from the favorites of 2005 from the two publications. These works represent authors from around the world and are sure to provide hours of enjoyment. Yet, like all that Double-Edged Publishing does, they adhere to traditional values and Christian principles, so they are appropriate for fans of fantasy and science fiction of all ages. Edited by Bill Snodgrass.
Download or read book From Double Eagle to Red Flag written by Petr Nikolaevich Krasnov and published by . This book was released on 1928 with total page 872 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Iron Fist Star Wars Legends X Wing written by Aaron Allston and published by Random House Worlds. This book was released on 1998-07-06 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Rebel Alliance’s elite strike force must double-cross an infamous warlord in the second book of the Wraith Squadron series, the companion to the hit Rogue Squadron series. Against all odds, the controversial Wraith Squadron has survived its first covert mission. But now they are called upon to cheat death twice. This time, Wedge Antilles sends them in to stop the warlord Zsinj and his Super Star Destroyer, Iron Fist. If Zsinj joins the Empire, it could turn the tide of war against the Rebels. The Wraith Squadron’s mission: infiltrate the warlord’s fleet and uncover his carefully guarded plans. To do so, they must pose as ruthless pirates seeking to join Zsinj’s forces. And that means first becoming pirates in space lanes teeming with Imperial navy patrols. If that isn’t enough to get them killed, they’ll have to pass one last test—a suicide mission for Zsinj. Can they survive the test and turn the tables on Zsinj? Or is this the end for Wraith Squadron?
Download or read book The Last of the 39 ers written by Sean Feast and published by Grub Street Publishing. This book was released on 2014-03-19 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In some ways, Alfie Fripps war ended when he was shot down on a reconnaissance sortie over Germany in October 1939. In many others, it was only just beginning. Squadron Leader Alfie Fripp (RAF Retd) was the oldest surviving and longest-serving British prisoner of war (PoW) until his death in 2012 the last of the so-called 39-ers. Held during World War II in the Nazi PoW camp of Stalag Luft III in Sagan, he was a veteran of the real Great Escape in which he took an active role, and had the sadness of seeing his own skipper Mike Casey shot as one of the 50. But Alfies story begins well before the outbreak of the Second World War. One of Trenchards Brats, Alfie trained as a wireless operator before spending more than five years in various flying boat squadrons in the Far East. He was again one of the last survivors from the days of the mighty Southampton, Scapa and Singapore flying boats that ruled both the skies and the waves, and helped ensure the safety of the Empire. Told to Sean Feast with striking honesty and simplicity, written with pace and insight, Alfies story has been brought alive. Accompanied by a superb collection of photographs, this long-overdue account is an excellent chance to discover the story of one of these legendary men. Sean Feast is a well-respected aviation historian whose past titles for Grub Street have been Heroic Endeavour, Master Bombers (now in paperback), A Pathfinders War (with Ted Stocker), and Churchills Navigator (with John Mitchell) and, most recently, The Pathfinder Companion.
Download or read book The Times When Men Must Die The Story of the Destruction of the Philippine Army During the Early Months of World War II in the Pacific December 1941 May 1942 written by and published by Dorrance Publishing. This book was released on with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Berlin Blitz By Those Who Were There written by Martin W Bowman and published by Pen and Sword Aviation. This book was released on 2023-04-30 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Allied bombing of Berlin was the longest and most sustained bombing offensive against one target in the Second World War. The Berlin Blitz By Those Who Were There is a compelling, gripping and thought-provoking story of the Allied bombing forces and the ordinary people on the ground, told in their own tongue and with meticulous attention to detail. The result is a coherent, single story which unfolds in a straightforward and incisive narrative. This work draws attention in some detail to the major raids on the Reich capital by RAF Bomber Command from the late summer of 1940 to September 1943. It begins with the reliable but largely ineffective twin-engined Blenheims, Hampdens, Wellingtons and Whitleys, through to the introduction into front-line service of the four-engined ‘heavies’ - the Stirling, Manchester and Halifax, which bore the brunt of the bomber offensive until the advent of the incomparable Avro Lancaster in 1942 and the superlative Mosquito. On 30 January 1943, on the tenth anniversary of Hitler’s usurpation of power, two formations (each of three Mosquitoes) appeared over Berlin in daylight and interrupted large rallies being addressed by Goering and Goebbels. Sir Arthur Harris, Commander-in-Chief, RAF Bomber Command, hoped to ‘wreck Berlin from end to end’ and ‘produce a state of devastation in which German surrender is inevitable’. But the ‘Big City’, as it was known to his faithful ‘old lags’, was never completely destroyed.
Download or read book The History of England from the Revolution to the Death of George the Second written by Tobias Smollett and published by . This book was released on 1818 with total page 524 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The History of England from the Revolution to the Death of George the Second written by Tobias George Smollett and published by . This book was released on 1830 with total page 556 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
