Download or read book The Debden Warbirds written by Frank E. Speer and published by Schiffer Pub Limited. This book was released on 1999 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The P-51 Mustangs of the 4th Fighter Group were the first to escort bombers over Berlin during World War II, the first to escort bombers from England to Russia, and at war's end ranked first in the number of enemy aircraft destroyed (over 1,000). The Debden Warbirds describes in detail the everyday workings of this record setting fighter group, from their Eagle Squadron beginnings in Hurricanes and Spitfires, to their unprecedented triumphs in Thunderbolts and Mustangs. This authentic account, gleaned from the Squadron and Tower Diaries, is enhanced by dozens of combat reports and personal accounts from pilots and crews whose day-to-day encounters are faithfully recorded. Author Frank Speer became an ace within seventeen missions over Germany flying P-51 Mustangs with the 4th FG, having been credited with destroying six enemy aircraft. On a flight over Poland his aircraft was shot down. He walked nearly 400 miles from the site of his crash landing before he collapsed from exhaustion and was captured by the Germans. He was incarcerated in three different Stalags prior to his escape and repatriation. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters. He lives in Pennsylvania.
Download or read book The Flying Greek written by Col. Steve N. Pisanos, USAF (Ret.) and published by Potomac Books, Inc.. This book was released on 2008-04-30 with total page 365 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Steve N. Pisanos's The Flying Greek is both the classic tale of an immigrant's bond with America and an aerial adventure. When young Pisanos arrived in the U.S. in 1938, he worked, studied English, and learned to fly. He earned a private pilot's license in 1941, and soon after Germany invaded Greece, he volunteered for the embattled British Royal Air Force. He served with the 268 and 71 Eagle Squadrons. The 71 Eagle Squadron was one of three Eagle squadrons comprised of U.S. volunteers. In 1942, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen while in London, England. He was the first individual in American history to become a citizen while outside the U.S. border, and his becoming a citizen allowed him to be commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Forces. In riveting detail, Pisanos recounts his combat record, from fighter sweeps and bomber escort missions to dogfighting, flying the Spitfire, the P-47, and the P-51. While flying a P-47 named Miss Plainfield, he scored his first aerial victory on May 21, 1943. By January 1, 1944, he had become an ace. After his tenth confirmed kill, he crash-landed his P-51 in France and spent six months with the French Resistance, successfully evading capture. Because of his exposure to the French operations, the Air Force could not risk his capture again, so he returned to the U.S. and became a test pilot at Wright Field where he also attended the Air Force's test pilot school. Despite grave danger, Pisanos set aside his pride, fears, and misgivings to help achieve a greater good. The Flying Greek is an entertaining and remarkable journey that will interest historians and aviation enthusiasts.
Download or read book Wings of War written by David Fairbank White and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2022-12-06 with total page 353 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The incredible, untold story behind the rise of the P-51 Mustang, the World War II fighter plane that destroyed the Luftwaffe and made D-Day possible “Aviation buffs will cheer this high-flying saga.”—Publishers Weekly • “[A] fascinating book about passion and innovation.”—Walter Isaacson • “An essential book for those who appreciate tales of military bravery, and also for all seeking understanding of decision-making under pressure. A major contribution.”—E. J. Dionne, Jr. When the P-51 Mustang began tearing across European skies in early 1944, the Allies had been losing the air war for years. Staggering numbers of bomber crews, both British and American, had been shot down and killed thanks to the Luftwaffe’s superior fighter force. Not only did the air war appear grim, but any landing of troops in France was impossible while German fighters hunted overhead. But behind the scenes, a team of visionaries had begun to design a bold new type of airplane, one that could outrun and outmaneuver Germany’s best. Wings of War is the incredible true story of the P-51 Mustang fighter and the unlikely crew of designers, engineers, test pilots, and army officers who brought it from the drafting table to the skies over World War II. This is hardly a straightforward tale of building an airplane—for years, the team was stymied by corruption within the defense industry and stonewalled by the Army Air Forces, who failed to understand the Mustang’s potential. But when squadrons of Mustangs were finally unleashed over Hitler’s empire, the Luftwaffe was decimated within months, clearing the skies for D-Day. A compelling, character-focused narrative replete with innovation, determination, and bravery, Wings of War is the never-before-told story of the airplane that truly changed the course of World War II.
Download or read book The Mighty Eighth written by Donald Nijboer and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2022-09-01 with total page 357 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The perfect companion to Masters of the Air on Apple TV+, this is a superbly illustrated examination of the aircraft, pilots, crews and operations of the US Eighth Air Force. The US Eighth Air Force-known as the “Mighty Eighth”-was a combat air force activated in Georgia, USA on January 28, 1942. Its bomber command soon moved to Northern Europe to conduct strategic bombing missions, seeking to destroy Germany's ability to wage war. Among the major operations it participated in were “Big Week” in February 1944; the D-Day landings in June 1944; and the defeat of the Luftwaffe and destruction of German industry. Eighth Air Force was the largest of the deployed combat Army Air Forces in numbers of personnel, aircraft, and equipment. At peak strength, Eighth Air Force had 40 heavy bomber groups, 15 fighter groups, and four specialized support groups. This work provides a superbly illustrated and fully comprehensive exploration of the Mighty Eighth's bomber and fighter planes, its incredibly brave pilots and crew, and its daring and dramatic operations. It also explores the careers of key personalities associated with the Mighty Eighth, such as Earle Partridge, James Doolittle, and William Kepner. Packed with hundreds of color aircraft profiles, battlescene artworks, and period photographs, The Mighty Eighth provides a truly comprehensive look at the illustrious history of the US Eighth Air Force.
Download or read book 4th Fighter Group in World War II written by Larry Davis and published by Squadron/Signal Publications. This book was released on 2007-01-01 with total page 79 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book P 51B C Mustang written by Chris Bucholtz and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2022-02-17 with total page 84 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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 Göring 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.
Download or read book Big Week written by James Holland and published by Atlantic Monthly Press. This book was released on 2018-11-06 with total page 529 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A history of World War II’s Operation Argument in which US and British air forces led a series of raids against Nazi Germany in 1944. During the third week of February 1944, the combined Allied air forces based in Britain and Italy launched their first round-the-clock bomber offensive against Germany. Their goal: to smash the main factories and production centers of the Luftwaffe while also drawing German planes into an aerial battle of attrition to neutralize the Luftwaffe as a fighting force prior to the cross-channel invasion, planned for a few months later. Officially called Operation Argument, this aerial offensive quickly became known as “Big Week,” and it was one of the turning-point engagements of World War II. In Big Week, acclaimed World War II historian James Holland chronicles the massive air battle through the experiences of those who lived and died during it. Prior to Big Week, the air forces on both sides were in crisis. Allied raids into Germany were being decimated, but German resources—fuel and pilots—were strained to the breaking point. Ultimately new Allied aircraft—especially the American long-range P-51 Mustang—and superior tactics won out during Big Week. Through interviews, oral histories, diaries, and official records, Holland follows the fortunes of pilots, crew, and civilians on both sides, taking readers from command headquarters to fighter cockpits to anti-aircraft positions and civilian chaos on the ground, vividly recreating the campaign as it was conceived and unfolded. In the end, the six days of intense air battles largely cleared the skies of enemy aircraft when the invasion took place on June 6, 1944—D-Day. Big Week is both an original contribution to WWII literature and a brilliant piece of narrative history, recapturing a largely forgotten campaign that was one of the most critically important periods of the entire war. Praise for Big Week An Amazon Best Book of the Year “With the aid of diaries, memoirs and his own interviews, Mr. Holland gives a detailed, crewman’s-eye view of combat from inside the British, American and German aircraft during the months leading up to Big Week and during the week itself. For those hoping for war-movie stuff, rest assured that the enemy fighters do come in at 6 o’clock, the guns do hammer, the sun does glint and the ‘chutes do blossom in the sky. Still it’s a serious and important story as well as a dramatic one, and Mr. Holland tells it with verve and authority.” —David A. Price, Wall Street Journal “Highly detailed. . . . The interplay of personal stories with the broader strategic picture makes this book especially illuminating. . . . A fascinating must-read for World War II aficionados.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Download or read book Hidden Warbirds II written by Nicholas A. Veronico and published by Zenith Press. This book was released on 2014-06 with total page 259 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The second installment in a series exploring the stories of famous wrecks and recoveries of World War II-era aircraft. Features over 150 photographs depicting more than 20 warbird stories around the world"--
Download or read book US 8th Army Air Force Fighter Command USAAF 1943 45 written by Martin W. Bowman and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2009-01-01 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book covers the bases used during the Second World War by the American fighter units that flew in support of the 8th Air Force's heavy bomber forces. The long-range Lightnings, Thunderbolts and Mustangs escorted the Mighty Eighth's Flying Fortresses and Liberators on their deep penetration raids into occupied Europe and Germany. Fighter cover was vital, since the USAAF flew daylight raids and in the early months the number of US aircraft lost to the defending Luftwuffe fighters was unacceptably high. The airfields included are Bodney, Bottisham, Boxted, Debden, Duxford, East Wretham, Fowlmere, Halesworth, Honington, Horsham St. Faith, King's Cliffe, Leiston, Martlesham Heath, Raydon, Steeple Morden, Wattisham and Wormingford. This book looks at the history and personalities associated with each base, what remains today and explores the favorite local wartime haunts where aircrew and ground crew would have sought well-deserved entertainment and relaxation. Other museums and places that are relevant will also be described and general directions on how to get them included.
Download or read book Normandy 44 written by James Holland and published by Atlantic Monthly Press. This book was released on 2019-06-04 with total page 646 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A history of World War II’s Operation Overlord, from the campaign’s planning to its execution, as Allied forces battled to take France back from Germany. D-Day, June 6, 1944, and the seventy-six days of bitter fighting in Normandy that followed the Allied landing, have become the defining episode of World War II in the west—the object of books, films, television series, and documentaries. Yet as familiar as it is, as James Holland makes clear in his definitive history, many parts of the Overlord campaign, as it was known, are still shrouded in myth and assumed knowledge. Drawing freshly on widespread archives and on the testimonies of eye-witnesses, Holland relates the extraordinary planning that made Allied victory in France possible; indeed, the story of how hundreds of thousands of men, and mountains of materiel, were transported across the English Channel, is as dramatic a human achievement as any battlefield exploit. The brutal landings on the five beaches and subsequent battles across the plains and through the lanes and hedgerows of Normandy—a campaign that, in terms of daily casualties, was worse than any in World War I—come vividly to life in conferences where the strategic decisions of Eisenhower, Rommel, Montgomery, and other commanders were made, and through the memories of paratrooper Lieutenant Dick Winters of Easy Company, British corporal and tanker Reg Spittles, Thunderbolt pilot Archie Maltbie, German ordnance officer Hans Heinze, French resistance leader Robert Leblanc, and many others. For both sides, the challenges were enormous. The Allies confronted a disciplined German army stretched to its limit, which nonetheless caused tactics to be adjusted on the fly. Ultimately ingenuity, determination, and immense materiel strength—delivered with operational brilliance—made the difference. A stirring narrative by a pre-eminent historian, Normandy ‘44 offers important new perspective on one of history’s most dramatic military engagements and is an invaluable addition to the literature of war. Praise for Normandy ‘44 An Amazon Best Book of the Month (History) An Amazon Best History Book of the Year “Detail and scope are the twin strengths of Normandy ’44. . . . Mr. Holland effectively balances human drama with the science of war as the Allies knew it.” —Jonathan W. Jordan, Wall Street Journal “A superb account of the invasions that deserves immense praise. . . . To convey the human drama of Normandy requires great knowledge and sensitivity. Holland has both in spades.” —Times (UK)
Download or read book 4th Fighter Group written by Chris Bucholtz and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-12-20 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With first-hand accounts and colour artwork, this title describes the planes and pilots of the famous 4th Fighter Group 'Fourth but First' that became the highest-scoring unit of the mighty 8th Air Force in World War 2. Formed around a nucleus of pilots already seasoned by their experience as volunteers in the RAF's Eagle Squadrons, the 4th Fighter Group was established in England in October 1942. Initially flying Spitfires, the Debden Eagles went on to fly the P-47 and P-51, becoming, in July 1943, the first Eighth Air Force fighter group to penetrate German air space. The group's record of 583 air and 469 ground victories was unmatched in the Eighth Air Force, and the group produced a cast of characters that included legendary aces Don Blakeslee, Pierce McKennon, “Kid” Hofer, Duane Beeson, Steve Pisanos and Howard Hively. Involved in the D-Day landings, Operation Market Garden, the Battle of the Bulge and the crossing of the Rhine, the group's achievements came at a high price, with a 42 percent casualty rate. Packed with pilots' experiences, detailed aircraft profiles and full combat histories, this book is an intriguing insight into the best-known American fighter unit in World War II.
Download or read book The Allies Strike Back 1941 1943 written by James Holland and published by Atlantic Monthly Press. This book was released on 2017-10-03 with total page 672 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Volume two in this “expert, anecdote-filled, thoroughly entertaining” history of WWII follows The Rise of Germany as the Allied forces turn the tides (Kirkus). James Holland’s The Rise of Germany, the first volume in his War in the West trilogy, was widely praised for his impeccable research and lively narrative. Covering the dawn of World War II, it ended at a point when the Nazi war machine appeared to be unstoppable. Germany had taken Poland and France with shocking speed. London was bombed, and U-boats harried shipping on the Atlantic. But Germany hadn’t actually won the Battle of Britain or the Battle of the Atlantic. It was not producing airplanes or submarines fast enough. And what looked like victory in Greece and Crete had expended crucial resources in short supply. The Allies Strike Back continues the narrative as Germany’s invasion of Russia unfolds in the east, while in the west, the Americans formally enter the war. In North Africa, following major setbacks at the hands of Rommel, the Allies storm to victory. Meanwhile, the bombing of Germany escalates, aiming to not only destroy the its military, industrial, and economic system, but also relentlessly crush civilian morale. Comprehensive and impeccably researched, “Holland brings a fresh eye to the ebb and flow of the conflict” in this “majestic saga” of 20th century history (Literary Review, UK).
Download or read book The 479th Fighter Group in World War II written by Terry A. Fairfield and published by Schiffer Military History. This book was released on 2004 with total page 512 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is the result of nearly six years of research, gathering of materials and interviews. It presents a chronological listing of the 479th Fighter Group's activities during the World War II era, from its beginnings until its deactivation. Based upon a summation of the group's historical records, the account also contains personal anecdotes provided by many of the group's former members as well as over 650 photos that serve to illustrate the narration. Hopefully through the assemblage of this information the memory of the group and the men who comprised the living, lifeblood of the 479th FG will be better known and remembered by future generations.
Download or read book United States Air Force and Its Antecedents written by James T. Controvich and published by Scarecrow Press. This book was released on 2004 with total page 200 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This bibliography lists published and printed unit histories for the United States Air Force and Its Antecedents, including Air Divisions, Wings, Groups, Squadrons, Aviation Engineers, and the Women's Army Corps.
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 The Aeroplane written by and published by . This book was released on 1938 with total page 1032 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book High Fliers written by Philip Kaplan and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2018-07-31 with total page 465 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There were two kinds of pilots involved in the action during the Second World War: those who took the lead, and the others who went along for the ride. The elite group of fighter and bomber pilots led the way in combat missions, racking up kills and destroying the enemy's ability to fight. Experience was a big factor; the fliers who had been around the longest (and survived) learned all the tricks and made the most of that knowledge. They created expressions to help them stay alive and succeed in the unique arena of air combat and ways to win and succeed in situations when many of their colleagues did not. Reminders such as "Beware of the Hun in the Sun" and "Check Six" were meaningful warnings in air fighting and still are. "Situational awareness" about the flying and fighting environment was ingrained in the great air fighters. One of the greatest of the high-achieving fighter pilots of WWII was Adolph "Sailor" Malan, the legendary ace who set the standard for Allied pilots. He developed what he called Ten of My Rules for Air Fighting, which included points like "Always turn and face the attack," "Never fly straight and level for more than thirty seconds in the combat area," and "Go in quickly, punch hard, Get out!" High Fliers recounts the wartime careers of the pilots who used determination, intelligence, guts, and skill to find victory in the air.
