Download or read book Me 163 vs Allied Heavy Bombers written by Robert Forsyth and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2024-04-25 with total page 81 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An illustrated account of the dramatic engagement between the Luftwaffe's Me 163 units and Allied bombers during the closing years of World War II. In the summer of 1944, US Army Air Force (USAAF) aircrews flying over the Third Reich reported observing small, high-speed 'batlike' aircraft flying close to their formations. The Luftwaffe's extraordinary Messerschmitt Me 163 rocket-powered interceptor was making its devastating debut with Jagdgeschwader (JG) 400. Capable of reaching high altitudes in the shortest possible time by using a volatile rocket fuel, the Me 163 was the Luftwaffe's most impressive yet dangerous aircraft, and the fastest in the world. Luftwaffe expert Robert Forsyth details the testing of the aircraft and its lethal SG 500 'Fighter Fist' weapons system, as well as its deployment against the B17s and B24s of the USAAF's Eighth Air Force and, from late 1944, the Lancasters and Halifaxes of RAF Bomber Command. These duels started a deadly form of warfare, with the bomber squadrons striking at Germany's synthetic oil refineries and jet airfields, and the Me 163s of JG 400 trying to stop them using cutting-edge aeronautical technology. Using specially commissioned artwork, original photographs and rare first-hand interviews with the pilots that fought the decisive dogfights, this exciting book describes the pivotal encounters over Northern Europe.

Download or read book Me 163 vs Allied Heavy Bombers written by Robert Forsyth and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2024-04-25 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An illustrated account of the dramatic engagement between the Luftwaffe's Me 163 units and Allied bombers during the closing years of World War II. In the summer of 1944, US Army Air Force (USAAF) aircrews flying over the Third Reich reported observing small, high-speed 'batlike' aircraft flying close to their formations. The Luftwaffe's extraordinary Messerschmitt Me 163 rocket-powered interceptor was making its devastating debut with Jagdgeschwader (JG) 400. Capable of reaching high altitudes in the shortest possible time by using a volatile rocket fuel, the Me 163 was the Luftwaffe's most impressive yet dangerous aircraft, and the fastest in the world. Luftwaffe expert Robert Forsyth details the testing of the aircraft and its lethal SG 500 'Fighter Fist' weapons system, as well as its deployment against the B17s and B24s of the USAAF's Eighth Air Force and, from late 1944, the Lancasters and Halifaxes of RAF Bomber Command. These duels started a deadly form of warfare, with the bomber squadrons striking at Germany's synthetic oil refineries and jet airfields, and the Me 163s of JG 400 trying to stop them using cutting-edge aeronautical technology. Using specially commissioned artwork, original photographs and rare first-hand interviews with the pilots that fought the decisive dogfights, this exciting book describes the pivotal encounters over Northern Europe.

Download or read book Jagdgeschwader 400 written by Stephen Ransom and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 2010-12-21 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Jagdgeschwader 400 group was formed for the sole purpose of flying one of the world's most revolutionary aircraft - the rocket-powered Me 163. Although the Me 163 scored relatively few kills, giving it a success rate much lower than the Me 262, it still had a massive psychological impact upon the Allies, and the technology and experiences gained in the Me 163 went on to influence the jet fighters of modern times. The introduction of jet-powered aircraft demanded massive changes in training, equipment, servicing and tactics, all of which are described and examined in this essential analysis of the story of the Me 163 in frontline service with Erprobungskommando 16 and Jagdgeschwader 400.

Download or read book Popular Science written by and published by . This book was released on 1945-06 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Popular Science gives our readers the information and tools to improve their technology and their world. The core belief that Popular Science and our readers share: The future is going to be better, and science and technology are the driving forces that will help make it better.

Download or read book Tempest V vs Fw 190D 9 written by Robert Forsyth and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2019-09-19 with total page 81 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Arguably two of the finest piston-engined fighters ever built, the Tempest V and Fw 190D-9 raised the bar in terms of aircraft design and operational capability during World War II. The long-nosed 'Dora 9', designed by Kurt Tank, first appeared in the skies over the Western and Eastern Fronts in the late summer of 1944. Fast, and with an exceptional rate of climb, it quickly bettered almost every fighter that the RAF, USAAF and Soviet Red Air Force could field. The Hawker Tempest V entered service in early 1944, initially proving itself a stalwart performer when it was deployed to intercept V1 flying bombs over southern England. From the autumn of 1944, the Tempest V also equipped squadrons of the 2nd Tactical Air Force, operating in support of the Allied armies advancing across north-west Europe. It became a potent ground-attack aircraft, armed with underwing rockets, but also a first-class interceptor when pitted against the Luftwaffe's advanced Fw 190D-9 and Me 262. Featuring full colour artwork, this book describes in fascinating detail combats between the Tempest Vs of No 274 Sqn and the Fw 190D-9s of I. and III./JG 26 between February and April 1945.

Download or read book P 47 Thunderbolt vs German Flak Defenses written by Jonathan Bernstein and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2021-10-28 with total page 149 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the end of World War 2, the tactical air war over Europe has been largely overlooked by historians and authors alike in favour of analysis of the higher profile strategic bombing campaign. Involving just as many aircraft as the daylight heavy bombing campaign, the fighter-bombers (principally of the Ninth Air Force) wreaked considerably more havoc on German ground forces. Indeed, Thunderbolt units undertaking such missions effectively complemented the strategic campaign, ensuring the defeat of Nazi Germany. P-47 pilots paid a high price to achieve this victory, however, as the German flak arm was well equipped (nearly a quarter of all war-related production was devoted to anti-aircraft weaponry) with weapons of various calibres to counter tactical air power's low to medium altitude threat. The USAAF four numbered air forces that saw action over the European continent suffered significant fighter-bomber losses to flak. The principle fighter-bomber from the summer of 1944 through to VE Day was the P-47D, with both dedicated ground attack units and squadrons that had completed their bomber escort tasking seeking out targets of opportunity across occupied Western Europe. While heavy-calibre anti-aircraft fire was intended to both shoot down enemy aircraft and force bombers to drop their ordnance sooner or from higher altitudes, thus reducing bombing accuracy, low-altitude flak batteries put up a virtual 'wall of steel' for enemy fighter-bombers to fly through. Damaging a low-flying fighter-bomber made it easier for other flak gunners to track, engage and destroy it. Innovations like lead-computing gunsights gave gunners a higher probability of intercepting low-altitude fighters. Conversely, the appearance of air-to-ground rockets beneath the wings of P-47s gave pilots better standoff range and a harder-hitting punch when dealing with low and medium altitude flak units. This volume analyses the tactics and techniques used by both P-47 fighter-bomber pilots and German flak gunners, featuring full-colour illustrations to examine the Allied tactical air power in Europe from 1943 and how German defences were overpowered by the air threat.

Download or read book Weapons and Warfare 2 volumes written by Spencer C. Tucker and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2020-03-26 with total page 826 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work covers major weapons throughout human history, beginning with clubs and maces; through crossbows, swords, and gunpowder; up to the hypersonic railgun, lasers, and robotic weapons under development today. Weapons and Warfare is designed to provide students with a comprehensive and highly informative overview of weapons and their impact on the course of human history. In addition to providing basic factual information, this encyclopedia will delve into the greater historical context and significance of each weapon. The chronological organization by time period will enable readers to fully understand the evolution of weapons throughout history. The work begins with a foreword by a top scholar and a detailed introductory essay by the editor that provides an illuminating historical overview of weapons. It then offers entries on more than 650 individual weapons systems. Each entry has sources for further reading. The weapons are presented alphabetically within six time periods, ranging from the prehistoric and ancient periods to the contemporary period. Each period has its own introduction that treats the major trends occurring in that era. In addition, 50 sidebars offer fascinating facts on various weapons. Numerous illustrations throughout the text are also included.

Download or read book North American XB 70 Valkyrie written by Peter E. Davies and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2018-03-09 with total page 81 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Of the many futuristic military aircraft concepts created in the 1950s the North American XB-70 still stands out as the most awe-inspiring. With its huge, white partially-folding delta wing, its fuselage resembling a striking cobra and its extraordinary performance, it was one of the foremost technological achievements of the 20th Century. A strategic bomber built to outrun any Soviet fighter jet, it could reach Mach 3 with a full nuclear payload - as fast as the legendary SR-71 Blackbird but more than three times the size. However, its role as a nuclear bomber was limited after the introduction of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, and defence cuts eventually led to the project being scrapped in the mid-1960s. The Valkyrie had a brief, costly decade of life but it proved the continuing value of developing manned bombers. However, almost half a century after the XB-70 its predecessor, the B-52, continues in service. Using full colour artwork and rigorous analysis, this is the complete story of the ultimate US Cold War military X-plane.

Download or read book La 5 7 vs Fw 190 written by Dmitriy Khazanov and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2011-09-20 with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Soviet fighter aviation suffered terribly at the hands of the Jagdwaffe in the first year of the war in the east and, with the arrival of JG 51 and its Fw 190s on the Stalingrad Front in September 1942, things only got worse. However, help was on its way in the form of the La-5. Tougher, faster, and with a greater rate of climb than its predecessors, most were flow by a new generation of better-trained pilots led by combat veterans. These new fighters soon found themselves pitted into action on the Central Sector against the equally new Fw 190As of JG 51. From then on, these two fighters would battle it out in the skies over the Eastern Front. This book tells the complete story of the battles between these two important fighters.

Download or read book German Rocket Planes written by Manfred Griehl and published by . This book was released on 2000 with total page 84 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This exciting on-going series covers every aspect of the Luftwaffe in World War II and charts the rise and fall of this mighty force. Each volume makes use of over a hundred rare and valuable photographs, many of them taken by Luftwaffe personnel, to bring history to life and record both the men and the aircraft they flew. Using images taken of aircraft under development and in the field, German Rocket Planes examines the rocket planes' appearance and markings, and the pilots who flew and tested the aircraft. Includes coverage of the Me 163B (Komet), Me 163BV1, Me 163AV4, as well as a number of key experimental planes.

Download or read book Me 262 vs P 51 Mustang written by Robert Forsyth and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2019-12-26 with total page 81 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Arguably two of the finest fighters built during the course of World War II, the Me 262 and P-51 Mustang heralded new dawns in aircraft performance. Making its operational debut in the summer of 1944, and powered by the Jumo 004 jet engine, the Me 262 outclassed Allied planes in terms of speed and firepower ratio, offering a formidable punch with four 30 mm MK 108 nose-mounted cannons. However, in the P-51, fitted with the Rolls-Royce (Packard) Merlin engine and drop tanks, the USAAF finally had a fighter that had the 'legs' to escort its heavy bombers deep into Reich airspace and back. If flown to its strengths, the P-51 was more than capable of taking on the feared Me 262 on an equal footing, despite the differences in power and top speed. Indeed, the Mustang proved to be the Luftwaffe fighter arm's nemesis. When the P-51D sortied over Germany from the summer of 1944 onwards, it shredded through the ill-trained and depleted Gruppen of the Luftwaffe's defence wings. This book examines the two fighters in detail, exploring their history and development and containing accurate descriptions of the combats between the P-51 Mustang and the Me 262 in what were some of the most bitter and large-scale aerial actions fought over Europe in 1944–45.

Download or read book North American X 15 written by Peter E. Davies and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2017-05-18 with total page 84 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The revolutionary X-15 remains the fastest manned aircraft ever to fly. Built in the two decades following World War II, it was the most successful of the high-speed X-planes. The only recently broken 'sound barrier' was smashed completely by the X-15, which could hit Mach 6.7 and soar to altitudes above 350,000ft, beyond the edge of space. Several pilots qualified as astronauts by flying above 50 miles altitude in the X-15, including Neil Armstrong, the first man on the Moon. The three X-15s made 199 flights, testing new technologies and techniques which greatly eased America's entry into manned space travel, and made the Apollo missions and Space Shuttle viable propositions. With historical photographs and stunning digital artwork, this is the story of arguably the greatest of the X-Planes.

Download or read book Luftwaffe Fighters and Fighter bombers Over the Far North written by Andreas Brekken and published by Classic Publications. This book was released on 2008 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a reprint of the final volume of the acclaimed 'Jagdwaffe' series. This title was first published only last year. The 'Jagdwaffe' series represents one of the most comprehensive pictorial accounts of the air war in Europe between 1939 and 1945 from the standpoint of the Luftwaffe, its aircraft and its crew. Each volume incorporates more than 200 rare images, many previously unpublished, alongside specially commissioned colour artwork, detailed narrative and personal reminiscences. As such, the books provide a unique insight into the men and equipment of the Luftwaffe during this period.This final volume in the series covers the final phase of World War 2 in Europe, with the German forces on the retreat in Italy and on both the Western and Eastern fronts. For the Luftwaffe, increasingly short of serviceable aircraft and more importantly trained pilots to fly them, it was a period when supremacy over the sky was ceded to the victorious Allies.Although the recently-introduced jet aircraft promised a great deal in terms of performance against more traditional aircraft types, production was limited and their arrival was too late to swing the tide of war in Germany's favour. With the might of the Allied bombing fleets appearing regularly over the skies of Germany and with raw materials, in particular aviation, fuel, increasingly scarce, the last months of the war represented a struggle for the aircrew, where few expected to survive.

Download or read book Dornier Do 217 Units of World War 2 written by Chris Goss and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2021-09-16 with total page 97 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Do 217 had a much larger bomb load capacity and had considerably greater range than the Do 17, which it replaced in frontline service from mid to late 1941. Although initially used simply as a bomber, later variants were developed to allow the Do 217 to undertake the precision maritime strike role. In order to perform the latter mission, the Do 217 was modified to launch glide bombs – units employing these pioneering weapons enjoyed some success in the Mediterranean from the autumn of 1943. During the course of these operations the Do 217 became the first aircraft in military aviation history to deploy a precision-guided bomb in combat in the form of the 'Fritz X' radio-guided, free-fall weapon, which sank the Italian battleship Roma shortly after Italy capitulated in September 1943. The Do 217 served on all fronts, and was often used on anti-shipping strikes during the Battle of the Atlantic and against the Allied invasion fleet at Normandy. This versatile aircraft was also converted into a nightfighter, seeing action in the Defense of the Reich through to war's end. This highly illustrated study explores the design and development of the Do 217 and chronicles its use in the frontline as a strategic bomber, launch platform for first generation precision weapons, reconnaissance aircraft and nightfighter, among others.

Download or read book B 36 Peacemaker Units of the Cold War written by Peter E. Davies and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2022-03-17 with total page 189 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fully illustrated study into the extraordinary Convair B-36 during the Cold War. Conceived during 1941 in case Germany occupied Britain, when US bombers would then have insufficient range to retaliate, the B-36 was to be primarily a '10,000-mile bomber' with heavy defensive armament, six engines and a performance that would prevent interception by fighters. Although rapid developments in jet engine and high-speed airframe technology quickly made it obsolescent, the B-36 took part in many important nuclear test programmes. The aircraft also provided the US nuclear deterrent until the faster B-52 became available in 1955. It was one of the first aircraft to use substantial amounts of magnesium in its structure, leading to the bomber's 'Magnesium Overcast' nickname. It earned many superlatives due to the size and complexity of its structure, which used 27 miles of wiring, had a wingspan longer than the Wright brothers' first flight, equivalent engine power to 400 cars, the same internal capacity as three five-room houses and 27,000 gallons of internal fuel – enough to propel a car around the world 18 times. Much was made of the fact that the wing was deep enough to allow engineers to enter it and maintain the engines in flight. B-36s continued in the bomber and reconnaissance role until their retirement in February 1959 following 11 years in SAC. Convair employees were invited to suggest names for the giant aircraft, eliciting suggestions such as 'King Kong Bomber', 'Condor', 'Texan' and 'Unbelievable', but the most popular was 'Peacemaker'. Oddly, objections from religious groups deterred the USAF from ever adopting it officially. This fully illustrated volume includes first-hand accounts, original photographs and up to 30 profile artworks depicting in detail the complexity of this superlative aircraft.

Download or read book Schweinfurt Regensburg 1943 written by Marshall Michel III and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-01-23 with total page 97 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1943, the USAAF and RAF launched the Combined Bomber Offensive, designed to systematically destroy the industries that the German war machine relied on. At the top of the hit list were aircraft factories and plants making ball-bearings – a component thought to be a critical vulnerability. Schweinfurt in southern Germany was home to much of the ball-bearing industry and, together with the Messerschmitt factory in Regensburg, which built Bf 109 fighters, it was targeted in a huge and innovative strike. Precision required that the targets were hit in daylight, but the raid was beyond the range of any existing escort fighter, so the B-17s would go in unprotected. The solution was to hit the two targets in a coordinated 'double-strike', with the Regensburg strike hitting first, drawing off the defending Luftwaffe fighters, and leaving the way clear for the Schweinfurt bombers. The Regensburg force would carry on over the Alps to North Africa, the first example of US 'shuttle bombing'. Although the attack on Regensburg was successful, the damage to Schweinfurt only temporarily stalled production, and the Eighth Air Force had suffered heavy losses. It would take a sustained campaign, not just a single raid, to cripple the Schweinfurt works. However, when a follow-up raid was finally launched two months later, the losses sustained were even greater. This title explains how the USAAF launched its daylight bombing campaign in 1943, the technology and tactics available for the Schweinfurt-Regensburg missions, and how these costly failures forced a change of tack.

Download or read book World War II US Gunships written by William Wolf and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-11-26 with total page 81 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The XB-40 and XB-41 were secret, little-known experimental modifications of the B-17F and B-24D, respectively, into heavily-armed bomber gunships sometimes referred to as “bomber escorters”. They were developed during early World War II in response to the lack of a USAAF long-range fighter aircraft able to escort and protect regular B-17 formations making the round trip from Britain deep into Germany. Using many formerly-classified documents from his large microfilm collection, William Wolf presents their previously-unpublished history. It describes in depth for the first time the politics and development and associated problems of both escorter types. Unfortunately, these “protecters” were found wanting in several ways - after the addition of guns and ammunition they became overweight and tail-heavy causing center of gravity problems and each encountered numerous delays in the development and delivery of their various armament additions and improvements, particularly the Bendix chin turret. In the end, the YB-40 participated in only 14 lackluster operational service test missions during mid-1943 before being withdrawn from service. The XB-41 Liberator never saw operational testing before also being cancelled for its poor performance. The failure of the gunship concept left a huge hole in the capabilities of the Eighth Air Force. Their failure, however, spurred the adoption of the Merlin-powered P-51 Mustang, the outstanding escort fighter that was key to Allied victory in the air war over Europe.