Download or read book Night Fighter Navigator written by Dennis Gosling and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2010-02-28 with total page 351 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A British Royal Air Force navigator shares his experiences during World War II in this compelling memoir. Yorkshireman Dennis Gosling joined the RAF on 24 May 1940. Having completed his training, he was posted to 219 Squadron flying the night-fighter version of the Beaufighter from Tangmere in 1941. As a navigator, he became part of a two-man team that would endure throughout his first operational tour. In those infant days of radar interception, he honed his skills in the night skies above southern England and the English Channel but without a firm kill. On 12 February 1942, he and his pilot were instructed to pick up a brand-new aircraft and deliver it to North Africa, flying via Gibraltar, a hazardous flight at extreme range. In March the crew were posted to 1435 Flight of 89 Squadron with the task of defending the besieged island of Malta. The flight’s four Beaufighters flew into incessant bombing raids by the Luftwaffe and Italian Air Force. Because of these raids the damage to aircraft on the ground was devastating and the flight was often reduced to a single serviceable aircraft. Gosling’s first success came in April 1942 with a confirmed kill, and then shortly after his twenty-first birthday on 13 May, a triumphant night on the seventeenth brought three certain kills and one damaged enemy aircraft. After being the squadron’s virgins, they shot into the record books—Gosling’s pilot being awarded the DFC. Flight Sergeant Gosling, however, received no award. At this stage he became somewhat embittered by the class system he felt was operated by the RAF. Having endured the torment of constant bombardment, serious stomach complaints (even flying with a bucket in the aircraft) and near starvation, he completed his tour and was repatriated to the UK via Brazil and Canada in the Queen Mary. After a spell instructing new night navigators, he joined 604 Squadron and in December 1943 he was promoted to Warrant Officer. February 1944 saw the squadron reequipped with the Mosquito and assignment to 2 Tactical Air Force in preparation for D-Day. Now once again he was flying initially over southern England and the Channel. The squadron became mobile after the landings and were based in various captured airfields in France, but the conditions were so inadequate for operations that the squadron returned to English bases, from where they operated over and beyond the advancing Allied troops. Eventually, after having been awarded a much-deserved DFC, he accepted the King’s Commission. This autobiography is written as stated by the author, “I want my readers to relive my experiences as they happened to me—to take their hands and have them walk beside me. I want them to feel the joy and the pain, share the laughs and the heartache, take pleasure in the triumphs, agonise with me when things went wrong and understand why my Service years influenced so much of my life.” He has succeeded magnificently

Download or read book Nightfighter Navigator written by E. G. White and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 80 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book American Nightfighter Aces of World War 2 written by Warren Thompson and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-02-20 with total page 97 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Americans lagged behind their European contemporaries in military aviation in the late 1930s, and it took the Battle of Britain to awaken America to the necessity of having aircraft that could defend targets against night-time attack by bomber aircraft. This book examines the numerous aircraft types that were used by the US in this role, beginning with the early stop-gap conversions like the TBM Avenger, Lockheed Ventura and the A-20 Havoc (P-70). It goes on to detail the combat history of the newer, radar-equipped Hellcats, Corsairs and Black Widows that were designed to seek out enemy aircraft and which registered most of the kills made by the Navy, Marine Corps and USAAF in 1944–45. With full-colour profiles and rare photographs, this is an absorbing account of an underestimated flying force: the American Nightfighters.

Download or read book The Navigator written by and published by . This book was released on 1977 with total page 816 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Beaufighters in the Night written by Braxton Eisel and published by Pen and Sword Aviation. This book was released on 2007 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 417th Night Fighter Squadron USAAF was only the fourth such unit to be formed. In the early days of WWII, the US sent observers to England to study how the latest form of air warfare would take shape and it very soon became apparent to them that a night fighting capability was of increasing importance. When they joined the battle against the Reich they found themselves without a suitable American aircraft and were forced to utilize RAF Beaufighters. Having 're-learned to fly' this British design the 417th were sent to North Africa. Most of the ex-RAF aircraft they had inherited were battle weary and no supplies of spares were available through the US supply chain. The squadron found an elderly B-25 bomber, nicknamed the "Strawberry Roan," and they ranged throughout the Mediterranean in search of Beaufighter parts. 417 soon built a healthy score of downed German and Italian aircraft and as the war progressed they were moved to Corsica to support the Italian invasion, After D-Day they were moved to Le Vallon from where they attacked the night-time movements of the German Army. Perhaps their most famous operation was to attack the low flying German Condor that ran the route from the Reich to Spain carrying Nazi gold and treasures.

Download or read book German Night Fighters Versus Bomber Command 1943 1945 written by Martin W. Bowman and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2016-06-19 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This new volume from Martin Bowman examines the closing years of the Second World War, as the tide turned against the German and Axis forces. It includes riveting first-hand accounts from German fighter pilots caught up in some of the most dramatic night time conflicts of the latter war years.Viewing Bomber Command's operations through the eyes of the enemy, the reader is offered a fresh and intriguing perspective. Set in context by Bowman's historical narrative, these snippets of pilot testimony work to offer an authentic sense of the times at hand.

Download or read book Night Fighter written by Wing Cmdr. J. R. D. Braham and published by Pickle Partners Publishing. This book was released on 2017-06-28 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ONE OF BRITAIN’S MOST DECORATED FIGHTER PILOTS TELLS HIS RIVETING TRUE STORY OF AERIAL COMBAT... Fast-paced, hard-hitting and personal, Wing Commander J. R. D. “Bob” Braham recounts his brilliant career as a World War II fighter pilot. Beginning with his pre-war training, he takes us battle-by-battle through that fateful afternoon in June, 1944, when he was shot down over occupied Denmark and taken prisoner. From the desperate night-time sorties against the Luftwaffe’s air strikes during the Battle of Britain to the daring daylight intruder raids against Hitler’s crumbling Reich, his story reveals the skill, courage and teamwork between pilot and navigator that made him one of the RAF’s most deadly fighter pilots. “HE’S 400 YARDS DEAD AHEAD!” Suddenly there he was as clear as could be—twin engines, twin tail, our opposite number, an Me110 night-fighter. He was turning gently to port. I climbed back to 16,000 feet, heading again towards Ameland. Before we had straightened out Jacko called urgently: “Hard starboard!” I hauled the Beau round in a tight turn when Jacko called, Look out, you’re closing too fast!” “I’ve got him,” I yelled. He was above me, in a tight turn, and at the speed we were travelling we looked as if we were going to ram him. I eased back the stick, put the sights on him and fired at the point-blank range of about fifty yards. There was a blinding flash as the Me exploded in my face.

Download or read book Night Fighter over Germany written by Graham White and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2007-03-28 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: These are the highly evocative wartime memoirs of a young NCO pilot whose operational experience was with Beaufighters and Mosquitoes flying in the long-range night-fighter role. It is not a gung-ho account of daring-do, but a 'warts and all' story of what life was really like in that time of international crisis. No punches are pulled when the author experienced badly designed and dangerous aircraft, such as the Merlin-engined Beaufighter that was almost impossible to fly and killed many pilots during training, nor are the blinding errors made by those staff officers who conceived impossible tasks and operations which these young airmen were ordered to fly and survive. Threaded into a fascinating story of flying with the then leading-edge electronic technology, are the entirely human tales of nights out on the town, when stressed crews could relieve the stress of combat. Some hilarious accounts of wild nights on the ground blend comfortably with the dark skies over Europe and the endless search for the invisible Luftwaffe who were tasked with the destruction of Allied heavy bombers.

Download or read book Men Behind the Medals written by Air Commandore Graham Pitchfork and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 1990-12-31 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book pays tribute to the quite remarkable bravery of those young men who risked, and all too often lost, their lives for their country during the war. The author, himself a distinguished Royal Air Force officer, has singled out twenty-one men to represent 'the many' to whom he dedicated the book; but he has chosen them with care to illustrate, as far as possible, the wide scope of the duties of the Royal Air Force in wartime.

Download or read book Fighting The Bombers written by David C. Isby and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2003-08-01 with total page 251 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fighting the Bombers is an unrivaled look at the Allied bombing campaign from the point of view of the Luftwaffe establishment and command. The contributing authors were involved in all aspects of German attempts to stem the unrelenting bombardment from the RAF and USAAF; from tactics in the sky and development of the planes themselves, to long term strategy and planning on the ground, and the implementation of sophisticated radio and radar equipment. These reports were written immediately after the war, in 1945 and 1946 when most of the authors were prisoners of war, and for the most part were prepared without the aid of official documentation and records. As such they represent a view not coloured by reflection or by 'party lines' that became established in the post-war years, and clearly show the development of the Luftwaffe - particularly the tactics and equipment used for night flying - as the war progressed and give a clear history of attempts to defend the Reich from aerial attack. The book also benefits from having been written specifically for an audience well-versed in military aviation affairs, the allied aviation and intelligence services. The detail contained in the reports is unique and allows the reader a fresh perspective on this famous campaign.Fighting the Bombers is an unrivaled look at the Allied bombing campaign from the point of view of the Luftwaffe establishment and command. The contributing authors were involved in all aspects of German attempts to stem the unrelenting bombardment from the RAF and USAAF; from tactics in the sky and development of the planes themselves, to long term strategy and planning on the ground, and the implementation of sophisticated radio and radar equipment. These reports were written immediately after the war, in 1945 and 1946 when most of the authors were prisoners of war, and for the most part were prepared without the aid of official documentation and records. As such they represent a view not coloured by reflection or by 'party lines' that became established in the post-war years, and clearly show the development of the Luftwaffe - particularly the tactics and equipment used for night flying - as the war progressed and give a clear history of attempts to defend the Reich from aerial attack. The book also benefits from having been written specifically for an audience well-versed in military aviation affairs, the allied aviation and intelligence services. The detail contained in the reports is unique and allows the reader a fresh perspective on this famous campaign.Fighting the Bombers is an unrivaled look at the Allied bombing campaign from the point of view of the Luftwaffe establishment and command. The contributing authors were involved in all aspects of German attempts to stem the unrelenting bombardment from the RAF and USAAF; from tactics in the sky and development of the planes themselves, to long term strategy and planning on the ground, and the implementation of sophisticated radio and radar equipment. These reports were written immediately after the war, in 1945 and 1946 when most of the authors were prisoners of war, and for the most part were prepared without the aid of official documentation and records. As such they represent a view not coloured by reflection or by 'party lines' that became established in the post-war years, and clearly show the development of the Luftwaffe - particularly the tactics and equipment used for night flying - as the war progressed and give a clear history of attempts to defend the Reich from aerial attack. The book also benefits from having been written specifically for an audience well-versed in military aviation affairs, the allied aviation and intelligence services. The detail contained in the reports is unique and allows the reader a fresh perspective on this famous campaign.

Download or read book V1 Flying Bomb Aces written by Andrew Thomas and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-09-20 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Shortly after the Allied landings in France the Germans unleashed the first of their so-called 'revenge weapons', the V1 flying bomb. Launched from specially constructed sites in northern France, the fast, small, pulse-jet powered pilotless aircraft were aimed at London with the sole intent of destroying civilian morale to the point where the British government would be forced to sue for peace. This dangerous new threat drew an immediate response, and the Air Defence of Great Britain (as Fighter Command had been temporarily renamed) established layers of defence that included a gun line and balloon barrage. The main element, however, were standing patrols by the fastest piston-engined fighters available to the RAF – the new Tempest V and Griffon-powered Spitfire XIV. Other types were allocated too, most notably the Polish Mustang wing, while night defence was left in the capable hands of several dedicated Mosquito squadrons. Although pilotless, the V1 was no easy foe thanks to its speed, powerful warhead and sheer unpredictability. Nevertheless, 154 pilots became V1 aces, 25 of whom were also aces against manned aircraft.

Download or read book Beaufighter Boys written by Graham Pitchfork and published by Grub Street. This book was released on 2019-08-29 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author of Shot Down in the Drink shares photos and anecdotes detailing the history of the World War II fighter plane and its crews across the globe. Researched many years ago by Graham Patrick for a project that did not come to fruition, Beaufighter air and ground crew gave freely of their stories, which ranged from complete memoirs to brief anecdotes. And there were a plethora of original photographs for him to choose from. He has built on these tales to trace the roles of Beaufighter squadrons spread across all the theatres of World War II operations. From home bases, through northwest Europe, North Africa, Malta and the Mediterranean, to the Far East and southwest Pacific, the Beaufighter served far and wide, as did the crews of the RAF, RAAF, SAAF, and New Zealand and Canadian squadrons. All are covered in this quite unique book to be savored by all those interested in the war in the air from 1939–1945.

Download or read book The History of Air Intercept Radar the British Nightfighter 1935 1959 written by Ian White and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2007-05-30 with total page 414 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This detailed history of Air Intercept radar traces the development of this vital military technology with the Royal Air Force during WWII. In the years after World War I, the United Kingdom was desperate to develop some form of protection from an enemy air strike. As early as 1923, the British Army had devised “sound mirrors” that could detect aircraft up to twelve miles away. This technical history traces the development of military radar technology from this early, experimental phase to the creation of the first air-to-air radar systems and their uses in battle. Historian Ian White sets this fascinating narrative within the larger political, military, economic and technological context of the era. Through World War II, Air Intercept radar was a vital asset in protecting RAF bomber forces as well as the country itself. But developing the technology required the tireless work of physicists and engineers in the Air Ministry Research Establishment, particularly members of the Establishment’s Airborne Group working under Dr. Edward Bowen. Their Airborne Interception radars, such as the AI Mk. IV, were used in Blenheim night-fighters during the winter Blitz and by Mosquito during the Baedeker Raids. This in-depth history covers the introduction of centimetric technology at the Telecommunications Research Establishment, the creation of centimetric AI, and their installation in the Beaufighter and later marks of the Mosquito. It describes the creation of the Radiation Laboratory at MIT and concludes with a section on further developments during the Cold War.

Download or read book Night Flyer Mosquito Pathfinder written by Lewis Brandon and published by Stackpole Books. This book was released on 2011-01-31 with total page 508 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Two gripping memoirs by British night-fighter crewmen Action-adventure tales of aerial combat aboard Beaufighter and Mosquito aircraft Accounts of Pathfinders who flew ahead of bomber formations and marked targets deep inside German territory How new technologies like airborne radar, one of World War II's best-kept secrets, were used How night-fighters helped save British cities from destruction

Download or read book Air Gunners written by and published by Tim O'Flynn. This book was released on 2014-08-01 with total page 599 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Air Gunners is a tale of the life and loves of two men. One from the Irish Free State, the other from New Jersey in the USA who are thrown together during the mad days of World War II. Tim O'Leary meets up with Hal Grainger at an RAF aircrew training centre in Yorkshire, England while training to become air gunners. While they're still in training the Lancaster Bomber they're undergoing training in comes under attack by two Messerschmitt 110 hit and run raiders. They manage to shoot down both of their attackers resulting in both of them ending up being recommended for the Distinguished Flying Medal. Once they finish their training they move on to an Operational Training Unit where they 'crew up' and undergo further training before moving on to an Operational Squadron. Having become firm friends during their time in training they form a deadly partnership as the rear and mid-upper gunners of a Lancaster Bomber crew that by wars end they end up being credited with over 55 'kills' between them.

Download or read book Night Fighters written by Bill Gunston and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2004-01-15 with total page 269 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From its beginnings during World War I, the role of the dedicated night fighter aircraft and its pilots in the 21st century has evolved greatly. This work reflects the massive changes in technology and in tactics. It also covers the problems of tracking aerial targets by radar.

Download or read book From Night Flak to Hijack written by Reginald Levy and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2015-01-05 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the autobiography of Reginald Levy, a British pilot who reached a total of 25,090 flying hours in over forty years of civil, military and commercial aviation. He recounts his training and military operations as an RAF Bomber Command pilot during the Second World War. Enthralled and immersed within the ever growing world of aviation, he flies sixty-four types of aircraft between 1941 and 1981 and takes part in the Berlin Airlift. He joins the Belgian airline Sabena in 1952. In 1972, he is hijacked by Black September terrorists and plays a heroic part in the liberation of the hostages thanks to his professionalism and training.Not only does the book offer an insight into the hardships and camaraderie of World The Second World War and of the Cold War, it also gives a first-hand account of a Palestinian terrorist attempt. Two of the Israeli commandos who freed the hostages would go on to become prime ministers of Israel – Barak and Netanyahu. The epilogue is provided by his youngest grandson, Alex.