‘Twelve to One’ V Fighter Command Aces of the Pacific (Aircraft of the Aces)

Shlomo Aloni, Jim Laurier

The American manufactured F-4 Phantom II was used by the Israelis in air-to-ground missions, as an attack aircraft, and air-to-air missions as a fighter. Despite performing both roles with equal success the Israeli reliance on the Mirage III and Nesher delta fighters meant that the F-4 was used most regularly in its air-to-ground role. The kill total of the Israeli F-4 community was, consequently, a modest 116.5; significantly lower than that of other Israeli aircraft types in service between 1969 and 1982. A handful of aces were, nevertheless, created and, using first hand accounts, this unique book tells their stories. Many F-4 pilots had previously flown the Mirage III but most of the navigators were either inexperienced flying school graduates or had been transferred from transport aircraft. The decision to create such teams may have appeared an odd one and it certainly led to a number of interesting experiences but proved, ultimately, to be so successful that by 2010 the Israeli air force will have more two-seat combat aircraft than single-seat fighters. The F-4 experience was, therefore, crucial to moulding the future of the Israeli air force. Leer más…

George Mellinger; Jim Laurier(Illustrator)

This book examines the LaGG family of fighters, that were amongst the first modern piston-engined interceptors made available to the Red Air Forces in early 1941 and proved far better fighters than their radial-engined predecessors. Despite technical maladies and political interference from Moscow, the LaGG-3 matured into an effective fighter when flown to its strengths at low level. Many early Soviet aces were weaned on the LaGG-3, and if they survived the early massacres of 1941-42, they went on to fly the Lavochkin family of fighters. Indeed, the Lavochkin La-3, -5 and -7 were the fighters of choice for Heroes of the Soviet Union such as Ivan Kozhedub, who claimed 62 kills. Leer más…

John Weal; Mike Chappell(Illustrator)

Of all the fronts fought on by the Jagdflieger during World War 2, the Russian, or Eastern, was easily the most lucrative in terms of targets for the experten. Marry an abundance of targets with the LuftwaffeвЂTMs best piston-engined fighter of the war – Focke-WulfвЂTMs Fw 190 ‘Butcher BirdвЂTM – and it quickly becomes apparent why so many Jagdflieger achieved kills that passed the 100 victories mark. Flying in variable weather on a battlefront that was constantly changing, the Fw 190 pilots fought virtually to extinction in both the pure fighter and the crucial Schlacht ground attack roles. Aircraft of the Aces 6 and 37 are also available in a single volume as ‘German Aces of the Russian FrontвЂTM. Leer más…

Steve Nichols, Steve Nichols

The siege of Malta during World War 2 is one of the great epics of aerial warfare. In 1942, it was described alternately as both a 'fighter pilot's paradise' and 'the most bombed place on earth'. During the peak of the Axis efforts against Malta, it suffered 154 consecutive days and nights of bombing, 100 nights more that London suffered during the Blitz. The destruction of Axis convoys by Malta-based aircraft proved to be one of the decisive factors in the defeat of Rommel's forces in North Africa. This vital position would have been lost if it had not been for the successful defence of the island by a handful of greatly outnumbered Royal Air Force fighter squadrons. In the brutal and unforgiving air war over Malta only the very best fighter pilots succeeded, and all too often that was no guarantee of living another day. This book details the heroic story of the Spitfire Aces based on Malta. Drawn from an international team of Australians, British, Canadians, New Zealanders, Rhodesians and South Africans these pilots fought against extreme deprivation, physical hardships and overwhelming odds in one of the most crucial and decisive air battles of World War II. Leer más…

Andrew Thomas

The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy served with distinction in every theatre of war throughout World War II. From its poorly equipped beginnings it started the war with few suitable, modern, carrier-born fighters to the final campaigns over the Japanese home islands, the FAA proved an effective fighting force wherever it went. FAA Pilots had the distinction of being responsible for both the first, and last, enemy aircraft to be shot down during the war. Featuring first hand accounts, combat reports, photographs from private collections and an array of colour plates depicting the range of profiles and symbolic markings that were used, this book will detail the history and combat experiences of these forgotten pilots who served with such distinction for the Allied cause. = Leer más…

Michael O'leary, Michael O1 Leary

This volume focuses on the little known official Army Air Force report commissioned by the Eighth Air Force's VIII Fighter Command (FC) in May 1944. The detailed document chronicled the experiences of 24 pilots who had seen extensive service in the frontline escorting B-17s and B-24s on daylight raids deep into Germany. Briefed to provide a candid report on combat flying that could be used as a teaching 'manual' for potential fighter pilots, the VIII FC veterans openly discuss their secrets to success, and survival in the deadly skies over occupied Europe. Exactly half of those pilots who contributed to The Long Reach subsequently achieved ace status. Leer más…

John Weal, John Weal

the Period Covered In This Volume Was Considered To Be The 'glory Years' For The Jagdwaffe - Fresh From The Experience Gained In The Spanish Civil War - And For The Bf 109 In Particular. Many Famous Pilots Scored Their First Kills In The Classic Dogfights Staged Over Poland, Western Europe, The Channel And Finally Southern England. Some 40 Knight's Crosses Were Awarded In 1940 Alone. However, After Sweeping All Before Them In Support Of The Blitzkrieg Across Continental Europe, The Bf 109e Pilots Were To Suffer Badly During The Battle Of Britain, The Result Of Poor Tactics Inflicted Upon Them By The Luftwaffe High Command, And Their Mount's Less Then Generous Range. Leer más…

John Stanaway, Tom Tullis

Although far better known for their exploits over the war torn skies of Germany and Italy, the USAAF's premier fighters, the P-47 and P-51, also made significant contributions to the victory against Japan from 1943 onwards. This book relates the appearance of the Allison-engined A-36As and P-51As over Rangoon from India in November 1943, the 1st Air Commando Group in China, P-47s over the jungles of New Guinea in 1943, escorting B-29s on long-range bombing sorties against the Home Islands in 1944-45 and elsewhere. Leer más…

Norman Franks; Harry Dempsey(Illustrations)

this Book Focuses On The Combat Careers Of The Last Of The Famous Sopwith Fighters To Enter Service During World War 1, The Dolphin And The Snipe, Both Of Which Were Built On The Strong Scouting Heritage Of The Pup And Camel. The Dolphin Featured The Unique Negative-staggered Biplane Wing Arrangement, Which Provided The Pilot With The Best Possible Tactical View Forward For Seeking Out His Enemy. Used Extensively On The Western Front, The Dolphin Proved Very Effective In Combat, With A Substantial Number Of British Aces Scoring Kills With The Fighter. The Snipe Was Built As The Successor Of The Highly Successful Camel, And Entered Service With The Fledgling Royal Air Force In The Summer Of 1918. Although Seeing Just A Few Months Of Action Before The Armistice, The Snipe Nevertheless Proved Its Superiority Over Virtually All Other Fighters. Leer más…

Greg Vanwyngarden

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Norman L.r. Franks; Greg Vanwyngarden

volume 53 In This Series Covered Fokker D Vii Aces From The Four Elite Jagdgeschwadern Of The German Army, And This Follow-on Volume Charts The Story Of The Many Aces Who Flew The Famed Fighter In Other Units Committed To Combat In The Final Months Of World War 1. D Vii Operations Covered The Entire Western Front, From The North Sea To The Swiss Border. In The Latter Half Of 1918 The Fokker Was Not Only The Mainstay Of The Army Jagdstaffeln, But Also The Most Potent Fighter Flown By Home Defence Kests And The Pilots Of The German Navy In Flanders. The D Vii Easily Proved The Equal Of The Many British, French, Belgian And American Aircraft It Met In Combat, And Served In Such Roles As Day Bomber Interceptor, 'balloon Buster' And Nightfighter. Though Handicapped By A Lack Of Fuel And Other Supplies As The German War Machine Fell Apart, Aces Such As Sachsenberg, Degelow And Rumey Utilised The D Vii To Rack Up Impressive Scores Against Consistently Superior Odds. Leer más…

Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Robert Gretzyngier

Pilots of the Polish Air Force saw action from the first day of World War 2 until the final victory in Europe. Flying hopelessly outmoded P.11 fighters in defence of their country in September 1939, a handful of aviators inflicted serious losses on the Luftwaffe before being overwhelmed. The survivors escaped to then neutral Hungary and Romania, before being ordered to France by the new C-in-C of exiled Polish Armed Forces, General Sikorski. With the invasion of Western Europe in May 1940, the surviving pilots were once more thrust into desperate action in newly-formed Polish units Leer más…

Greg Vanwyngarden; Harry Dempsey

The Pfalz Flugzeug Werke, located at Speyer am Rhein in Bavaria, was the third in the great triumvirate (along with Fokker and Albatros) of German fighter manufacturers in the Great War. When World War I broke out in 1914, Pfalz initially produced copies of the Morane-Saulnier parasol monoplanes for the German air service. With the advent of the famed Fokker Eindeckers with their synchronized machine guns, Pfalz entered the fighter market with the Pfalz E.I and its successors, all monoplanes which were similarly armed. Though never as as numerous as the Albatros or Fokker designs, the D III/IIIa was flown in combat by many well-known aces: Werner Voss, Carl Degelow, Erich Löwenhardt, and the balloon buster Fritz von Röth, among others. This book examines the little-known aircraft flown by these incredible men. = Leer más…

Greg Vanwyngarden, Harry Dempsey

One of the "top picks for specialized military holdings" - California Bookwatch The Fokker Eindecker (monoplane) can truly be said to have begun the age of fighter aviation. With the development of its revolutionary synchronised system that enabled the machine gun to fire through the propellor, Fokker E I pilots caused consternation in the Allied air services as they began to reap a harvest of victims in the summer of 1915. While the first victory with a Fokker E-type is now believed to have been earned by Kurt Wintgens on 1 July 1915, it was the exploits of Max Immelmann and Oswald Boelcke that made the machine legendary. These men, along with others such as Parschau and Hohndorf, received the adulation of the German public along with such honors as the first awards of the coveted Blue Max. They created the tactics and principles of German fighter aviation as they did so, developing doctrine that is still relevant to today's fighter pilots. However, by the end of 1916, the glory days of the lone hunter and his Fokker Eindecker were over. They were replaced by a succeeding generation of biplane fighters which would be flown in new formations - the Jagdstaffeln or 'hunting groups'. The story of these first Fokker and Halberstadt biplane fighters and their pilots concludes this volume. RELATED TITLES German Air Force 1914-1918 (Elite) Fokker Dr 1 Aces of World War I (Aicraft of the Aces) American Aces of World War I (Aircraft of the Aces) Leer más…

Norman Franks; Tony Holmes(Editor); Harry Dempsey(Illustrator)

The inspiration behind the iconic Fokker Dr I, Sopwith's Triplane was built as a replacement for the company's hugely successful, and much loved, Pup. Thanks to its massive wing area, the revolutionary Triplane boasted an unmatched rate of climb and greatly improved manoeuvrability. Indeed, when the type made its combat debut in late 1916, the Triplane could easily out-fight any other aircraft operated by either side. Used exclusively by the Royal Naval Air Service and the French Navy, theTriplane had a far greater impact on the aerial war over the Western Front than its meagre production numbers really deserved. Pilots such as Ray Collishaw, Bob Little and Roderic Dallas all enjoyed success in the bloody struggle for aerial supremacy over the Western Front in 1917. The first volume in print devoted exclusively to Triplane aces, this book includes numerous first-hand accounts, detailed appendices, more than 90 rare photographs and over 40 all-new colour profiles and planforms. Leer más…

Andrew Thomas, John Weal (Illustrator)

The Hurricane saw widespread action with Allied forces, as the RAF's first monoplane fighter. This book describes its many feats throughout 1945. It served as a fighter-bomber on the Channel Front, where the American Eagles and Polish units were amongst the Fighter Command squadrons flying the Hurricane, and where some of its highest-scoring aces operated. The Sea Hurricane was the principal fighter deployed by the Fleet Air Arm in the Mediterranean, and Hurricane units continued to operate from bases in India and Ceylon until 1945, following their failure to defend Singapore and Malaya from the Japanese. Leer más…

Andrew Thomas, Tony Holmes, Andrew Thomas

Deemed unsuitable for the Channel Front, lend-lease Tomahawks and Kittyhawks instead became the staple fighters of the Desert Air Force in 1941-42, flying with RAF, South African and Australian squadrons in North Africa and the Middle East. Although usually outclassed by the Bf 109, a number of pilots enjoyed some success during the desert campaign – men like Caldwell, Gibbes, Edwards and Drake, all of whom accrued double figure scores. In the Far East, Australian and New Zealand pilots also saw much action against the Japanese in 1942/43, flying over the jungles of New Guinea in defence of the Australian mainland. This book charts the careers of the men who ‘made aceвЂTM in these often underestimated fighters. = Leer más…

John Stanaway; Tom Tullis(Illustrations)

The P-38 made its combat debut in Europe in mid-1942, the first American fighters being flown to the UK before heading further east to Twelfth Air Force units in North Africa. Its service in this theatre, and later over the heartland of Germany itself, earned the P-38 the nickname 'der gabelschwanzer Teufel' (the 'fork-tailed' devil). This volume traces the careers of many previously unknown aces within the USAAF in Europe, and helps redress the balance which has in the past seen all the 'glory' for the fighter victories in this theatre shared between the pilots of the P-47 and P-51. Some 17 pilots scored 7 or more kills on the P-38 in the ETO/MTO. Aircraft of the Aces 1, 19 and 24 are also available in a single volume as ‘Aces of the Mighty EighthвЂTM. Leer más…

John Stanaway; Tom Tullis(Illustrations)

the P-38 Was Used On Virtually Every Front To Which The Usaaf Were Committed, But Enjoyed Its Greatest Successes In The Pacific And China-burma-india (cbi) Theatres. The Speed, Range And Firepower Of The P-38 Made It The Favourite Of Nearly All Aircrew Fighting In The Solomons, New Guinea And The Philippines, And Over 1800 Japanese Aircraft Fell To Its Guns. From The First Encounters At The End Of 1942 Until The Lightning Scored The Final Fifth Air Force Victories In August 1945, These Pilots Made The Pacific Skies Very Much Their Own Battleground. Leer más…

Jiri Rajlich, John Weal

In 1939, Slovakia signed a protection agreement with the German Reich and joined the attack on Poland, where its Avia B-534-equipped fighter squadrons claimed their first kills. In October 1942, having made do with obsolete aircraft, the Slovaks were equipped with Bf 109Es and eventually acquired 43 Messerschmitt fighters. The Slovaks would claim over 215 kills. Although it supported German efforts in Yugoslavia and Greece, Bulgaria did not declare war on Russia. First seeing action in August 1943, Bulgarian fighter pilots used their Bf 109Gs to good effect. From late 1943 through to mid-1944, the Bulgarian pilots attempted to defend the country from American bombers, and Stoyanov and Bochev made ace during this period. Leer más…