Air Aces of World War II
Air Aces of World War II

Author: Robert Jackson

Publisher: Crowood Press (UK)

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 116

ISBN-13: 9781840374124

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The conflict in the skies above the combat zones of World War II bred a new legion of heroes. Boys became men in weeks and many became commanders and leaders before the age of twenty-five. These young pilots were flying for their lives on every dangerous sortie and in every type of aircraft. From the heavy bomber struggling to its target in the German Ruhr to the shipboard fighter fired into combat by a carrier's catapult in the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean, every pilot honed his skills to take on the enemy and survive. They were all brave men - but some have become legends. Pilots like Guy Gibson - leader of the famous Dam Buster's raid; Don Gentile - an ace in the Mustang fighter defending allied heavy bombers deep over enemy Europe; John "Cat's Eyes" Cunningham - top scoring night-fighter ace; or Leon W. Johnson - leader of the low-level raid on Ploesti oil refinery complex in Romania. These are some of the hundred heroes included in this compact reference to the history and record of allied and enemy aces of World War II.

American Military History
American Military History

Author: Daniel K. Blewett

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published: 2008-12-30

Total Pages: 469

ISBN-13: 1598844989

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In this companion volume to his 1995 bibliography of the same title, Daniel Blewett continues his foray into the vast literature of military studies. As did its predecessor, it covers land, air, and naval forces, primarily but not exclusively from a U.S. perspective, with the welcome emergence of small wars from publishing obscurity. In addition to identifying relevant organizations and associations, Blewett has gathered together the very best in chronologies, bibliographies, biographical dictionaries, indexes, journals abstracts, glossaries, and encyclopedias, each accompanied by a brief descriptive annotation. This work remains a pertinent addition to the general reference collections of public and academic libraries as well as special libraries, government documents collections, military and intelligence agency libraries, and historical societies and museums.

The White Rose of Stalingrad
The White Rose of Stalingrad

Author: Bill Yenne

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2013-02-20

Total Pages: 401

ISBN-13: 1782009124

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Bill Yenne brings to life the untold story of Lidiya Vladimirovna, Russia's World War II flying ace, who lit up the skies over Germany and Russia while flying 66 combat missions Of all the major air forces that were engaged in the war, only the Red Air Force had units comprised specifically of women. Initially the Red Air Force maintained an all-male policy among its combat pilots. However, as the apparently invincible German juggernaut sliced through Soviet defenses, the Red Air Force began to rethink its ban on women. By October 1941, authorization was forthcoming for three ground attack regiments of women pilots. Among these women, Lidiya Vladimirovna “Lilya” Litvyak soon emerged as a rising star. She shot down five German aircraft over the Stalingrad Front, and thus become history's first female ace. She scored 12 documented victories over German aircraft between September 1942 and July 1943. She also had many victories shared with other pilots, bringing her possible total to around 20. The fact that she was a 21-year-old woman ace was not lost on the hero-hungry Soviet media, and soon this colourful character, whom the Germans dubbed “The White Rose of Stalingrad,” became both folk heroine and martyr.

World War II Fighter Planes Spotter's Guide
World War II Fighter Planes Spotter's Guide

Author: Tony Holmes

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2021-02-04

Total Pages: 289

ISBN-13: 1472848500

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World War II saw pilots from around the world battling in the skies over Europe, Asia and Africa, with victory resting upon their nerve, skill and the capabilities of some of history's most iconic aircraft. In the chaos of battle, it was vital that they could quickly identify friend from foe. But do you know your Hurricane from your Bf 109, or what the legendary P-51 Mustang looks like? Do you know the wingspan of the A6M Zero-sen, or how fast it could fly? THE WORLD WAR II FIGHTER PLANES SPOTTER'S GUIDE answers all of these questions and more, providing essential information on over 90 legendary aircraft, from the celebrated Spitfire to the jet-powered Me 262. Featuring full-colour artwork to aid recognition, as well as all the details you need to assess their performance, this is the perfect pocket guide to the Allied and Axis fighters of World War II.

Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe in World War II
Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe in World War II

Author: Philip Kaplan

Publisher: Pen and Sword

Published: 2007-03-22

Total Pages: 403

ISBN-13: 1473814073

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This book examines the reality behind the myths of the legendary German fighter aces of World War II. It explains why only a small minority of pilots - those in whom the desire for combat overrode everything - accounted for so large a proportion of the victories. It surveys the skills that a successful fighter pilot must have - a natural aptitude for flying, marksmanship, keen eyesight - and the way in which fighter tactics have developed. The book examines the history of the classic fighter aircraft that were flown, such as the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the Focke Wulf Fw 190, and examines each type's characteristics, advantages and disadvantages in combat. The accounts of the experiences of fighter pilots are based on archival research, diaries, letters, published and unpublished memoirs and personal interviews with veterans. The pilots included are Werner Molders, Gunther Rall, Adolf Galland, Erich Hartmann and Johannes Steinhoff.

Command Of The Air
Command Of The Air

Author: General Giulio Douhet

Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing

Published: 2014-08-15

Total Pages: 620

ISBN-13: 1782898522

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In the pantheon of air power spokesmen, Giulio Douhet holds center stage. His writings, more often cited than perhaps actually read, appear as excerpts and aphorisms in the writings of numerous other air power spokesmen, advocates-and critics. Though a highly controversial figure, the very controversy that surrounds him offers to us a testimonial of the value and depth of his work, and the need for airmen today to become familiar with his thought. The progressive development of air power to the point where, today, it is more correct to refer to aerospace power has not outdated the notions of Douhet in the slightest In fact, in many ways, the kinds of technological capabilities that we enjoy as a global air power provider attest to the breadth of his vision. Douhet, together with Hugh “Boom” Trenchard of Great Britain and William “Billy” Mitchell of the United States, is justly recognized as one of the three great spokesmen of the early air power era. This reprint is offered in the spirit of continuing the dialogue that Douhet himself so perceptively began with the first edition of this book, published in 1921. Readers may well find much that they disagree with in this book, but also much that is of enduring value. The vital necessity of Douhet’s central vision-that command of the air is all important in modern warfare-has been proven throughout the history of wars in this century, from the fighting over the Somme to the air war over Kuwait and Iraq.