Adam Claasen – författare & böcker

Grid

The life and times of First World War fighter ace Keith Caldwell

Inbunden, Engelska, 2024

642 kr

Skickas inom 11-20 vardagar

This gripping biography of Air Commodore Keith ‘Grid’ Caldwell CBE, MC, DFC & bar, Croix de guerre, tells the story of his remarkable exploits during the First World War. Flying single-seat fighters against the best of the German air force, including the Red Baron’s Flying Circus and airmen such as Werner Voss, Caldwell accumulated 26 victories in aerial combat.

Over his illustrious career he flew with numerous ‘stars’ of the British air service, including Albert Ball, William ‘Billy’ Bishop and Edward ‘Mick’ Mannock. In the last year of the war, aged only 22, he was given command of the new 74 Squadron. Under his leadership 74 ‘Tiger’ Sqaudron become one of the war’s most feared and revered units.

Written by a leading military historian, Grid details Caldwell’s journey from early flight training in Auckland to his death-defying sorties over enemy lines on the Western Front. It also details his pivotal role in sustaining military aviation in interwar New Zealand, and his role in reinvigorating interest in the airmen of the First World War during the 1960s and 1970s.

Dogfight

The Battle of Britain

AvAdam Claasen

E-bok

Engelska, 2012

101 kr

Läs direkt efter köp

This book tells the story of Australians and New Zealanders in one of the Second World War’s defining and most memorable campaigns. From July until October 1940, the German air force (the Luftwaffe) sought aerial supremacy in skies over England as a prerequisite for an invasion of Britain (Operation Sealion). The ensuing conflict of Luftwaffe and RAF aircraft in the long summer of 1940 became forever known as the Battle of Britain. Of the 574 overseas pilots in the campaign, the New Zealand contingent of 134 airmen was second in size only to the Polish contribution. The Australian involvement, though smaller, was a healthy 37. Thus a fifth of overseas pilots were Anzacs. Among these colonials were some of the Battle of Britain’s widely admired aces. Of the top ten pilots with the greatest number of victories two were New Zealanders (C. F. Gray and B. Carbury) and one an Australian (P. Hughes). Australian and New Zealand aircrew were also employed in attacking enemy Channel ports and airfields as part of Bomber and Coastal Command’s attempts to thwart invasion preparations and blunt the Luftwaffe aerial onslaught. The Anzacs also had a fellow compatriot at the highest level in the Fighter Command system: the highly regarded New Zealander Air Vice-Marshal Sir Keith Park, who was instrumental in devising and implementing the integrated air defence of Britain around Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft, radio control and radar. In the spring of 1940, he was given the command of Group 11, which would face the brunt of the German aggression in south-east England. The success of Park’s plans and operational initiatives, and the role played by Anzac pilots and aircrew, would all contribute to the conflict’s eventual successful outcome.