Aircraft of the Aces – serie

Featuring stunning illustrations, this compact volume explores the early successes of the aircraft model and its aces.Although only built in modest numbers principally for the Dutch Air Force, the low-cost monoplane D.XXI fighter enjoyed its greatest success in combat with the Finnish Air Force. The Dutch D.XXIs saw less than a week of action following the German invasion of the west on 10 May 1940, with many of the country’s 28 fighters being destroyed on the ground. However, those that survived the initial onslaught inflicted losses on the Luftwaffe. By then, however, the D.XXI had found everlasting fame in Finland during the Winter War of 1939-40.Proving itself a real thorn in the side of the Soviets, the fighter, operating in primitive conditions and against vastly superior numbers, Finnish D.XXIs racked up an incredible score against the Red Air Force. The D.XXI also has the distinction of producing the first ‘ace in a single mission’ in World War 2, when then 1Lt Jorma Sarvanto shot down six Ilyushin DB-3 bombers on 6 January 1940.Kari Stenman and Peter de Jong chart the history of the planes and their aces. After spending a year providing home defence and flying coastal patrols during the early stages of the Continuation War in 1941, all surviving Finnish Fokker D.XXIs were relegated to the reconnaissance role, which they performed through to the end of hostilities in September 1944.

A study of the exploits of the Fiat CR.42 Aces in World War II.The Fiat CR.42, a logical development of the Fiat CR.32, was the last single-seat fighter biplane to be produced. It entered service with the Italian Regia Aeronautica in May 1939 before being exported to Belgium, Hungary and Sweden.Its combat debut came when the Belgian air force threw its fleet into action during the German invasion of the Low Countries on 10th May 1940. Despite being quickly overwhelmed, the Belgian pilots managed to make a number of aerial claims. The CR.42 became heavily involved in the fighting in North Africa and although it was gradually replaced by more modern fighters, it continued in a point defence and ground support role until the end of the war.Drawing on research from a range of sources, this book examines the extensive employment of the Italian fighter plane during the course of World War II.

An illustrated history of three pioneering fighters. The Defiant and the Blenheim enjoying early successes until they came up against the vastly superior Messerschmitt Bf 109, and the American-built Havoc.The Blenheim IF flew some of Fighter Command's early offensive operations, and the type soon proved vulnerable when pitted against single-seat fighters. However, for much of 1940 the Blenheim fighter squadrons provided the RAF's main long-range convoy escort and nightfighter capability. In the mid-1930s, in an attempt to capitalise on its expertise in power-operated gun turrets, the Boulton Paul Company developed the Defiant, a single-engined fighter in which all the armament was concentrated in the turret behind the pilot. Intended as a 'bomber destroyer', the Defiant had its combat debut over Dunkirk, and initially achieved some considerable success.A number of American-built aircraft called Douglas DB-7 light bombers (named Havoc by the RAF), were fitted with radar for nightfighter duties and others successfully replaced the Blenheim as night intruders. As this book outlines, a total of 11 pilots claimed five or more victories when flying these three types to become aces, whilst no fewer than 33 who became aces claimed at least part of their scores when flying the Blenheim, Defiant or Havoc.

Initially flying Italian-supplied Fiat G.50s, the Croat forces suffered heavy losses during 1942 whilst flying alongside JG 52 in the southern sector of the Russian front.Despite this, a significant number of kills fell to future aces such as Cvitan Galic and Mato Dubovak during this time, and when the units re-equipped with Bf 109G-10s in 1943, battle-seasoned Croat pilots started to rack up impressive scores.This book reveals how, by 1944, Croat air groups were defending Yugoslavia from British and American air raids, and in the final months of the war a handful of surviving pilots fought on until final defeat in May 1945.

The first USAAF fighters to engage the Japanese in World War 2, a handful of P-40s rose to defend Pearl Harbor from attack on the morning of 7 December 1941.Warhawk units were also heavily involved in the ill-fated fight to stem invading Japanese forces in the Philippines and Java between December 1941 and April 1942 and again in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands between January 1943 and March 1944.This book examines The Warhawk''s wartime exploits and all of its aces including ''aces-in-a-day'' Mel Wheadon and Joe Lesika.

This volume details the experiences of 107 elite American aces in combat against the Japanese.The highest scoring US pilots of World War 2 fought against the Japanese Army Air Force and Imperial Japanese Navy over the jungles of New Guinea and the Philippines. Flying P-38s and P-47s, men such as Dick Bong and Thomas McGuire won the Medal of Honor for their successes in combat in 1943-45. ''Twelve to One'' is a rare document that details the ''tricks of the trade'' employed by these men.This volume also includes biographies of the men whose tips for aerial combat make up the text, and the V Fighter Command Manual.

The first virtually all-jet war, the conflict in Korea saw F-86 Sabres of the USAF take on MiG-15s of the North Korean and Chinese air forces. Although the Allied pilots were initially taken aback by the ability of the communist fighter in combat, sound training and skilful leadership soon enabled Sabre pilots to dominate the dogfights over the Yalu River. In all 39 F-86 pilots achieved ace status, and a number of these are profiled in this volume, as are notable pilots from the US Navy, Marine Corps and Royal Navy and, for the first time, the handful of MiG-15 aces.

At the time of publication, no single volume in English had ever appeared in the West dealing with this intriguing subject area. Once restrictions relaxed in the former Soviet Union, the records of their elite pilots'' deeds - detailed in this book - came to light.Although initially equipped with very poor aircraft, and robbed of effective leadership thanks as much to Stalin''s purges in the late 1930s as to the efforts of the Luftwaffe, Soviet fighter pilots soon turned the tables through the use of both lend-lease aircraft like the Hurricane, Spitfire, P-39 and P-40, and home-grown machines like the MiG-3, LaGG-3/5, Lavochkin La-5/7/9 and the Yak-1/3.

Illustrated throughout, this book describes the action pilots of the Polish Air Force saw 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.As this book describes, with the invasion of Western Europe in May 1940, the surviving pilots were once more thrust into desperate action in newly-formed Polish units

The American Volunteer Group, or ''Flying Tigers'', have remained the most famous outfit to see action in World War II.Manned by volunteers flying American aircraft acquired from the British, the AVG fought bravely in the face of overwhelming odds in China and Burma prior to the US entry into World War II. Pilots such as ''Pappy'' Boyington, R T Smith and John Petach became household names due to their exploits against the Japanese Army Air Force. The AVG legend was created flying the Curtis P-40 Tomahawk and Kittyhawk.This volume dispels the myths surrounding the colours and markings worn by these famous fighters.

Thrown into action following the Torch landings of late 1942, the ''green'' American pilots flying the obsolescent P-40F suffered cruelly at the hands of seasoned German fighter pilots flying superior machines.Those that survived learnt quickly, and a handful of Warhawk pilots succeeded in making ace by the time the Axis forces surrendered in North Africa. The action then shifted to Sicily and Italy, and the P-40 remained in service until mid-1944.This book charts the careers of the 23 men who succeeded in making ace during that time, despite the advent of much better P-47 and P-51 fighters.

Initially flying Italian-supplied Fiat G.50s, the Croat forces suffered heavy losses during 1942 whilst flying alongside JG 52 in the southern sector of the Russian front.Despite this, a significant number of kills fell to future aces such as Cvitan Galic and Mato Dubovak during this time, and when the units re-equipped with Bf 109G-10s in 1943, battle-seasoned Croat pilots started to rack up impressive scores.This book reveals how, by 1944, Croat air groups were defending Yugoslavia from British and American air raids, and in the final months of the war a handful of surviving pilots fought on until final defeat in May 1945.

The first USAAF fighters to engage the Japanese in World War 2, a handful of P-40s rose to defend Pearl Harbor from attack on the morning of 7 December 1941.Warhawk units were also heavily involved in the ill-fated fight to stem invading Japanese forces in the Philippines and Java between December 1941 and April 1942 and again in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands between January 1943 and March 1944.This book examines The Warhawk''s wartime exploits and all of its aces including ''aces-in-a-day'' Mel Wheadon and Joe Lesika.

This volume details the experiences of 107 elite American aces in combat against the Japanese.The highest scoring US pilots of World War 2 fought against the Japanese Army Air Force and Imperial Japanese Navy over the jungles of New Guinea and the Philippines. Flying P-38s and P-47s, men such as Dick Bong and Thomas McGuire won the Medal of Honor for their successes in combat in 1943-45. ''Twelve to One'' is a rare document that details the ''tricks of the trade'' employed by these men.This volume also includes biographies of the men whose tips for aerial combat make up the text, and the V Fighter Command Manual.

The first virtually all-jet war, the conflict in Korea saw F-86 Sabres of the USAF take on MiG-15s of the North Korean and Chinese air forces. Although the Allied pilots were initially taken aback by the ability of the communist fighter in combat, sound training and skilful leadership soon enabled Sabre pilots to dominate the dogfights over the Yalu River. In all 39 F-86 pilots achieved ace status, and a number of these are profiled in this volume, as are notable pilots from the US Navy, Marine Corps and Royal Navy and, for the first time, the handful of MiG-15 aces.

Illustrated throughout, this book describes the action pilots of the Polish Air Force saw 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.As this book describes, with the invasion of Western Europe in May 1940, the surviving pilots were once more thrust into desperate action in newly-formed Polish units

The American Volunteer Group, or ''Flying Tigers'', have remained the most famous outfit to see action in World War II.Manned by volunteers flying American aircraft acquired from the British, the AVG fought bravely in the face of overwhelming odds in China and Burma prior to the US entry into World War II. Pilots such as ''Pappy'' Boyington, R T Smith and John Petach became household names due to their exploits against the Japanese Army Air Force. The AVG legend was created flying the Curtis P-40 Tomahawk and Kittyhawk.This volume dispels the myths surrounding the colours and markings worn by these famous fighters.

Thrown into action following the Torch landings of late 1942, the ''green'' American pilots flying the obsolescent P-40F suffered cruelly at the hands of seasoned German fighter pilots flying superior machines.Those that survived learnt quickly, and a handful of Warhawk pilots succeeded in making ace by the time the Axis forces surrendered in North Africa. The action then shifted to Sicily and Italy, and the P-40 remained in service until mid-1944.This book charts the careers of the 23 men who succeeded in making ace during that time, despite the advent of much better P-47 and P-51 fighters.

From the heat of Spain to the frozen wastelands of Finland, this book reveals the combat stories of the pilots who flew the Polikarpov fighters from 1936 until the end of World War II.The I-15, I-16 and I-153 fighters were the world''s first mass-produced fighters. Some 17,000 Polikarpovs had been manufactured by the time production ceased in 1941. They served with the Republicans in the Spain, the Chinese against Japan in 1937–38, and the Soviets against both Japan in the Nomonhan Incident and Finland during the Winter War. By 1941, more than 20 Soviet pilots had made ace in Polikarpovs, and many more attained that status during the first months of the German invasion.Though thoroughly outclassed, this book shows how the Polikarpov was the backbone of the Soviet air force during the early months of the war in the east, and continued to serve, as training aircraft and as frontline fighters, some right through to 1945.

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.

Entering service at the end of the Battle of Britain, the pugnacious Bristol Beaufighter was deployed in numbers by Fighter Command just in time for the start of the Luftwaffe''s night ''Blitz'' on Britain.Flown by specialised nightfighter squadrons – several of them elite pre-war Auxiliary Air Force units – it was the first nightfighter to be equipped with an airborne radar as standard. Thus equipped, it combined the ability to ''see'' the enemy at night with the devastating hitting power of four cannon and six machine guns.This book covers the exploits of the men who made ace in the Beaufighter and includes stunning original artwork together with first hand accounts of the action.

This book will detail the history and combat experiences of these forgotten pilots who operated in every theatre and every major conflict of the war.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.

The history of the 54 aces who flew Spitfires over Burma, India and Australia, with first-hand accounts and full-colour artwork revealing how this much-loved plane changed the fortunes of the Allied forces against the Japanese Army Air Force.The arrival of the Spitfire in Burma came at a crucial time as the RAF struggled against the Japanese to support the Chindit operation on the ground. Proving a huge boost to morale, the Spitfire played a large part in defeating the enemy, and covering the subsequent Allied advance through Burma, protecting the ground troops and providing vital supplies. Covering this little documented aerial war, this book tells the stories of the 54 aces who flew against the Japanese, and also those who fought in India and Australia.Full-colour artwork reveals the markings and paint schemes of this most-famous of British planes, whilst first-hand accounts and archive photographs bring the aerial battles of Burma, India and Australia to life.

The Mosquito developed into one of the most versatile aircraft of World War 2, entering service with Fighter Command in early 1942.The ''Mossie'' was soon defending raids on Britain''s Cathedral cities and became an integral part of the country''s night defences. Its airborne radar gave it the ability to ''see'' the enemy at night, and its speed and devastating fire power made it the finest nightfighter deployed by any side during World War 2.This book examines the infamous Mosquito, the nightfighter that was used by many leading RAF, Commonwealth and American aces.

A unique account of the fastest British fighter plane of World War 2.Modified for low-level operations to counter Luftwaffe attacks on the south coast, the Griffon-powered Spitfire XIV became the best low-level fighter of World War II. Squadrons moved to south-eastern England to counter the V1 flying bomb offensive, where daring pilots pioneered the technique of tipping the V1 over with the aircraft''s wingtip to disorientate the bomb. Andrew Thomas also investigates the role played by the modified Spitfire squadrons after the V1 offensive, both in the attack on Germany and after the war in Malaya and Palestine.First-hand stories, photographs and colour profiles complete this account of the aces who flew the most powerful Spitfire variant ever built.

An illustrated description of the famous US Nightfighter aces and their planes.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.

A look at the RAF service of the two most recognizable American-built fighters.The P-51 Mustang and P-47 Thunderbolt were the finest American fighters of World War 2, and both saw service with the RAF in substantial numbers. The RAF began flying the Mustang in 1944, using it to fly bomber escort missions, and deploying to support the ground campaigns in Italy and the Balkans. It was also flown by a number of Polish units in the RAF. The P-47 Thunderbolt was the best fighter available in CBI theatre, where it was flown by a number of aces against the Japanese, mainly in a ground support role.Although these two fighter types are most associated with the Americans, this book details the important role they performed serving in the RAF.

An operational history of the most successful fighter plane of the Spanish Civil War, and the aces that flew it.The CR.32 Falco was a handsome and highly manoeuvrable biplane fighter. During General Franco''s fight with the Republicans for the control of Spain from 1936 – 39, no fewer than 477 CR.32s were involved, with an astounding 709 confirmed aerial victories, and an additional 320 kills claimed, for just 62 losses. As these statistics reveal, the CR.32 was the unrivalled master of the skies over Spain.By the war''s end, the five leading aces of the conflict were all Spanish CR.32 pilots. Their exploits, and those of the other leading CR.32 aces, are examined for the first time in English in this exciting volume.

Essential coverage of the key part played by the iconic Spitfire in the desert campaign during 1942-43, and in the destruction of the Luftwaffe in Sicily, Italy and the Balkans from mid-1943 through to VE Day.Although most famous for their role in the Battle of Britain, many Spitfire squadrons also served in the Mediterranean theatre, aiding the Allied victories in North Africa and later in the invasion of Italy. Numerous pilots, both Royal Air Force and South African Spitfire squadrons, made ace during these engagements. This book tells their story.