Air Gunner

Author : Alan W. Cooper
Publisher : Casemate Publishers
Page : 595 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 2009-04-21
Category : History
ISBN : 9781783409143

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Air Gunner by Alan W. Cooper Pdf

There have been several books published about the wartime experiences of individual air gunners but there is no general history of Air Gunners, their equipment, training or service in the various RAF Commands in which they served. This book explains in great detail how and why the trade of air gunner was developed at the outset of World War II. Chapters include the history of the guns and turrets, the famous gunners, outstanding bravery during major raids, flying with Coastal Command, Bomber Command and overseas operations. It also includes the history of Air Gunners who became prisoners of war, outstanding bravery awards and American air gunners such as Clark Gable, John Huston and Charlton Heston. It includes many first-hand accounts of wartime combat as seen from the gun turret in the heat of battle. Air Gunners, tail-end Charleys in particular, have always been popular wartime heroes as they flew in their isolated positions protecting their aircraft from enemy fighter attack in the skies over war torn Europe.

Author : W.E. ‘Bill’ Goodman
Publisher : Lulu.com
Page : 290 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2013-02-06
Category : History
ISBN : 9781300705567

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Of Stirlings and Stalags: an air-gunner’s tale by W.E. ‘Bill’ Goodman Pdf

When William 'Bill' Goodman died in 2002 little did his daughters know the extent of the memoirs he had been writing in the few years before his death. Bill's life, from joining the RAF in 1941 at the age of 18 to his demob in 1948, was fraught with adventure. He describes his service with 7 Squadron at Oakington; he then highlights the terrifying events of the night their Stirling was shot down over Holland, his subsequent incarceration at Stalag Luft 3, periods in other camps and, finally, the long debilitating march back home. All this with fascinating commentary, vivid description and the intimacy of his experience. The reader will meet his fellow airmen and POWs, the man who shot down their Stirling on that eventful night, the heroes of the Dutch resistance and, surprisingly, a kindly and caring guard in Stalag Luft 3! A fascinating first-hand account of a young man's wartime experience.

Author : Chaz Bowyer
Publisher : London ; Toronto : J.M. Dent
Page : 204 pages
File Size : 45,9 Mb
Release : 1979
Category : Aerial gunnery
ISBN : UOM:39015019783144

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Guns in the Sky by Chaz Bowyer Pdf

Author : Hugh B. Cave
Publisher : Wildside Press LLC
Page : 246 pages
File Size : 41,6 Mb
Release : 2001-01-01
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 9781587154300

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I Took the Sky Road by Hugh B. Cave Pdf

Captain Norman Mickey Miller spent more than six thousand hours at the controls of airplanes. The Navy was his life. A legend began to grow up around him during his combat cruise in the Central Pacific as commanding officer of Bombing Squadron 109. Even to seasoned airmen his personal exploits were breathtaking, and under his leadership his squadron established the best record of destruction against enemy shipping and island bases of any land-based Navy search squadron in the Pacific. This is his story.

Author : Stephen C. Smith
Publisher : Pen and Sword
Page : 337 pages
File Size : 54,9 Mb
Release : 2015-04-30
Category : History
ISBN : 9781473835054

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From St Vith to Victory by Stephen C. Smith Pdf

Compiled from a variety of sources and first-hand accounts, this book is an authoritative record of the part played by No.218 (Gold Coast) Squadron during the bomber offensives of World War II. The squadron's activities are described in detail offering a unique insight into the lives of those involved and saluting the important role that No.3 Group and No.218 Squadron played in Bomber Command's ultimate victory.??No.218 Squadron was formed a few months before the Armistice which brought to a conclusion the Great War. Disbandment soon followed, rendering the squadron number plate dormant until the rise of National Socialism in Germany. The squadron was reformed in 1936 and spent the remaining peace time years honing its skills, skills that would be tested from the very first day of the bomber offensive against Germany to the very last.

Author : Craig Armstrong
Publisher : Pen and Sword Military
Page : 186 pages
File Size : 52,9 Mb
Release : 2022-11-30
Category : History
ISBN : 9781526704832

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Darlington & Teesdale at War 1939–45 by Craig Armstrong Pdf

During the Second World War, Darlington had a number of industries that were important to the war effort. With its historic links to the railway industry, the town possessed several engineering firms, as well as a number of companies that produced iron and steel products, and many of these companies switched some or all of their production over to wartime demands. The town also had an extensive rural hinterland and the farmers of Teesdale were faced with a barrage of new demands and regulations governing their vital work. Many residents of the area served as members of the armed forces and losses were grievous: the number of Darlington men killed while serving with the RAF was particularly high, with the impact of these losses spreading throughout the community. Despite many setbacks, Darlington was very efficient in bring its Air Raid Precautions and civil defence services up to full strength. With Britain facing invasion in 1940, many older men in the area, along with those younger men who were in reserved occupations, volunteered to serve in the Local Defence Volunteers (later the Home Guard) and one man was still serving at the age of 89. Thankfully, Darlington did not see the heavy bombing that many other communities in the North East of England suffered. However, there were still a large number of accidents in the area caused by the blackout, resulting in a number of fatalities. Locals also had to deal with rationing and not all were willing to pull together, seeing the wartime conditions, instead, as an opportunity to make illegal profits.

Author : Turner Publishing
Publisher : Turner Publishing Company
Page : 141 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 1994
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 9781563111679

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Air Force Gunners by Turner Publishing Pdf

History of the airforce gunners from early days through World War II and later

Author : Steve Bond,Richard Forder
Publisher : Grub Street
Page : 331 pages
File Size : 46,5 Mb
Release : 2011-12-27
Category : History
ISBN : 9781909166554

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Special Ops Liberators by Steve Bond,Richard Forder Pdf

This WWII Royal Air Force history reveals the activities of special ops squadrons and the electronic warfare and countermeasures they deployed. Established within the Royal Air Force Bomber Command, No. 100 Group was dedicated to the complex business of electronic warfare. Though its role was vital, it remains one of the least understood aspects of RAF operations during the Second World War. In this meticulously researched volume, aviation historian Steve Bond and Squadron Leader Richard Forder RAF (Ret’d) shed important light on the work of No. 100 Group by analyzing one of its Bomber Support Squadrons, No. 223. Equipped with former USAAF Liberators, No. 223 Squadron operated from August of 1944 to the end of the European war. Its primary role was protecting Bomber Command Main Force ops through the use of experimental radio and radar countermeasures against German defenses. With unique access to original documents and firsthand accounts from both sides of the conflict, Forder and Bond present a detailed and comprehensive picture of the secret activities of these special operatives and their effect on German defenses.

Author : Martin W. Bowman
Publisher : Casemate Publishers
Page : 391 pages
File Size : 49,8 Mb
Release : 2017-06-30
Category : History
ISBN : 9781473863163

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Bombers Fly East by Martin W. Bowman Pdf

Highlights include several chapters on the Mediterranean air forces, with special emphasis placed on the brave but futile attempts of the South African Air Force Liberator crews in Italy to supply Polish patriots during the Warsaw uprising. Individual chapters covering various aspects of the war in the Mediterranean, Malta and the Western Desert are told by the combatants themselves in crisp unerring detail. The author recounts the thrilling RAF Wellington and Liberator bombing and resupply operations from Italy, before following the action to the Far East and the combats between the RAF and the Japanese Imperial Air Force.The story of some of the bravest Blenheim sorties and dog fights with Japanese Zeroes are uniquely related by the crews and the Japanese pilots. Numerous stories of the part played by the RAF and Royal Australian Air Force Liberator crews operating over the jungles of iam, Malaya and Singapore feature, as does the story of the famous Yangtze Incident, which involved HMS Amethysts precarious and dangerous voyage down the Yangtze River in the face of opposition from Chinese forces.The book is illustrated with never before seen images of RAF, SAAF, RAAF and USAAF aircraft and their crews. It serves to commemorate the many acts of bravery, endurance and heroism that characterized this time.

Author : Donald Nijboer
Publisher : Erin, Ont. : Boston Mills Press
Page : 168 pages
File Size : 51,8 Mb
Release : 2001
Category : History
ISBN : STANFORD:36105025345831

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Gunner by Donald Nijboer Pdf

Through Patterson's remarkable photography and Nijboer's interviews with veterans, "Gunner" allows readers to imagine what it must have been like to be an air gunner in the Second World War. 150 color photos plus historical b&w photos.

Author : Wg Cdr C.G. Jefford
Publisher : Grub Street Publishing
Page : 417 pages
File Size : 52,7 Mb
Release : 2014-05-19
Category : History
ISBN : 9781909808027

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Observers and Navigators by Wg Cdr C.G. Jefford Pdf

This title first appeared in 2001 to universal acclaim, quickly went out of print and has remained so since. The author, meantime, has continued his research and the result is this updated edition, over half as long as the first, with stacks of new photographs. Absolutely essential reference for all those interested in military aviation.

Author : Sqd. Ldr. Richard Rivaz DFC
Publisher : Pickle Partners Publishing
Page : 374 pages
File Size : 48,8 Mb
Release : 2016-07-26
Category : History
ISBN : 9781786259295

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Tail Gunner Takes Over [Illustrated Edition] by Sqd. Ldr. Richard Rivaz DFC Pdf

Includes the Aerial Warfare In Europe During World War II illustrations pack with over 200 maps, plans, and photos. The follow-up to the successful “Tail Gunner,” Rivaz’ firsthand account of the part he played in RAF Bomber Command’s fledgling bomber offensive between August 1940 and December 1941. After his heroic exploits as a tail gunner he moved on to flight training in Canada. This book was published just prior to his untimely death on October 13th, 1945, having survived the Second World War.

Author : Dr Ben Jones
Publisher : Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.
Page : 566 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 2012-12-28
Category : History
ISBN : 9781472404220

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The Fleet Air Arm in the Second World War by Dr Ben Jones Pdf

This is the first of three volumes detailing the history of the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War. It deals with the formative period between 1939 and 1941, incorporating an in depth coverage of significant operations, including the Norwegian campaign, and incidents involving the loss of and damage to aircraft carriers, including the sinking of Ark Royal. A wide range of official documents are used to enable the reader to appreciate the complexity of the operations and how the Royal Navy adapted to the use of air power in the Second World War.

Author : Sqd. Ldr. Richard Rivaz DFC
Publisher : Pickle Partners Publishing
Page : 335 pages
File Size : 52,9 Mb
Release : 2016-07-26
Category : History
ISBN : 9781786259288

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Tail Gunner [Illustrated Edition] by Sqd. Ldr. Richard Rivaz DFC Pdf

Includes the Aerial Warfare In Europe During World War II illustrations pack with over 200 maps, plans, and photos. Originally published in 1943, this is one man’s first-hand account of the part he played in RAF Bomber Command’s fledgling bomber offensive between August 1940 and December 1941. Richard Rivaz flew as tail gunner to Leonard Cheshire, one of the most famous RAF pilots of World War II. His modest but vivid narrative reveals what it was like to be part of a heavy bomber crew flying first Whitleys and then Halifaxes with No.s 102 and 35 squadrons.—Print Ed.

Author : George Culling
Publisher : The History Press
Page : 149 pages
File Size : 41,7 Mb
Release : 2017-07-06
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 9780750984584

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Tales of Lancasters and Other Aircraft by George Culling Pdf

Of every 100 operational airmen in World War Two, 9 were killed flying in England and 3 severely injured in crashes, so non-operational casualties were significant in numbers, over 15,000. Operational casualties were of course chillingly grim – over 56,000 airmen died in the Second World War, over half those involved. George Culling was a nineteen-year-old Lancaster navigator whose own experiences often involved battling tricky and dangerous conditions. Fascinated by the ever-present dangers for airmen even well away from combat, he has collated tales from comrades and combined them with his own to preserve some of the unexpected, inconvenient, dangerous, and often downright bizarre experiences that frequently typified daily life for airmen in the Second World War.