Focke Wulf Fw 190 Aces Of The Western Front

Author : John Weal
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 232 pages
File Size : 44,8 Mb
Release : 2012-10-20
Category : History
ISBN : 9781782005254

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Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Western Front by John Weal Pdf

The Fw 190 was the scourge of Fighter Command from the moment it appeared on the Western Front at Abbeville in August 1941 with II./JG 26. A nimble, speedy and well-armed adversary, the 'Butcher Bird' quickly proved superior to all Allied fighters of the time, particularly at medium to low altitude. Led by Experten of the calibre of 'Pips' Priller, Heinz Bar and Walter Oesau, the handful of Fw 190-equipped Jagdgeschwader flew against overwhelming odds, firstly on the Channel coast, and then in direct defence of the Reich when the Jagdflieger took on the might of the USAAF's Eighth and Ninth Air Forces. This is their story.

Author : John Weal
Publisher : Osprey Publishing
Page : 100 pages
File Size : 43,5 Mb
Release : 1995-09-11
Category : History
ISBN : 1855325187

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Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Russian Front by John Weal Pdf

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 Luftwaffe's best piston-engined fighter of the war – Focke-Wulf's Fw 190 'Butcher Bird' – 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.

Author : John A Weal
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 62 pages
File Size : 47,6 Mb
Release : 2000
Category : Fighter pilots
ISBN : 8483724480

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Focke-Wulf FW 190 Aces on the Eastern Front by John A Weal Pdf

Author : John Weal
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 150 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 2012-10-20
Category : History
ISBN : 9781782005117

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Fw 190 Defence of the Reich Aces by John Weal Pdf

Renowned aviation author and artist, John Weal, presents the last volume of Fw 190 Aces not previously covered in the Aircraft of the Aces series. From mid-1942 until the end of the war, German fighter pilots were deployed in the defence of the homeland in an effort to halt the near-constant bombing raids by Britain and America. This book tells their story, from the moment when the Luftwaffe began to retreat to the dying days of the Reich. Using previously unpublished photographs, this book charts the story of the men who earned their status as aces while fighting a hopeless battle to protect the land and the people they loved.

Author : John Weal
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 96 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 1998
Category : Electronic
ISBN : OCLC:464227182

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Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Russian Front by John Weal Pdf

Beretning om det tyske jagerfly Fw 190 og piloter, der fløj det på Østfronten under 2. verdenskrig.

Author : Dmitriy Khazanov,Aleksander Medved
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 81 pages
File Size : 46,5 Mb
Release : 2011-09-20
Category : History
ISBN : 9781849084741

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La-5/7 vs Fw 190 by Dmitriy Khazanov,Aleksander Medved Pdf

Soviet fighter aviation suffered terribly at the hands of the Jagdwaffe in the first year of the war in the east and, with the arrival of JG 51 and its Fw 190s on the Stalingrad Front in September 1942, things only got worse. However, help was on its way in the form of the La-5. Tougher, faster, and with a greater rate of climb than its predecessors, most were flow by a new generation of better-trained pilots led by combat veterans. These new fighters soon found themselves pitted into action on the Central Sector against the equally new Fw 190As of JG 51. From then on, these two fighters would battle it out in the skies over the Eastern Front. This book tells the complete story of the battles between these two important fighters.

Author : John Weal
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 186 pages
File Size : 41,6 Mb
Release : 2012-01-20
Category : History
ISBN : 9781780963518

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Bf 109 F/G/K Aces of the Western Front by John Weal Pdf

The follow--on volume to Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 11 Bf 109D/E Aces 1939-41, this book charts the story of the myriad aces who flew the later marks of Messerschmitt fighter through to VE-Day. As good as the Emil had been during the opening 18 months of the war, the aircraft was being progressively bettered in virtually all aspects of aerial combat by the Spitfire come 1941, so Messerschmitt updated and improved the breed, firstly with the introduction of the Friedrich and then the multi-variant Gustav.

Author : Chris McNab
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 401 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 2012-11-20
Category : History
ISBN : 9781782003113

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Hitler’s Eagles by Chris McNab Pdf

Hitler's Eagles charts the turbulent history of the Luftwaffe from its earliest days to its downfall. At the beginning of World War II, the Luftwaffe was the world's most advanced air force. With superior tactics, aircraft and training, it cut through opposition air forces. Despite this auspicious beginning, by 1945 the Luftwaffe was a dying force. The Allies were destroying German aircraft at unequal rates, and Luftwaffe aviators were dying in their thousands in an unbalanced battle to save Germany from destruction. Once Hitler was in power, the Luftwaffe came out of the shadows and expanded under a massive rearmament programme, then embarked upon the war that would define its existence. As well as providing a detailed history of the Luftwaffe's combat experience, the book expands on its human and material aspects. Aces and commanders are profiled and aircraft are described both technologically and tactically. The book conveys all the drama of the Luftwaffe's existence with Osprey's famous aviation artwork bringing the story incomparably to life.

Author : Jeremy Dixon
Publisher : Pen and Sword Military
Page : 258 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 2023-12-30
Category : History
ISBN : 9781399030762

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Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe by Jeremy Dixon Pdf

The German fighter pilots of the Second World War are among the undoubted heroes of the conflict, their reputation for flying skill, single-minded determination and solitary courage hasn’t diminished or been clouded by controversy over the years. Their daring and commitment, often displayed when, towards the end of the war, they were fighting against the odds, matches that of any of the other air forces they fought against. This detailed, highly illustrated reference book, which covers the exploits of the most famous and successful individuals among them, shows just how effective and undaunted they were. All the Luftwaffe day fighter pilots who flew single-seater aircraft and won the Knight’s Cross during the war are featured. The entries give information about their early lives and pre-war careers and record how many aircraft they shot down, the type of aircraft involved and where and when the combat took place. Included are accounts of particular actions which led to the award of the Knight’s Cross, and the fate of these remarkable pilots later in the war and in the post-war world is described too. Jeremy Dixon’s book will be fascinating reading and reference for anyone who is interested in the aviation history of the Second World War.

Author : Kari Stenman,Peter de Jong
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 97 pages
File Size : 40,9 Mb
Release : 2013-04-20
Category : History
ISBN : 9781780960630

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Fokker D.XXI Aces of World War 2 by Kari Stenman,Peter de Jong Pdf

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. 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.

Author : Rafael A López Permuy
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 161 pages
File Size : 50,9 Mb
Release : 2013-03-20
Category : History
ISBN : 9781780964409

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Spanish Republican Aces by Rafael A López Permuy Pdf

At the start of the Spanish Civil War, most young fighter pilot officers joined the rebels, while the high ranking officers, grupo or escuadrilla commanders, and the NCOs, sergeants and corporals remained loyal to the government. Mostly flying the obsolete Nieuport Ni.52s these loyalists were soon outpaced by the more modern Fiat CR.32s and Heinkel He 51s. However, at this early stage of the war, there were several Republican airmen who became aces and famous in the process, despite the small numbers of enemy aircraft shot down. Widely speaking, the Republican military aviation did not keep an exhaustive record of individual shooting claims. However, sufficient documentation exists to make a reasonable assumption as to which pilots fall into the ace category. This volume details the exploits of those pilots, complementing previous works in the Osprey Aircraft of the Aces series on Nationalist CR.32 Aces and Polikarpov I-15, I-16 and I-152 Aces.

Author : Andrew Thomas
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 96 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 2013-09-20
Category : History
ISBN : 9781780962931

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V1 Flying Bomb Aces by Andrew Thomas Pdf

Shortly after the Allied landings in France the Germans unleashed the first of their so-called 'revenge weapons', the V1 flying bomb. Launched from specially constructed sites in northern France, the fast, small, pulse-jet powered pilotless aircraft were aimed at London with the sole intent of destroying civilian morale to the point where the British government would be forced to sue for peace. This dangerous new threat drew an immediate response, and the Air Defence of Great Britain (as Fighter Command had been temporarily renamed) established layers of defence that included a gun line and balloon barrage. The main element, however, were standing patrols by the fastest piston-engined fighters available to the RAF – the new Tempest V and Griffon-powered Spitfire XIV. Other types were allocated too, most notably the Polish Mustang wing, while night defence was left in the capable hands of several dedicated Mosquito squadrons. Although pilotless, the V1 was no easy foe thanks to its speed, powerful warhead and sheer unpredictability. Nevertheless, 154 pilots became V1 aces, 25 of whom were also aces against manned aircraft.

Author : Edward M. Young
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 96 pages
File Size : 40,8 Mb
Release : 2013-09-20
Category : History
ISBN : 9781849087469

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American Aces against the Kamikaze by Edward M. Young Pdf

The Japanese High Command realised that the loss of Okinawa would give the Americans a base for the invasion of Japan. Its desperate response was to unleash the full force of the Special Attack Units, known in the west as the Kamikaze ('Divine Wind'). In a series of mass attacks in between April and June 1945, more than 900 Kamikaze aeroplanes were shot down. Conventional fighters and bombers accompanied the Special Attack Units as escorts, and to add their own weight to the attacks on the US fleet. In the air battles leading up to the invasion of Okinawa, as well as those that raged over the island in the three months that followed, the Japanese lost more than 7,000 aircraft both in the air and on the ground. In the course of the fighting, 67 Navy, 21 Marine, and three USAAF pilots became aces. In many ways it was an uneven combat and on numerous occasions following these uneven contests, American fighter pilots would return from combat having shot down up to six Japanese aeroplanes during a single mission.

Author : Victor Kulikov
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 97 pages
File Size : 44,7 Mb
Release : 2013-04-20
Category : History
ISBN : 9781780960609

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Russian Aces of World War 1 by Victor Kulikov Pdf

Although the Russian Imperial Army Air Service consisted of no more than four BAGs (Boevaya Aviatsionniy Gruppa – battle aviation groups), each controlling three or four smaller AOIs (Aviatsionniy Otryad Istrebitelei – fighter aviation detachments) equipped with a variety of aircraft types, its fighter pilots nevertheless gave a good account of themselves. Indeed, during three years of war they claimed more than 200 Austro-Hungarian and German aircraft shot down, creating 13 aces – these elite aviators accounted for around half of the victories claimed on the Eastern Front. Pilots flew a variety of fighter types, with French Nieuport scouts and SPAD VIIs proving to be the most popular, and effective, aeroplanes to see service on this front. The exploits of these aces are detailed here, with information based on material newly sourced by the author from Russian military and private archives. Many previously unpublished photographs are used to illustrate this book, supported by full-colour profiles that reveal how striking some of the aces' fighters were in this often-forgotten theatre of World War 1.

Author : Jon Guttman
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
Page : 97 pages
File Size : 40,9 Mb
Release : 2013-05-20
Category : History
ISBN : 9781472803696

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Balloon-Busting Aces of World War 1 by Jon Guttman Pdf

Tethered balloons reached their zenith as a means of providing a stationary observation platform above the battlefield during World War I. It took a special breed of daredevil to take on such odds deep in enemy lines in order to destroy a balloon, with Balloon specialists such as Willy Coppens, Pierre Bourjade and Michel Coiffard rising to the challenge. This book covers the story of these 'balloon busters' from both sides in World War 1 through a mix of first-hand accounts and expert analysis, which compares tactics, theatres of operation, aircraft types and the overall odds for success.