Most modern books and films glamorize World War II airborne soldiers as troopers leaping into the night to descend by parachute into combat. Much less often considered is the role of glider forces. Glider troops lacked the panache and special distinctions of paratroopers, despite their critical role in airborne warfare. Likewise, World War II ground combat is characterized as a combined arms fight of infantry and armor, backed up with field artillery; by comparison the role played by specialized, supporting arms has received scant attention. The 80th AAA Battalion was a glider outfit, providing anti-aircraft defense and anti-tank capability to the division's three infantry regiments as battlefield conditions dictated. Elements of the battalion fought in Italy, Normandy, Holland and the Battle of the Bulge, making combat glider assaults during both Operation Neptune and Operation Market Garden. The exploits of the men of the 80th tend to be obscured as commanders maneuvered the batteries wherever their special skills were needed on the battlefield, with no regiment to call a permanent home.The 80th AAA battalion was a hybrid unit. While its members were considered Coast Artillery (the branch responsible for defending ground formations from air attack during WWII), they fought alongside parachute and glider infantry, most often providing direct fire, anti-armor support with 57mm/6 pounder cannons. While field artillery, both parachute and glider, established their gunlines some distance behind infantry units to provide indirect fire support, the men of the 80th fought face to face with the enemy, alongside their infantry brothers.

The Bf 109 F aircraft flown by the Luftwaffe aces are shown.This book consists of 16 pages and features detailed scale plans in both 1/72 and 1/48 scales. It includes 12-14 colour profiles, providing a visual guide to various markings. Caption is presented in English, complemented by colour profiles captions, which are provided in Polish.

The Bf 109G aircraft used in Finnish Air Force are shown.This book consists of 16 pages and features detailed scale plans in both 1/72 and 1/48 scales. It includes 12-14 colour profiles, providing a visual guide to various markings. Caption is presented in English, complemented by colour profiles captions, which are provided in Polish.

This book delves into the comprehensive history of the Miles M.25 Martinet, a pioneering British aircraft specifically designed for target towing, and its role in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Fleet Air Arm (FAA) during World War II. Enriched with an array of photographs, detailed scale plans, intricate drawings, and vivid colour profiles, the narrative captures the essence of the Martinet's development and its operational service, offering a thorough exploration of this significant aircraft.

Check over the dramatic events of 1940 as the Polish Air Force took to the skies in France, fighting valiantly during World War II. This book focuses on the role played by the Caudron-Renault CR.714 Cyclone. Explore a treasure trove of black and white period photos that bring this significant era to life. Additionally, marvel at the collection of colour profiles that showcase the distinct liveries of the Caudron-Renault CR.714 Cyclone in Polish Air Force service.

The development of the famous Italian WWII fighters of the Reggiane factory, with inline engines, is described and illustrated. RE 2001 and RE 2005 are described plus prototypes and project developed.It served with the Regia Aeronautica and other forces, including the Luftwaffe. This book describes the design, development, and operations of this elegant and effective fighter. This book contains: scale plans, photos and drawings from Technical Manuals, superb colour illustrations of camouflage and markings, and rare b&w archive photographs. Colour photos of the preserved aircraft illustrate all aspects of the airframe.This is essential reading for aviation enthusiasts & scale aeromodelers.

This book compiles the color profiles, scale plans, and photo details of the single variant of the Bristol Bulldog Mk IIA. Scale plans are in 1/72 & 1/48 scales, plus drawings from technical manuals. Also contains photos of the details in black and white.

Admiral Sir Victor Alfred Trumper “VAT” Smith AC KBE CB DSC MiD RAN is a towering figure in Australian naval circles;his extraordinary career spanning almost 50 years. As the first graduate of the Royal Australian Naval College to be promoted full admiral he was the founding father of the Australian Fleet Air Arm.Joining the navy in 1927 aged thirteen;Smith specialised in aviation. As the senior observer of a Royal Navy Swordfish squadron;he led the first mass torpedo strike against a major warship at sea;the daring attack on the battlecruiser Scharnhorst off Norway in 1940. Then;at Churchill’s insistence;he embarked the very first catapult fighter for convoy protection. His subsequent service in two-seat Fairey Fulmar fighters saw him twice shot down in the Mediterranean and escape the torpedoed HMS Ark Royal in 1941.Recalled to Australia to fly Walrus amphibians;Smith survived the August 1942 destruction of HMAS Canberra at the Battle of Savo Island. Returning to Europe he served in the escort carrier HMS Tracker in the Atlantic and Arctic before participating in the Normandy landings.Postwar he was closely involved in the Australian decision to develop a carrier-based Fleet Air Arm and was executive officer of the carrier HMAS Sydney in the Korean War. Command of frigates;an air station and the carrier HMS Melbourne followed. As Chief of Naval Staff;he dispatched forces to the war in Vietnam before serving as chairman of the tri-service Chiefs of Staff in the 1970s.The author;Graeme Lunn;also a RANC graduate and aviator;began his naval career when Smith was still serving.

The Pacific Profiles series presents the most accurate WWII profiles of Allied and Japanese aircraft which served throughout the Australia;New Guinea and Solomons theatres. This Volume 15 covers the B-26 and US Navy JM Marauder series which served in these theatres from their first delivery to Australia in April 1942 until the war’s end. Marauders served with a total of six USAAF bomber squadrons;including the reformed 19th BS Silver Fleet;whilst US Navy JM-1 and JM-2 variants were operated by utility squadrons from March 1944 onwards. Most profiles are presented for the first time;alongside markings derivations;including unit heraldry and codes. This volume bridges vast gaps in accurate Marauder markings profiles in these theatres;especially those which served with the Thirteenth Air Force and USN. Each profile is supported by photos and/or documentation;along with a brief history of each aircraft. Wide-ranging primary reference material is cited including assignment data;wreck reports;squadron records;colour photography;maintenance logs;diaries and factory markings specifications. A brief summary history of each unit and associated markings rationale accompanies the text.The author is world renowned for his expertise on the Pacific air war. Never before has the Pacific Marauder been illustrated with such breadth;accuracy and detail.

During Vietnam, the basic role of the USMC gunship squadrons was to protect the transport helicopters during medevac missions, troop insertions and extractions, resupply missions, and supporting the Marines on the ground during operations and patrols. Basically, whenever the Marines or South Vietnam friendlies got in trouble the gunships were dispatched to assist them.As a gunner, and later crew chief, Pete Greene flew hundreds of missions on Huey gunships – flying practically every day with different pilots and gunners. In this vivid memoir he recalls many of those missions, including providing gunship support for MACV-SOG in and around I Corps area, working with Marine Recon, and undertaking frequent, perilous resupply and medevac and medevac support missions.

Wing Commander Eric Benjamin was no stranger to danger or excitement. In an action-packed career as part of the RAF Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR), he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross twice for his bravery under fire. He flew Fairey Battles with No. 150 Squadron during the Battle of France, Main Force Avro Lancasters with No. 61 Squadron during the Battle of Berlin, and De Havilland Mosquitoes as an elite Pathfinder Master Bomber in the latter stages of the war. He survived being shot down on his first operation, when his air gunner was severely wounded, and was among the last RAF aircrew to be evacuated from France in the summer of 1940. He was pulled clear of the mangled wreckage of a Vickers Wellington that crashed in flames during a spell as an instructor, narrowly escaping with his life for a second time, and ‘starred’ as a Flight Commander interviewed for Pathé News after a successful raid on Berlin in 1943. Towards the end of 1944, he achieved his ambition of flying Mosquitoes, and was selected and trained as a Master Bomber, operating as part of No. 54 Base in No. 5 Group and helping to mop up what was left of German industry and military might. It was from one of these sorties that his aircraft failed to return.Authored by Sean Feast and Eric’s daughter Jeannie, the book includes numerous previously unpublished photographs of Eric, his colleagues, and the aircraft he flew. An inveterate letter writer, Eric once said of flying that there was ‘no greater sport’. He died as he had lived, doing what he loved best.

This book features 50+ color profiles showcasing the PZL combat fighters, including specially commissioned profiles with a high level of detail.Versrions shown: PZL P.7, PZL P. 11, PZL P.24

This book is compilations of the 4-view colour profile, scale plans and photo details of the single variant of the PZL P.24 E . Scale plans in 1/72 scale plus drawings from wartime technical manuals. Also photos of the details in B&W and colour. 4-view colour profiles of the PZL P.24 E, Romanian Air Force

This book focuses on the role played by the Curtiss Hawk H-75. Explore a treasure trove of black and white period photos that bring this significant era to life. Additionally, marvel at the collection of colour profiles that showcase the distinct liveries of the Curtiss Hawk H-75 in Polish Air Force service. Check over the dramatic events of 1940 as the Polish Air Force took to the skies in France, fighting valiantly during World War II.

If asked to pinpoint the beginning of the war against Islamic extremism, most would probably say September 11, 2001. However, there has been tension between Islamic autocracies and Western governments going back centuries. In the early 1980s, the boogieman du jour was Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi, who sponsored numerous acts of terrorism throughout Europe. After a series of attacks resulted in American deaths, U.S. President Ronald Reagan elected to strike back.Operation Eldorado Canyon is usually remembered as a long-range mission by British-based F-111s. However, it was an amazingly complex mission that involved two U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and a unique air refuelling plan that involved more than half of the then new KC-10 tanker inventory. For the first time, the events leading up to this operation are described, including previously unrevealed contingency operations, missions testing the ability of the F-111s to fly such an extended mission, and the mission itself from the crews that flew it.The US Air Force classified ‘forever’ the names of the F-111 crews who participated in the mission. After a 20-year reunion of the participants at RAF Lakenheath, one of the planners, Jim Rotramel, began collecting their recollections. He was later able to expand the story to include the KC-10 part of the mission. Finally, thanks to being a member of the informal Old Geezer Fighter Pilots, he contacted the Navy veterans who participated in not only Eldorado Canyon, but also Operation Prairie Fire the month before that saw the first combat employment of the Harpoon anti-ship missile.Like any post-mission fighter pilot debrief, this book lays out the conduct of the mission — the good, the bad, the ugly and even the humorous! It’s a truly unique insight into what it was like to plan and execute this daring mission and how it could have ended as a humiliating disaster at several points.

This book provides a comprehensive look at air war over Europe during the climactic year of World War II, combining firsthand experience with expert analysis. The centerpiece is a mission-by-mission diary of 1st Lieutenant Richard R. Ayesh, bombardier on a B-17 Flying Fortress, who flew with the 100th Bombardment Group, 13th Combat Wing of the 8th Air Force—the legendary “Bloody 100th. ” He received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Croix de Guerre and the Air Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters, amongst others.This book follows Ayesh’s progress from his youth during the Great Depression in Wichita, Kansas, which was rapidly becoming the air capital of the nation, to his arrival in England as a Lieutenant in a bomber crew assigned to assault the Third Reich.Once in Europe, the author provides a look at the principles of American daylight strategic bombing, while relaying the overall military situation on the ground and in the air just after D-Day. This work is uniquely self-contained and covers all aspects of Air War in a clear, concise, yet nontechnical manner. Topics include photo-reconnaissance, munitions and bomb types, aircraft characteristics, fighter and bomber tactics, bomber formations, strategic target selection, radars, countermeasures and counter-counter measures. The unaltered diary of Lt. Ayesh is presented mission-by-mission, punctuated by tragedy and heroism, with explanations and commentary of the significance of events and actions described en route. The result is one of the most frank and exciting works on the air war over Europe to date.There is no varnishing of words in this book, instead, after Lt. Ayesh is followed on his perilous return home in U-boat infested waters, the book assesses the effectiveness of US strategy in ultimately paralyzing the Nazi war machine. Finally, the complex moral issues raised by area and city bombing are explored with 21st century implications.EDWARD M. SION Ph.D. currently resides with his wife and two children in Radnor, PA