Customer Reviews:
Worst Book Ever.......2006-09-14
The most amazing mistakes in any book i've ever had. Bomber Squadrons included that never existed!!!
Battle Colors: Volumn 1 excellent.......2006-06-08
I have been building plastic aircraft models since the age of about seven. My particular interest has always been that of the air war in Western Europe and the Mediterranean Theatres. Over the past eighteen years I have amassed considerable reference material on the subject of aircraft markings, camouflage patterns and insignea dealing with this period. Becuase of the extent of my library, coupled with the cost of Battle Colors, I was hesitant to invest any more money on a subject which was already well represented in my research library. I did finjally take the plunge and purchased this volume and I can now say without reservation that this is by far the best work on the subject of aircraft markings I have ever seen. This first volume is both well researched and illustrated and the print quality is superb. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the subject of 8thAF bobm unit insignia and markings. I assume that the next volum willd eal with the fighter units of the 8th and only hope this companion piece is not long in coming.
A Fine Book.......2006-03-15
In this field of heraldry and avaition insignia with so many books already published is difficult to find sometinh new and valuable. It is the case of this book;: the moment I received it I thought it was an important addition to my library.
Not only the graphic aspect is very well done (all the data in color and very well reprodu ced)but the presenation of all the markings and insignia of 8th Air force Bomber Groups and Code letters being very exhaustive. A nice addition is a map with the geographical location of the Groups.
In short , the bset book I know in the subject, and well worth its cost.
Book Description
A rare close-up of the B-47 highlighting its precedent-setting technology, performance, and missions, as captured in interviews with designers and pilots, and exvlusive photos. Traces the B-47's importance as the Air Force's key deterrent in core missions and special operations throughout the '60s Cold War era. Reviews the groundbreaking technological innovations later standardized on military and commercial aircraft; records set by the aircraft; full performance and spec data; and more.
Customer Reviews:
A rare find in historical aviation literature.......2007-05-12
In the 1950's when the B-47 reigned supreme as the primary tool of the Strategic Air Command, my father was an Air Force pilot stationed at Eglin AFB in Florida. Anytime I observed high altitude contrails, they were generated only by the B-47. This precious book is the only history in existence describing the design, flight testing, and R and D improvements to the aircraft, and, very critically, what the pilots who flew it thought about it and how they transitioned from propeller aircraft to this very revolutionary jet bomber. A fascinating book. A great read. With a lot of the history about brilliant USAF test pilot Guy M. Townsend who was much later a neighbor of ours at Wright Patterson AFB in Ohio. I doubt that many copies of this book exist. If this unique type of history appeals to you, you will be very pleased that you own it.
Tom Watkins. Also a former USAF jet pilot.
Average customer rating:
- Excellent writing
- An exciting, touching account about life in Bomber Command
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In for a Penny, in for a Pound: The Adventures & Misadventures of a Wireless Operator in Bomber Command
Howard Hewer
Manufacturer: Stoddart
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ASIN: 077373273X |
Customer Reviews:
Excellent writing.......2003-02-16
"In For A Penny, In For A Pound" by Howard Hewer, sub-titled: "The Adventures And Misadventures Of A Wireless Operator In bomber Command". Stoddard Publishing, Toronto, Canada, 2000.
This book recounts the experiences of T. W. H. Hewer as a young man and a wireless operator in the Royal Canadian Air Force. As a young teenager, Howard Hewer had dreams of flying Spitfires, so he enlisted in the Canadian Air Force, which decided, at that moment, they had a greater need for radio operators than for pilots. He was shipped to Calgary for training in radio operations. Hewer then tells the story of his training as an enlisted radio operator, and his experience during bombing raids on Nazi held Europe. He retired as Wing Commander.
Young Hewer was well aware of the cultural differences between the British and the Canadians. He devotes an entire chapter (Chapter 6, "Yatesbury Wireless School - Collision of Cultures) to describe the class-conscious Brits and the young Canadians being trained in England. Throughout the book, these cultural differences will pop up, and, in some instances, be of major importance. In Chapter 19, (A Fine Line To Mutiny), it would appear that the British wanted a level of discipline that neither the Australians nor the Canadians wanted to accept. Admittedly, it as an Australian who first threw down his rifle and refused to drill, but Hewer appears to have approved of the group's refusal to exercise and drill. He later implies that this "mutiny" was responsible for the delay of his commissioning as an officer.
This book is not just the usual recounting of the terrors of flying bombers into German held Europe. There is that, of course, but Hewer narrates a story that involves the European Theatre, flying to Malta, on to Egypt and then a trip, in a ship, around Africa. In South Africa, when warned to avoid certain down town areas because the Boers still remembered the Boer war and therefore were "hostile" to the British, Hewer relies on his "Canada" shoulder flash. He and a Canadian compatriot slip into a down town hotel and are feted by the old Boers with free beer and lunch.
An interesting anecdote related by Hewer deals with the dance halls. He was on a balcony and looked down at the dancers, who reminded him of a field of moving daisies. . It seems that the ladies had all used peroxide to become blondes and their roots were slowly growing out in their darker colors. As Hewer glanced down, the whirling locks appeared as daisies in the wind. This remembrance, alone, makes the book worth reading.
An exciting, touching account about life in Bomber Command.......2000-10-11
Howard Hewer has done a wonderful job in bringing us his life in Bomber Command as a wireless operator flying in the belly of Wellington bombers. From his nights flying over Berlin to the bombing of North Africa to his time spent convalescing after a crash (when he went on some of his most dangerous missions), Hewer spares few details in providing a colorful first-hand account. Anyone with even a passing interest in war memoirs, or who truly enjoys the view of the world from 10,000 feet, should read this book. Without a doubt the best memoir I've read in a long time.
Book Description
The remarkable story of more than 4000 Australian airmen who died over the skies of Europe while serving with the British Bomber Command in World War II is explored in this fascinating military history. Many of these airmen remain forgotten in their homeland—despite their selfless bravery contributing to the defeat of the Nazi regime. This book brings to light the experiences of Australians who served with the British bomber squadrons and their extraordinary contributions to the Allied war effort.
Customer Reviews:
The RAF Was Not Just British.......2006-12-20
In the publicity, the documentaries about the Royal Air Force, it is often overlooked that the British RAF really was composed of people from the British Empire. Australians, South Africans, New Zeelanders, Canadians and more fought along the airmen who were actually from England itself. Only lately have the contributions of these other forces to the overall effort been written about. This is the story of the Australians, approximately 10,000 pilots plus many more aircrew and support people.
4,050 Australians killed in Bomber Command. In all of the North Africa fighting against Rommel, 3,552 were killed.
This book is well illustrated with pictures, most are of aircraft, of course. But the picture on page 73 is most striking to me. It shows the seven man crew of a 460 Squadron Lancaster. Seven young men in the prime of life with a whole lifetime ahead of them. The caption says that Pilot Officer Thomas Lynch, standing at the rear of the crew was badly wounded and the only survivor when the plane was shot down.
Book Description
Disastrous day-time losses in WWII forced Bomber Command to switch to night bombing. When this happened the Germans had neither a night fighter force nor any night-fighter policy. RAF attacks filled that gap rapidly. This book traces these developments and also the strategic, tactical, technical, and personal aspects of these battles.
Customer Reviews:
A smashing piece.......2006-04-24
The Other Battle: Luftwaffe Night Aces Versus Bomber Command by Peter Hinchliffe tells the struggle of the British night raids during WWII. Focus for the book is Bomber Commands raids and the Luftwaffe's response to the raids. Mr. Hinchliffe takes us from the RAF's opening raids against Germany (and the failure of these early daylight raids) into their night raids during the heart of the war (1943 and 1944), concluding with the Gotterdammerung of Germany in 1945. These raids go from minor affairs where a few planes fly blindly thru the night, to hundreds destroying cities. The book can effectively be broken into four parts: The early war (Chapter 1, Back to War thru Chapter 4, The End of the Beginning); the mid war (Chapters 5 thru 10, 10 tells the story of the Nuremberg raid in March of 1944); preparing for the Invasion; and Gotterdammerung.
What is arguably the greatest piece of this book is that Mr. Hinchliffe tells us of the technical war that is being fought by the two sides. The Germans with their increasingly complex defenses and uses of different tactics (Wild Boar vs. Tame Boar) and the British with their increasing forces, ability to drop greater bomb loads, and increasing technology. While many people are quoted in this book, this is not a personal/unit history ala Stephen Ambrose. Instead, this is a history book that provides a good analysis of the combat occurring and good descriptions of what the combatants (from the national level down to the people flying the missions) are doing and how they're reacting.
Since Mr. Hinchliffe was a navigator in Bomber Command during WWII, his book has a little more personal touch than many other books dealing with this subject. There are some excellent maps in the book (a must for a good history book) along with some good pictures and drawings dealing with technical pieces used during the war (the drawing of the radar displays used by the Germans was great). If you're interested in how the night raids were performed in WWII, this book is a 5 star book! The technical details are very good, and some great biographies. As a history book, once more, 5 stars. Overall, 4.5, but since this is Amazon, I'll round up to 5!
Great combination of the big picture and significant details.......2003-03-03
Without taking sides the author tells the story of both sides of the night bombing campaign. Technical details were especially fascinating since I was an air search radar operator in the Navy in my younger days. Great description of progress made by both sides in a short period on things we take for granted today such as air intercept radar and electronic countermeasures. Well compiled with interviews from both British and German aircrew. Highly recommended!!
Extremely technical.......1999-11-16
This book gives you a nice all-around view of night fighting in Europe during WW II. It is extremely technical, and I thought it lacks a little bit concerning the human side of the pilots, engineers, etc. But it is the best book ever written about the subject, no doubt about that.
An Outstanding, impartial book on the Nachtjäger in WWII.......1999-10-20
When I say this book is impartial, I mean it is impartial in the fullest sense of the word. The author not only presents a bias-free view, he also writes in a lucid manner. The operations are described in great detail, and with proper analysis. Each stage and battle has significance, and we are brought to appreciate this complex air battle that raged for five years, involving the brave crews of the Allied bomber fleets, and the equally brave and tenacious Nachtjagd crews. We come face to face with the elite of the nightfighters including Schnaufer, Lent, Prinz zu-Sayn Wittgenstein and Becker. I feel this book is a must for understanding night operations over Europe during world war two and for all military buffs.
A Well Balanced View of the Night War.......1999-03-10
The author has written a very balanced view of both sides of the Night War during WWII. His viewpoint is that the pilots and crews of both sides did their duty,full stop. One to bomb, the other to defend. His descriptions of the Luftwaffe Nightfighter aces and the overall strategies of the Luftwaffe High Command are quite accurate. I was quite suprised by his generous comments on Major Prinz Heinrich Sayn zu-Wittgenstein. They were a far cry from authors who while not disputing his courage and charisma, tend to label him as being overly ambitious.This author however dismisses that concept and rightly so. The Night aces, Schnaufer, Lent, Sayn zu-Wittgenstein,Meurer and Streib and many others were concerned with shooting down bombers decimating their civilian population and industrial areas and not with being ambitious. Although it cannot be denied that in this deadly game of cat and mouse they were in friendly rivalries in the mildest sense of the term, at least. A fine book for reference as well.
Average customer rating:
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Bomber Command
Jeffrey L. Ethell
Manufacturer: Motorbooks International
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ASIN: 0879389206 |
Customer Reviews:
A WONDERFUL BOOK !.......1999-11-18
This marvelous Jeff Ethell's book,brings some of the best WWII color pictures I have ever seen.If you like WWII aircraft,you SHOULD buy it right now !
Average customer rating:
- No Prouder Place: Canadians and the Bomber Command Experience 1939-1945
- 40,000 flew with Bomber Command, 9919 Casualties
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NO PROUDER PLACE: Canadians and the Bomber Command Experience, 1939-1945
David Bashow
Manufacturer: Vanwell Publishing
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ASIN: 1551250985 |
Book Description
The Allied bombing of the Third Reich and its allies was part of Britain's overall war strategy to take the offensive to the enemy. It created a "second front" that bled off resources from the enemy's Soviet campaign, involving massive amounts of manpower and material just to address the threat. It also dealt telling blows to Germany's economic and industrial infrastructure, forcing decentralization of its war industries.
Finally, it paved the way, through destruction of the enemy air defences, oil resources, and transportation networks, for a successful invasion of Germany through Northwest Europe in 1944. No Prouder Place provides a fresh and objective look at the bombing campaign by emphasizing the highly significant role it played in defeating the Axis powers.
It is a story of sustained courage in the face of daunting odds as well as a celebration of the Canadian aircrew experience and its place in wartime Bomber Command. The text contains scores of original recollections from the veterans themselves, interwoven with material from primary, archival and secondary sources. It is illustrated with original artwork by Ron Lowry including colour side profiles of selected Bomber Command (from RCAF units) and Luftwaffe aircraft.
Customer Reviews:
No Prouder Place: Canadians and the Bomber Command Experience 1939-1945.......2007-10-05
I purchased this book for my father-in-law who piloted a Lancaster bomber for Canada in the Second World War. Being under the auspices of the British, Canadians have never received their due for the enormous role they played both in training flight personnel from many nations, out in Alberta Canada and in England itself, and in thousands of sorties they made over Germany at a very heavy cost to their airmen. This volume attempts to rectify that imbalance. My father-in-law says it is the most comprehensive accounting of the role Canada played in the airwar that he has ever seen. For the World War 11 buffs, aviators, and veterans alike, this book is a must read.
40,000 flew with Bomber Command, 9919 Casualties.......2006-12-20
The author of this book, David Bashow, is a retired Canadian Air Force fighter pilot. As such he is able to bring to this story of the Canadian participation in the bomber war over Germany.
In the publicity, the documentaries about bomber command, it is often overlooked that the British RAF really was composed of people from the British Empire. Australians, South Africans, New Zeelanders, Canadians and more fought along the airmen who were actually from England itself. Only lately have the contributions of these other forces to the overall effort been written about. This is the story of the Canadians, approximately 50,000 who flew in combat, 40,000 in bombers of whom 9,919 became casualties.
One of the enduring questions from World War II is the overall effectiveness of the bomber campaign against Germany. Was it worth all the money, all the lives it took? Mr. Bashow says that it was. He has included an Appendix called 'The Balance Sheet: The Costs and the Gains fo the Bombing Campaign.' This appendix is almost worth the cost of the book by itself. I don't think it will settle the issue forever, but it clearly states the position of the air forces involved. Further he quotes a number of German sources to illustrate, if not prove, his points.
Average customer rating:
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Acc Bomber Triad: The B-52S, B-1S and B-2S of Air Combat Command (Schiffer Military History)
Don Logan
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
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B-1B Lancer Units in Combat (Combat Aircraft)
ASIN: 0764306804 |
Book Description
The United States Air Force is the only Air Force in the world with the ability to project power rapidly, precisely, and globally using strategic bombers. With their global range, large payloads and immediate response capability, Air Combat Command's (ACC's) heavy bombers, the B-52H, B-1B, and B-2A are at the core of the USAF's war fighting strategy and provide both nuclear and conventional deterrent options for the United States. Don Logan's eighth book for Schiffer Publishing Ltd. presents a roll call of ACC's bombers with photographs and history of all 208 bombers since joining ACC in June 1992. Also included are all of the bomber's weapons including gravity weapons, and special weapons such as AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-86 ALCM/CALCM, AGM-129 ACM, AGM-142 Have Nap, AGM-154 JSOW, and AGM-158 JASSM. This book has over 700 color photographs, 40 line drawings, and 80 unit and special purpose flight suit patches., over 780 color photographs, 40 line drawings, 8 1/2" x 11",
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding book.......2004-11-15
This is an outstanding book. It covers every individual bomber assigned to Air Combat Command, with details on its assignment, use and a nice selection of photographs. There are also nice photos of the various bombers weapons. It is a pricy book but the enormous collection of beautiful color photographs makes it worth the price.
Book Description
This unique color history provides the complete story of U.S. forces and their aircraft in action during World War II, as told by the pilots, air crews, and ground crews. Superb photographs of B-17s, B-24s, B-25s, B-26s, and A-26s, in their World War II markings and nose art, fill this exceptional collection. A variety of original photos present life on the bases and the people who were there. Includes coverage of the Eighth, Ninth, and Fifteenth Air Force Squadrons in the European and Mediterranean theaters of operation.Previous
Book Description
Over the course of 11 days in the summer of 1943, Allied bombers conducted six major air raids on Hamburg. Historians call this sustained period of bombing the Battle of Hamburg; citizens of that city refer to it as "die Katastrophe." How was this notoriously dangerous mission carried out--and how, amazingly, did everything go exactly according to plan for the Allies? Using the perspective of flight crews on both sides, and the citizenry below, the answers come into brilliant focus.
Customer Reviews:
The peak of the Area Bombing war.......2006-12-31
Martin Middlebrook's judicious method of recounting military history works nearly as well in "The Battle of Hamburg" as it did in his first book "First Day on the Somme."
The two most attractive things about the Middlebrook style are the somewhat clinical attitude -- there is no rodomontade or triumphalism in his books -- and the pithy selections from participants.
Middlebrook is also good about paying attention to logistics, the area usually most neglected in popular histories.
For the Battle of Hamburg, the big issues are Area Bombing and the famous firestorm that killed perhaps 40,000 civilians in one night. The image of living people stuck on melted asphalt as the flames approach is one not easy to read.
Everybody has to have an opinion about such events. In a thoughtful summary, however, Middlebrook says he has been unable to decide for himself how to judge.
He lets others present their judgments. It is easy enough, however, to judge the judgments of many (Middlebrook suggests, a majority) of Hamburgers. They remain aggrieved that the British resorted to such uncivilized warfare as terror bombing. We can rightfully judge this a one-way-street morality: Only Germans are entitled to practice uncivilized warfare and it is a crime only when they have to experience it.
As always, the worst thing you can do for a German is to encourage him to speak frankly.
I very much like Middlebrook's approach to military history, but there are a couple of points where "The Battle of Hamburg" is seriously lacking.
Hamburg was the main producer of submarines. The attacks may have cut U-boat deliveries by around two dozen. (The implication has to be that the Germans got more efficient after the raids, as the workforce at the main yards, Blohm & Voss, was still down 20% four months after the raid.) Middlebrook never puts this number (the range is 20 to 26, depending upon whether you accept the British or the American estimate) in context. The raids on Hamburg came in July 1943; May 1943 was the "black month" of the U-boat arm when it went from great success in April to a loss of more than 40 boats in May.
So two dozen boats was a minor victory at the time. At the beginning of the year, it would have been much more consequential.
In his discussion of the strategy of Area Bombing, again, Middlebrook ignores a big piece of context. During the first four years of the war, Britain and (for the latter part) the USA were unable to come to grips with the main might of Germany. From June 1941, most of the fighting was done by the USSR.
Although the USSR defeated Germany at least as early as October 1941 (see my review of Overy's "Russia's War" for a discussion), there was a possibility that Germany could have retrieved the situation, had Britain not kept up the pressure.
Britain's ability to engage Germany was limited. The Battle of the Atlantic was the main arena. There is much talk today about asymmetric warfare. The Battle of the Atlantic was extremely asymmetric: it required a huge effort by the Allies to counter a modest effort by the Germans. (In the whole war, the losses of Germans in U-boats were less than the losses of Hamburgers alone on the Eastern Front, much less.)
For lack of such things as landing craft, the Allies were unable to transport a large enough army to Europe to engage important elements of the Wehrmacht in 1943. The fighting in Africa and the Mediterranean was a sideshow.
That left the air offensive. We know now that the effort was, again, asymmetric. The damage done to Germany by bombing was less than the effort expended by the Allies to bomb.
It does not follow that the effort was a wrong use of resources. Under the circumstances, it was the only way to keep the war going until decisive force could be raised and employed.
Last, there is one amazing sentence in the book. In his discussion about the morality of Area Bombing, Middlebrook says, "If Area Bombing had toppled Germany before the invasion of France, there would have been a deal less controversy on the subject, just as there has been little argument over the two American atom bombs which knocked Japan out of the war in 1945." I am surprised Middlebrook has not withdrawn that sentence in later editions.
A GRIPPING ACCOUNT WITH INSIGHTFUL ANALYSIS.......2005-05-20
My father was born under the bombs in Hamburg, so this had a personal interest to me. It is a fantastic, balanced book. It captures very well every aspect of the operation, and Middlebrook debunks a lot of myths about it being a "firebombing" raid. It was, as he is at pains to emphasize, a typical raid that was just more successful than most.
As with his other books, Middlebrook uses and includes many personal accounts; in this case, they are sad and gripping for all concerned.
From the narrative and analysis perspectives, this is a very well done book. The first and last chapters alone are a great read, discussing how area bombing and "terror" bombing came about. Middlebrook is balanced, summarizing the opponents and supporters' points of view. He himself remains "above" the debate, claiming, correctly in my point of view, that the era was challenging for all concerned, and difficult decisions had to be made in a compressed period of time without the benefit of a crystal ball.
It may be the best of his bomber series of books, because of the treatment of the Hamburgers.
When Everything Came Together for RAF Bomber Command.......2003-03-06
Martin Middlebrook's series of books is a must for anyone interested in the strategic bombing campaign over Germany in World War II. Although most of his books cover raids that did not go well for the Allies (Nuremberg, Schweinfurt-Regensburg, and the Battle of Berlin), this book covers one of RAF Bomber Commands biggest successes (the US Eigth Air Force also carried out daylight raids as part of the Battle of Hamburg but they were not so successful). Middlebrook explains how "everything came together" for the RAF, most especially the introduction of "Window" which rendered the German defenders' radar useless; and the weather which made the incendiary bombs particularly effective in starting massive fires which lead to the horrific firestorm that caused so many fatalities. Middlebrook not only describes the attacking force, but also the defensive measures taken on the ground by the Germans and the experiences of the civilian population caught up in this nightmarish experience.
The author points out that regarding the bomb-load mix in this raid, the ratio of incendiaries to high-explosive bombs was no different than usual and it was the combination of circumstances that lead to the massive destruction (incidentally-he also points out that the Germans used incendiaries in their bombing raids on London and Coventry in 1940 and 1941 so the RAF can not be blamed for starting this type of warfare)
This book, like his others, is highly recommended.
A Middlebrook Masterpiece.......2002-03-06
In late July and early August 1943 Bomber Command, with the cooperation of the USAAF, launched a series of heavy raids against the German city of Hamburg. The objective was to paralyse the city and demoralize its inhabitatants so that its role in the war effort would be diminished, if not nullified. The Battle is best remembered for the Firestorm that engulfed much of the eastern section of the city (after the second RAF raid) and resulted in the death of approximately 40,000 people, mostly civilians. For hundreds of thousands of survivors, the raids made the true horror of modern war a reality, and the city's industries in many cases were temporarily disrupted. But in the end, the raid was only a partial success in that the will of the German people was not broken and the city did continue (although to a lesser degree) play its vital role in the German war-effort. The Firestorm has since become a controversial subject, but it must be understood that it had not been the intended outcome, as has been suggested. While many of the bombers did drop incindiaries on the city, the proportion in relation to high explosive bombs was not much different from previous raids.
The Battle of Hamburg is what one expects from Middlebrook; extensively researched and relatively objective, it is written in a manner that allows the reader to get a fair sense of what the Battle had been like for the various participants and witnesses. It is a fascinating read and a truly important study of a pivotal phase in the Allied bombing campaign against the Third Reich.
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