Category: History / Research

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Red Baron’s 80 Victories Recreated in “Lavishly Illustrated” New Book

Coming soon from Pen and Sword Military and author Thomas La Padula is The Red Baron’s Kills: An Illustrated Portrayal of Manfred von Richthofen’s Victories, a lavish, illustrated study that recreates combat moments and varied aircraft through original artwork and clear, graphic timelines.

…Using original source material the author recreates the moment in combat when the Red Baron shot down each of his victories to make him the leading ace of the First World War. Of special interest is the fact that the Red Baron flew a variety of aircraft other than his famous all red Fokker Dr.l. triplane. The paintings will provide a visual scene along with descriptive text to explain the situations behind each victory or kill in a clear, graphic timeline.

The 192 page, hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release set for November 30.

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Spitfires over Tokyo: Commonwealth Air Forces in Japan 1945–1948

Coming soon from Fonthill and author Simon Gifford is Spitfires over Tokyo: Commonwealth Air Forces in Japan 1945–1948.

In the spring of 1946, the Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Indian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force dispatched aircraft and men to form the air element of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force of Japan. Equipped with Spitfire XIVs, P51D Mustangs and FG-1D Corsairs, seven squadrons of fighter aircraft spent the next two years backing up the American forces in the successful disarmament of Japan and the country’s transition to a democratic nation. Supporting the fighters were RAF, RAAF, RNZAF Dakotas, which flew numerous sorties linking the forces in Japan to Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. Other aircraft flown in Japan included Austers, Ansons, Harvards and Wirraways.

Spitfires over Tokyo: Commonwealth Air Forces in Japan 1945–1948 traces the formation of the occupation force, including the formation of the Spitfire squadrons in India, through their helping liberate Malaya, Singapore and Hong Kong, and on to their final disbandment in Japan and the end of occupation duties in 1948. Profusely illustrated with photos of all of the aircraft flown in Japan, the majority of which have not been published previously, the book offers an illuminating window on a little-known area of post-war aviation history.

The 264 page, hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release set for January 30, 2027.

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Interceptor! Spitfires to Foxbats: The Story of the World’s Finest Pursuit Aircraft

Coming soon from Key Publishing Ltd and author David Baker is Interceptor! Spitfires to Foxbats: The fastest chase planes with seconds to launch, which celebrates the fastest, most aggressive fighter aircraft ever built – the interceptors.

These are the aircraft designed to launch quickly, climb fast and catch intruders before they could strike – from Cold War nuclear bombers to modern cruise missiles. From the elegant Spitfire Mk XIV and the brutal MiG-25 Foxbat to the F-106 Delta Dart and F-14 Tomcat, this title tells the story of the world’s finest pursuit machines – how they were developed, how they flew, and how they fought.

The 116 page paperback publication is currently available for pre-order with release set for September 10.

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New Two Volume Series Details Vickers Aircraft of WW1 With Drawings, Photos, Color Profiles

Newly released from Aeronaut Books and author is Colin Owers is a two volume series on Vickers aircraft of WW1:

The story of how the Vickers, Sons and Maxim Ltd, heavy armament manufacturers, entered aeronautical manufacturing when the military potential of aviation became apparent, is told in these two volumes. Vickers aircraft were soon flying, originally being based on the French REP monoplane. Then in 1913 they exhibited what could well be the first British aircraft designed from the start as a fighting machine with a forward firing machine gun. This was developed into the F.B.5, better known as the ‘Gun Bus’. They were in service as soon as the war broke out in 1914 and for a while were successful. The advent of the synchronised machine gun fighter saw Vickers machines fall out of favour. They built many interesting prototypes but only three were manufactured in small series.

The Company produced some of the fastest aircraft of their time and in a civil world would have achieved fame; however, they were not suited to the evolving aerial battlefield. The Vimy bomber of 1918 was a sensation, lifting a greater bombload the Handley Page O/400 on less power. The end of hostilities meant that no Vimy flew on operations in WWI but it went onto a long career in the RAF and in civil hands in its Vernon version.

The story of this remarkable company is told in detail including contemporary drawings from official manuals and reports. Volume 1 has 182 photos, 30 color profiles, and scale drawings of 3 aircraft in its 207 pages. Volume 2 has 221 photos, 33 color profiles, and scale drawings of 3 aircraft within its 214 pages.

The two volumes, Vickers Aircraft of WWI: Volume 1: E.F.B – F.B.12 and Vickers Aircraft of WWI: Volume 2: F.B.14 – Valentia Flying Boat are currently available in paperback format.

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WW2 Air Battles Over Hungary Detailed in New, Comprehensive, Richly illustrated Account

Coming soon from Helion and Company and author Dmitriy Khazanov is Air Battles over Hungary 1944-45 Volume 1: From Summer Skies to Autumn Firestorms: The Air War Over Hungary, 1944 – a “comprehensive, richly illustrated account” that surveys the escalating air war over Hungary in 1944, detailing fighter, bomber, and ground-attack operations across multiple nations and their human realities.

In the summer of 1944, Hungary found itself at the centre of a rapidly shifting front as Soviet forces surged westward and Allied bombing intensified. Air Battles over Hungary 1944–45 – Volume 1 offers a comprehensive, richly illustrated account of the escalating air war during this pivotal year, when the skies over Hungary became a deadly arena for fighters, bombers, and ground-attack aircraft from multiple nations.

This volume traces the development of the campaign from its early stages through to the final weeks of 1944. It explores in detail the operations and experiences of the Royal Hungarian Air Force, the Luftwaffe, the Red Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). Drawing from a wealth of archival material, combat reports, memoirs, and previously unpublished photographs, the book reconstructs a dynamic and often chaotic picture of aerial combat as Hungary’s strategic importance grew. Continue reading WW2 Air Battles Over Hungary Detailed in New, Comprehensive, Richly illustrated Account

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Flying Pianos: The Eccentric Birth of British Aviation

Coming soon from Oneworld Publications and author Charles Spicer is Flying Pianos: The Eccentric Birth of British Aviation, which surveys the transformation of flight from genteel gentleman’s hobby to terrifying military force.

In the first few decades of the twentieth century British aviators went from gliding a handful of yards to crossing the Atlantic. Journeying from perilous ‘cotton-and-hope’ prototypes to the Spitfire, Flying Pianos…

Charles Spicer meets the cast of colourful characters who helped Britain take flight. There’s Hugh ‘Boom’ Trenchard, eccentric ‘father’ of the RAF; the glamorous Harriet Quimby – journalist, screenwriter and record-breaking pilot; and Grahame Christie, passionate aviator, spy and uneasy acquaintance of Hermann Göring. Charting the soaring highs and catastrophic lows of this technological revolution, Flying Pianos tells the remarkable tale of how Britain took to the skies.

The 400 page, hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release set for October 1.

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“Luftwaffe Night Fighter Aces” Profiles 70 WW2 Aces From Victories to Fates

Coming soon from Frontline Books and author Jeremy Dixon is Luftwaffe Night Fighter Aces: Battling the Allies’ Bombers: Night Fighter Pilots Awarded the Knight’s Cross in WW2.

This is a study of the seventy Luftwaffe night fighter aces who were awarded the Knight’s Cross and its higher grades between 1940 and 1945. Of this number, two were night fighter pilots who were awarded the Knight’s Cross with Diamonds, while another two who were awarded the Knight’s Cross with Swords, and twenty-four who were awarded the Oakleaves.

The 232 page, hardcover book also explores the ranks, commands, victories, and fates for each ace profiled. It is currently available for pre-order with release set for December 30.

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Jagdverband 44, the Me 262 and the Luftwaffe’s Mavericks

Coming soon from Osprey and author Robert Forsyth is Jagdverband 44: The Luftwaffe’s Mavericks, the dramatic story of Jagdverband 44, the squadron of aces founded by leading Luftwaffe pilot Adolf Galland equipped with the new Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter.

Jagdverband (JV) 44 was formed as a result of conflict and dissent within the Luftwaffe’s high command. Following disagreement with Reichsmarschall Herman Göring, the commander of the fighter arm, Adolf Galland, was dismissed from his post and exiled. He was given permission to set up a small fighter unit with which to prove that the revolutionary Me 262 was the war-winning jet fighter he believed it to be.

Assembling a small group of disillusioned and weary Luftwaffe fighter aces and flying instructors, Galland – arguably the most famous German fighter ace of World War II – moved his unit, JV 44, to Munich, from where it operated the Me 262 against USAAF aircraft bombing targets in Austria and southern Germany.

In this reappraisal of JV 44, published 30 years after his acclaimed and bestselling first study of the unit, leading Luftwaffe historian Robert Forsyth assesses Galland’s motives for forming the unit and whether it can be regarded more accurately as a ‘Squadron of Aces’ or a ‘Squadron of Outcasts and Exiles’. The book contains numerous first-hand accounts sourced by the the author during his research in the 1990s when he met with several former pilots from the squadron.

The 448 page book is currently available for pre-order in hardcover, audiobook and Kindle editions with release set for November 3.

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Scanning the Skies: Radar Research and Development Flying 1935-1977

Coming soon from Crecy Publishing and author Dennis Williams is Scanning the Skies: Radar Research and Development Flying 1935-1977

This book offers a detailed overview of a complex yet fascinating aspect of British aviation history, about which comparatively little has been published. The early development of radar in Britain culminated in the successful introduction of ground-based radar, which played a crucial role during the Battle of Britain. This was followed by the considerable challenges of designing airborne systems that had to be compact, lightweight, and energy-efficient. The widespread use of radar and other electronic systems (including countermeasures) made a significant contribution to the major operations of RAF Coastal Command in the North Atlantic and Bomber Command over Europe; these aspects are covered in detail. During the Cold War, development priorities included navigation and guidance systems for the V-bombers and guided missile projects. Equally important as the scientific advances were the aircraft on which these technologies were tested. A large part of the book is devoted to the aircraft types used in British radar research and development over five decades, from the modifications required for this specialized task and the airfields used to operate them to the operational procedures. The development of aircraft, on the one hand, and the radar and other electronic systems tested on them, on the other, combine to form a coherent history of aviation in the service of scientific research. The account essentially follows a chronological sequence and illustrates how the rapid development of airframes and engines, as well as the advances in electronics and later in computer technology, went hand in hand throughout the entire period under consideration.

The hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release set for October 31.

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Wrecks & Relics 30th Edition: The Indispensable Guide to Britain’s Aviation Heritage

Coming soon from Crecy Publishing and author David Willis is Wrecks & Relics 30th Edition: The indispensable guide to Britain’s aviation heritage, A comprehensive, illustrated guide that chronicles more than 700 locations and 4,000 aircraft across the British Isles, detailing histories, current statuses, and where to explore preserving aviation heritage.

Wrecks & Relics remains the only publication required to discover the incredible aeronautical treasures found across the UK and Ireland. It provides a trusted, comprehensive rundown of museums and collections and their exhibits – static or flying – together with workshops, military ‘gate guardians’, stored and instructional airframes etc. It also reveals redundant and even derelict airframes being used for the most unlikely of purposes, including ‘glamping’ and at paint-ball sites.

Each edition of Wrecks & Relics is profusely illustrated with both colour and black and white photographs and is fully indexed making easy the task of where to go over the weekend, or where to find an extant example of a favourite aircraft type. Whether it travels in the car or sits on the bookshelf, this new and fully revised edition of this classic publication will continue to be the most useful and accurate companion to the aviation heritage of the British Isles, which will be referred to again and again.

The 392 page, hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release set for August 26.

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