Tag: Second World War

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New Book Compiles Air Combat Recollections From Pilots in Every Theater of WW2

Coming soon from Air World and author Martin Bowman is Voices in Flight: Squadrons Scramble!: RAF and Commonwealth Fighter Pilots of the Second World War, which offers air combat stories and follows fighter pilots scrambling under alarms, from southern England and Malta to the Blitz.

Feel your pulse race and your heart pound as you follow the pilots of The Few running for their aircraft as the alarms sound and the enemy attack for a second time on a day of glory and death over the sunny skies of southern England. Then, beyond the Spitfire Summer of 1940, how the RAF’s pilots scrambled to defy the enemy over the battered ruins of Malta, the George Cross Island, or to defend Britain at night during the blacked out months of the Blitz.

The prelude to D-Day, the disastrous raid on Dieppe was the scene of the RAF’s biggest air battle up to that point in the war, and Operation Overlord was shielded by the overwhelming aerial might of the 2nd Tactical Air Force. All these momentous events are told through the words of those pilots who fought in the unforgiving arena of the dogfight where a single moment can turn victory into defeat, life into certain death. Continue reading New Book Compiles Air Combat Recollections From Pilots in Every Theater of WW2

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New Book Studies How Pubs and Clubs Sustained WW2 Pilots During Britain’s Darkest Hour

Coming soon from Air World and author Justin Omps is Pubs, Pilots, and the Battle of Britain: Churchill’s ‘Few’ Living Life to the Full in Britain’s Darkest Hour. As the title suggests, the book deals with fighter pilots’ reliance on pubs and clubs as lifelines, from blackout boards to night revelry.

In August 1940, Spitfire pilot Tim Vigors was shot down by a Messerschmitt Bf 109 over Kent. After crash-landing in a field, he realized he would have to pass through London to get back to his squadron’s airfield. He decided there was no rush, called his girlfriend Jill, and hours after nearly dying, he was dancing the night away at London’s fashionable 400 Club.

This juxtaposition of mortal combat and carefree revelry was not unusual – it was daily life for the young men of Fighter Command. Pubs, Pilots, and The Battle of Britain reveals how Britain’s pubs and clubs became crucial lifelines during the Battle of Britain. These weren’t just places to drink – they were unofficial messes, refuges where fear and grief could be drowned in camaraderie, becoming even the centres of squadron identity. At the White Hart in Brasted, Biggin Hill, pilots signed the now-famous blackout board that became a roll call of Britain’s aerial defenders. At the Cat & Custard Pot near RAF Hawkinge, pilots who flew cover during the Dunkirk evacuation found momentary peace in its ancient rooms. Continue reading New Book Studies How Pubs and Clubs Sustained WW2 Pilots During Britain’s Darkest Hour

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“Enemy Engaged” Explores the RAF’s Aerial Offensive from the Blitz to Dieppe

Coming soon from Air World and author Dilip Amin is Enemy Engaged’: The Story of the Battle of Britain Bunker as The RAF Goes on the Offensive from the Blitz to the Dieppe Raid, which details Fighter Command’s transition from defense to offense as an integrated air defense system as well as nocturnal battles, high-stakes raids, and coordinated operations over occupied Europe and Dieppe.

‘Enemy Engaged’ follows the men and women of the RAF’s Fighter Command, fresh from victory in the Battle of Britain, as it begins to adapt from a defensive stance to one of a more offensive nature. Central to the story is the world’s first integrated air defence and control system, as well as Fighter Command’s Operations Rooms and Sector Stations, particularly that of No.11 Group at Uxbridge. In doing so, Dilip Amin weaves a tapestry of individual accounts and official documents to cover a backcloth of military and political upheaval.

Following on from the author’s ‘Enemy Sighted’ (Product Page), the journey continues beyond ‘Battle of Britain Day’ as the RAF duelled for air supremacy over Southern England to prevent Britain from being invaded. Then, as the bombers turn on London, Dilip transports the reader to the period known as the Blitz, as Fighter Command rises to meet the nocturnal assault. Read accounts from those at Uxbridge who witnessed the bombing and the night fighter pilots hunting the raiders in the night sky. Then, using source material, the author sets out Fighter Command’s policy of ‘Leaning towards France’ as it takes the fight to the enemy over Occupied Europe. Continue reading “Enemy Engaged” Explores the RAF’s Aerial Offensive from the Blitz to Dieppe

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Bomber Crew Morale in WW2: New Book Reveals How RAF Airmen Faced Impossible Odds

Soon to be released by Air World and author Peter Croft is Bomber Crew Morale in WW2: How Bomber Command’s Airmen Faced Terrible Odds in the Second World War.

During World War II, 125,000 aircrew served in RAF Bomber Command, and 55,573—about 44%—were killed. Despite these grim odds, crews continued flying nightly missions, showing extraordinary courage and determination. RAF leadership tried to sustain morale through discipline, good equipment, and effective leadership, but much depended on the airmen themselves. Their patriotism, stoicism, and strong camaraderie helped them endure constant danger, from enemy fire to mechanical failures and accidents. Even without combat, simply flying remained a perilous task.

This new release “honors the bravery of Bomber Command’s men—those who survived and those whose lives were cut short—and reflects on their extraordinary courage in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.”

The 280 page, hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release slated for January 30.

Product Page

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