Fokker D.XXI Aces of World War 2

Description

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.

Kari Stenman is the world's leading authority on the Finnish Air Force during World War 2, and has written or co-authored many books on the units and aircraft of this most interesting service. Peter de Jong is a professional editor and translator, and has collaborated on numerous modern history and aviation history books, as well as having written numerous magazine articles since 1995. His comprehensive work on the most historically significant Fokker aircraft of World War 2, the D.XXI, was published in French in 2005, and is soon to be followed by a revised volume in his native Dutch. Chris Davey has illustrated more than 30 titles for Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces, Combat Aircraft and Elite Units series since 1994. Based in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, and one of the last traditional airbrush artists in the business, he has become the artist of choice for both World War 2 fighter types. Mark Postlethwaite was born in Leicestershire in 1964 and has developed a lifelong passion for aviation history. He first worked as a photographer before turning his attention solely to artwork, and is now highly regarded in his field for the quality and accuracy of his work. He became the youngest elected member of the Guild of Aviation Artists in 1991. Mark is a valued Osprey artist and has contributed to more than 80 of its books.

"This celebration focuses on the planes, pilots and battle experiences, blending vintage black and white photos with color illustrations throughout, and is a pick for any military or aviation history collection." --The Midwest Book Review (July 2013) "This book covers the development of the D.XXI as well as its use by all the nations that flew it. Naturally, most of the book covers the Finnish AF use followed by a good sized section on the Dutch A.F. during its homeland defense use. This is further enhanced by a great selection of period photos and the usual collection of full color profiles. Several charts make up the appendices to add additional flavor to the book. It all makes for a very interesting read, especially if you are looking for something a bit different from the norm. It is well written and tells the tales well." --Scott Van Aken, Modeling Madness (May 2013) "As a D.XXI devotee, I absolutely loved [this book]." --David L. Veres, www.cybermodeler.com (June 2013)