332nd Fighter Group: Tuskegee Airmen

Description

The USAAF's Tuskegee Experiment, designed to prove that African-Americans were not capable of flying combat aircraft, resulted in the creation of one of the USAAF's elite units. Commanded by Col Bejamin O Davis, the 332nd were able to boast 111 aerial kills, 150 strafing victories and even the sinking of a German destroyer by the war's end. The group were both feared and respected by the Germans, who called them the 'Schwartze Voglemenschen' (Black Birdmen), and this book reveals the true story of the unit who rose above discrimination to achieve elite status. Read more on the Tuskegee Airmen

Chris Bucholtz, whose full-time job is as the editor of Semiconductor Manufacturing Magazine, has written extensively on aircraft history. He is the aircraft editor of Internet Modeler, where he introduced his 'The Pilot and The Plane' series of long-form interviews with World War 2 aviators in 2002, and his work has appeared in Flight Journal and Air Enthusiast. Jim Laurier is a native of New England and lives in New Hampshire. He attended Paier School of Art in Hamden, Connecticut, from 1974-78, and since he graduated with honours, he has been working professionally in the field of Fine Art and Illustration. He has been commissioned to paint for the US Air Force and has aviation paintings on permanent display at the Pentagon.

"Over in England, Osprey just keeps cranking out high-quality aviation books under the editorship of Tony Holmes... [This book is in] Osprey's Aviation Elite Units series and features the usual blend of concise text, good quality black and white photos, and numerous color profiles... [This volume] on the all-black 332nd Fighter Group gives a good look into the formation of the outfit and how it trained for combat... There are lots of good photos and stories of the Group in action... recommended." --Jim Larsen, Mustangs International "Aviation Elite Unit books are a departure from the usual Aircraft of the Aces ... and focus on units and their histories instead of specific planes and fronts. The Tuskegee book discusses the humble beginnings of the first all 'Negro' fighter squadron despite the discrimination common at that time. Air war enthusiasts will find [this book] enjoyable and interesting to read ... the color plates are invaluable references when painting [P-51] aircrafts." --Michael Koznarsky, Historical Miniature Gamer (Issue 11) "...covers a Tuskegee Experiment designed to prove that Afro-Americans were not capable of flying combat aircraft: an experiment which created one of aviation's top units... Their saga comes to life, here." --Midwest Book Review