Royal Navy Aces of World War 2

Description

The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy served with distinction in every theatre of war throughout World War II. From its poorly equipped beginnings - it started the war with few suitable, modern, carrier-born fighters - to the final campaigns over the Japanese home islands, the FAA proved an effective fighting force wherever it went. FAA Pilots had the distinction of being responsible for both the first, and last, enemy aircraft to be shot down during the war. Featuring first hand accounts, combat reports, photographs from private collections and an array of colour plates depicting the range of profiles and symbolic markings that were used, this book will detail the history and combat experiences of these forgotten pilots who served with such distinction for the Allied cause.

Andrew Thomas is one of Britain's most pre-eminent RAF researchers, having published numerous squadron histories and is presently a serving officer in the RAF. He is a respected author on British military aviation history having published numerous articles and books on the subject as well as readily assisting other authors. He has previously published volumes on the Gladiator, Tomahawk/Kittyhawk Hurricane, Beaufighter and Mosquito Aces in the renowned Osprey series. Based in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, Chris Davey has illustrated more than 30 titles for Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces, Combat Aircraft and Aviation Elite Units series since 1994. He is one of the last traditional airbrush artists in the business and has become Osprey's artist of choice for both USAAF fighters and RAF subject matter, proving his undoubted skill when dealing with large aircraft subjects such as the Halifax and Sunderland.

"This book covers [the Fleet Air Arm pilots'] exploits with first hand accounts of the action, a superb choice of photographs and the excellent profiles of Chris Davey. Overall, it is a book that both historians and modelers alike will find to be invaluable and one that I can recommend with confidence." --Scott Van Aken, modelingmadness.com "At last a gap has been filled about Royal Navy (RN) World War II aviation by the author's book in the Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces series... The text is outstanding in describing the exploits of FAA pilots who achieved ace status and some who came very close. First-person accounts of the pilots make the text come alive... I consider this book a must for my library and recommend it for all those interested in the RN's FAA." --CDR Doug Siegfried, USN (Ret), The Hook (Winter 2008) "A specific, important title military collections will relish." --California Bookwatch (July 2007)