This new volume straps the reader into the cockpit of the P-51B/C as
the Mustang-equipped fighter groups of the 'Mighty Eighth' Air Force
attempt to defend massed heavy bomber formations from deadly Luftwaffe
fighters charged with defending the Third Reich. Luftwaffe
Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring admitted that the appearance of
long-range Mustangs over Berlin spelled the end of the Jagdwaffe's
ability to defeat American daylight bombing. But the Mustang was far
more than an escort – it was a deadly hunter that could out-perform
nearly every German fighter when it was introduced into combat.
Entering combat in Europe in December 1943, P-51Bs and P-51Cs had
advantages over German Bf 109s and Fw 190s in respect to the altitude
they could reach, their rate of climb and top speed. Initially tapped
for close bomber escort, Mustangs were quickly turned loose to range
ahead of the bomber stream in order to challenge German fighters
before they could assemble to engage the bombers en masse. Thanks to
the Mustang's superior performance, USAAF pilots effectively blunted
the Luftwaffe's tried and tested tactic for destroying B-17s and
B-24s. Boldness and aggression in aerial combat meant that P-51B/C
pilots inflicted a rapidly mounting toll on their German counterparts
in the West during the early months of 1944, contributing mightily to
Allied air superiority over northern France on D-Day. This volume,
packed full of first-hand accounts, expertly recreates the combat
conditions and flying realities for Mustang pilots (including headline
aces such as Don Blakeslee and Don Gentile, as well as lesser known
aviators). It is heavily illustrated with photographs, artwork and
innovative and colourful 3D ribbon diagrams, which will provide a
realistic overview of the most dynamic dogfights in aviation history.
Les mer
Northwest Europe 1943–44
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781472850027
Publisert
2021
Utgave
1. utgave
Utgiver
Bloomsbury UK
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter