Focke-Wulf Fw 190 (GM II): libros - historia (2/2)

The Fw 190 was the scourge of Fighter Command from the moment it appeared on the Western Front at Abbeville in August 1941 with II./JG 26. A nimble, speedy and well-armed adversary, the 'Butcher Bird' quickly proved superior to all Allied fighters of the time, particularly at medium to low altitude.
Led by Experten of the calibre of 'Pips' Priller, Heinz Bar and Walter Oesau, the handful of Fw 190-equipped Jagdgeschwader flew against overwhelming odds, firstly on the Channel coast, and then in direct defence of the Reich when the Jagdflieger took on the might of the USAAF's Eighth and Ninth Air Forces. This is their story.

Contents: In the Beginning - Channel and North Sea Build-Up - Diversions North, South and Nocturnal - Defence of the Reich - The Battle is Joined - Normandy - The Killing Ground - Defence of the Reich - The Battle is Lost - The End of the Line - Appendices - Index.

Of all the fronts fought on by the Jagdflieger during World War 2, the Russian, or Eastern, was easily the most lucrative in terms of targets for the experten. Marry an abundance of targets with the Luftwaffe's best piston-engined fighter of the war - Focke-Wulf's Fw 190 'Butcher Bird' - and it quickly becomes apparent why so many Jagdflieger achieved kills that passed the 100 victories mark.
Flying in variable weather on a battlefront that was constantly changing, the Fw 190 pilots fought virtually to extinction in both the pure fighter and the crucial Schlacht ground attack roles.

Contents: 'Exeunt Omnes' - Familiarisation - JG 51 in Combat - JG 54 - Enter the 'Green Hearts' - And Others - Zitadelle - Schlachtflieger - JG 51 Reverts to Type... - ... But the 'Green Hearts' Soldier On - Too Little, Too Late - 'Finis' - Appendices.

Arguably two of the finest piston-engined fighters ever built, the Tempest V and Fw 190D-9 raised the bar in terms of aircraft design and operational capability during World War II. The long-nosed 'Dora 9', designed by Kurt Tank, first appeared in the skies over the Western and Eastern Fronts in the late summer of 1944. Fast, and with an exceptional rate of climb, it quickly bettered almost every fighter that the RAF, USAAF and Soviet Red Air Force could field.

The Hawker Tempest V entered service in early 1944, initially proving itself a stalwart performer when it was deployed to intercept V1 flying bombs over southern England. From the autumn of 1944, the Tempest V also equipped squadrons of the 2nd Tactical Air Force, operating in support of the Allied armies advancing across north-west Europe.
It became a potent ground-attack aircraft, armed with underwing rockets, but also a first-class interceptor when pitted against the Luftwaffe's advanced Fw 190D-9 and Me 262.

Featuring full colour artwork, this book describes in fascinating detail combats between the Tempest Vs of No 274 Sqn and the Fw 190D-9s of I. and III./JG 26 between February and April 1945.

From mid-1942 until the end of the war, German fighter pilots were deployed in the defence of the homeland in an effort to halt the near-constant bombing raids by Britain and America.

This book tells their story, from the moment when the Luftwaffe began to retreat to the dying days of the Reich. Using previously unpublished photographs, this book charts the story of the men who earned their status as aces while fighting a hopeless battle to protect the land and the people they loved.

Contents: 1942: Early RAF - USAAF Daylight Raids - 1943: The War of Attrition - 1944: Bloodletting over the Reich - 1945: The War is Lost - Appendices - A) Defence of the Reich Fw 190 Aces - B) Awards presented to Defence of the Reich Aces - C) Orders of Battle - D) Colour Plates Commentary.

The Fw 190 was one of the best air superiority aircraft of World War II, and when it first appeared over the Channel in 1941 it sent shockwaves through the Allied air commands. By 1944, these fighters had been up-gunned to serve as the front line of defence against the Allied bombing campaign.
Although the Fw 190s were responsible for shooting down hundreds of Allied bombers, they met their match against the USAAF B-17 'Flying Fortress'. Capable of carrying 4,000 lbs of bombs and bristling with .50 cal machine guns, the B-17 could sow death in every direction.
Using brand-new artwork and first-hand accounts, this book recreates the deadly drama in the skies above Germany in the closing stages of the war.

Contents: Introduction - Chronology - Design and development - The Strategic Situation - Technical Specifications - The Combatants - Combat - Statistics and Analysis - Conclusion - Further Reading.