Phil: 1611 books

The Hawker Fury was the first RAF’s fighter able to fly at a speed exceeding 200 mph in lever flight. This part one narrates the development and production of the Fury and the career of the Fury Mk.I in the RAF. This part includes also the full story of the Fury in South Africa, which fought against...

The Curtiss SB2C participated to the last two years of the war in the Pacific, and was one of the major aircraft in the USN inventory in 1945. With the War’s end, the plane was soon relegated to second line units, but against all odds, the Helldiver had not fought for the last time and a few years,...

A deep study of this unit which includes history, the men who flew with it, details on losses, claims, statistics with plenty of photos and color profiles. Three printable posters are also included.

The conduct of a successful air campaign requires a combination of strategy, tactics, capable aircraft, well trained pilots - and good leadership. During WW2, the RAF, Commonwealth (RCAF, RAAF, RNZAF and SAAF) and 'Free European' forces employed almost 250 fighter squadrons throughout the World, from...

The purpose of this study is to provide aviation historians and enthusiasts with a range of information relative to each of the Commonwealth squadrons that saw combat during World War II. Each record will comprise a short history, complete with illustrations and artrwork.

Designed before the Mk. IX, but following it into service because its radical design changes would have meant production delays when time was of the essence, the Spitfire Mk. Vlll was in fact a non pressurized version of the Mk. VII designed for low altitude combat (see SQUADRONS! No. 6). At the outset...

The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was the most produced heavy bomber of WW2 with close to 19,000 units built. The design was progressively improved during the war and Consolidated developed variants up to the XB-24N. It was widely used by the Commonwealth nations during WW2. The RAF alone flew about...

The Fortress Mk.II and Mk.III were the equivalent of the USAAF’s B-17E/F and G. The Fortress Mk.I was the B-17C as featured in ‘SQUADRONS! No. 4’. The Fortress Mk.I was only used in small numbers (20), but, for the British, it was the first step leading to the large scale introduction of the...

A pictorial study of the USN aircraft between 1922 and 1962. Over forty years, between 1922 and 1962, the USN and USMC used a designation system which began with biplanes and ended with jets, having been used through two major wars, WW2 and the Korean War. This system remained largely the same during...

The purpose of this study is to provide aviation historians and enthusiasts with a range of information relative to each of the Commonwealth squadrons that saw combat during World War II. Each record will comprise a short history, complete with illustrations and artwork.

Paradoxically, the Mk.V, which ended up being the most numerous variant of the famous fighter built, was not even an intended development of the design. Indeed, it was only considered because of the abandonment of the Spitfire Mk.III. As the Luftwaffe was continually improving its formidable Messerschmitt...

The Hawker Fury was the first RAF’s fighter able to fly at a speed exceeding 200 mph in lever flight. This part one narrates the development and production of the Fury and the career of the Fury Mk.I in the RAF. This part includes also the full story of the Fury in South Africa, which fought against...

The Curtiss Hawk 75 was the export version of the USAAC Curtiss P-36 that became, from 1936 onwards, the standard American single-seat fighter and represented a big step forward for the USAAC. The French were the first to express interest in this fighter and ordered large quantities before and during...

Paradoxically, the Mk.V, which ended up being the most numerous variant of the famous fighter built, was not even an intended development of the design. Indeed, it was only considered because of the abandonment of the Spitfire Mk.III. As the Luftwaffe was continually improving its formidable Messerschmitt...