This new book is a fascinating history of how the mighty Gothic Line was defeated by American air power, in one of the most pivotal but least-known air campaigns of World War II.By late 1944, the Italian Campaign was secondary to the campaigns in France, and Allied forces were not strong enough to break the Germans’ mighty Gothic Line. These fortifications were supplied by rail through the Alps, with trains arriving hourly and delivering 600,000 tons of supplies a month, enough to keep the German Army going forever.But in the bitter winter of 1944–45, the mighty Gothic Line would be defeated by American air power, in one of the most pivotal but least-known air campaigns of World War II. It would not be a direct assault; instead Operation Bingo would ruthlessly cut the Germans’ supply lines and leave them starved. But it would not be easy. The rail routes were defended by a formidable array of heavy flak, and every raid was expected. Conditions were freezing, and even in electric flying
In 1993 Margie Witt, a young Air Force nurse, was chosen as the face of the Air Force’s “Cross into the Blue” recruitment campaign. This was also the year that President Clinton’s plan for gays to ser
The elemental forces of air, earth, fire, and water are among the most powerful in the multiverse, forming the basis of the material world and giving spellcasters and creatures capable of wielding the
November 1943May 1945The U.S. Army Air Forces waged an unprecedentedly dogged and violent campaign against Hitler’s vital oil production and industrial plants on the Third Reich’s southern flank. Flyi
High above the warm, summer fields Churchill's 'few' fought with courage & skill against overwhelming odds - and won. A vivid account of the air battles as well as an explanation of how the campaign
Abbatiello, an officer in the US Air Force, examines the role of British aircraft in defeating Germany's Unrestricted Submarine Campaign in 1917 and 1918. Despite air power's limited achievement in de
Russian annexation of Crimea and the subsequent air campaign over Syria took the world by surprise. The capabilities and efficiency of Moscow’s armed forces during both operations signalled to t
Ian Castle tells the story of Germany's air offensive against Britain in World War I (1914-1918), in which, from May 1915 until October 1917, zeppelins dropped thousands of tons of bombs on London. In
Russian annexation of Crimea and the subsequent air campaign over Syria took the world by surprise. The capabilities and efficiency of Moscow’s armed forces during both operations signalled to t
As early as 1979, Soviet aircraft designers started work on a programme called I-90, a fighter for the 1990s. Two Soviet aircraft design bureaux took on the task, Mikoyan and Sukhoi. Work began in 1983 but with the dissolution of the Soviet Union the project stalled.In 2002 the Russian government kicked off a new programme under which Sukhoi began development of what was then known as PAK FA (Future Tactical Aviation Aircraft System). Known in house as the T-50, this aircraft strongly resembled the American F-22 Raptor in overall appearance.The first prototype took to the air on 29th January 2010 and in 2017 the fighter was allocated the service designation Su-57. In 2018 the aircraft had its combat debut when four of the prototypes were briefly deployed to Syria during the Russian campaign against the IS terror network in that country. Production was officially launched in May 2019, with the Russian Air Force having 70-plus on order.The book charts the development and trials history o
During Wolrd War II (1939-1945), on the same day that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, they also launched air attacks on Wake Island, an American marine and naval base in the Pacific. Three days la
After the failed April 1972 invasion of South Vietnam and the heavy US tactical bombing raids in the Hanoi area, the North Vietnamese agreed to return to the Paris peace talks, yet very quickly these negotiations stalled. In an attempt to end the war quickly and "persuade" the North Vietnamese to return to the negotiating table, President Nixon ordered the Air Force to send the US' ultimate conventional weapon, the B-52 bomber, against their capital, Hanoi. Bristling with the latest Soviet air defense missiles, it was the most heavily defended target in Vietnam. Taking place in late December, this campaign was soon dubbed the "Christmas Bombings."Using specially commissioned artwork and maps, ex-USAF fighter colonel Marshall Michel describes Linebacker II, the climax of the air war over Vietnam, and history's only example of how America's best Cold War bombers performed against contemporary Soviet air defenses.
The Avro Lancaster was one of the finest bombers of World War II and became the spearhead of the RAF's strategic bombing campaign over the Third Reich. Richard Marks draws on extensive research and de
Though notorious for its polluted air today, the city of Los Angeles once touted itself as a health resort. After the arrival of the transcontinental railroad in 1876, publicists launched a campaign t
In 1942, the massive Japanese naval base and airfield at Rabaul was a fortress standing in the Allies' path to Tokyo. It was impossible to seize Rabaul, or starve the 100,000-strong garrison out. Instead the US began an innovative, hard-fought two-year air campaign to draw its teeth, and allow them to bypass the island completely. The struggle decided more than the fate of Rabaul. If successful, the Allies would demonstrate a new form of warfare, where air power, with a judicious use of naval and land forces, would eliminate the need to occupy a ground objective in order to control it. As it turned out, the Siege of Rabaul proved to be more just than a successful demonstration of air power--it provided the roadmap for the rest of World War II in the Pacific.
In the spring of 1940 Canada sent hundreds of highly trained volunteers to serve in Britain's Royal Air Force as it began a concerted bombing campaign against Germany. Nearly half of them were killed
The Battle of Britain was one of the most iconic campaigns of World War II, where the "Few" of the Royal Air Force took on the might of the German Luftwaffe. At stake was not just air superiority over
The years 1944 and 1945 were pivotal in the development of Australia's approach to strategy during the Second World War and beyond. While the main battlefront of the Pacific War had moved further north, Australian air, land and sea forces continued to make a significant contribution to the Allied campaign and towards achieving Australia's strategic interests and objectives. In New Guinea, Australian operations secured territories and released men from service, while in Borneo a highly successful campaign was clouded by uncertain motives and questionable strategy. Australia 1944–45: Victory in the Pacific examines this complex and fascinating period, which has been largely under-represented in Australian military history. Peter Dean leads a team of highly regarded military historians in assessing Australian, Allied and Japanese strategies, the conduct of the campaigns in the Southwest Pacific Area and Australia's significant role in achieving victory.
