Osprey Aviation Elite Units SC (2000-2007 OSPREY) comic books 2001-2003

Add to cart Near Mint $11.00

Volume 3 - 1st printing. "No 91 'Nigeria' Squadron!" Written by Peter Hall. Art by Chris Davey. From its humble beginnings as a reconnaissance flight, using second-hand aircraft at the very end of the Battle of Britain, No 91 'Nigeria' Squadron went on to become one of the most famous units in RAF Fighter Command. It achieved outstanding results using new low-level interception tactics along the south coast of England, employing the very latest marks of Spitfire. Indeed, it was one of the few fighter units to be Spitfire-equipped throughout World War 2. Manned by a multifarious band of pilots from across the globe, No 91 'Nigeria' Sqn also produced its fair share of aces. Softcover, 128 Pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $25.95.

Volume 4 - 1st printing. "Lentolaivue 24!" By John Weal. Finland's premier fighter squadron during World War 2, Lentolaivue 24 (Flying Squadron 24) first saw action during the bloody Winter War of 1939-40, when the Soviet Red Army launched a surprise attack on the small Scandinavian country - the squadron enjoyed great success against numerically superior opposition. LLv 24 was once again in the thick of the action following the outbreak of the Continuation War in June 1941. Easily the air force's most successful fighter unit, LLv 24 claimed 877 kills, and its pilots won five direct and two indirect Mannerheim Crosses (Finland?s highest military award) out of a total of 19 presented to all Finnish soldiers. Most top aces also scored the bulk of their kills flying with this unit. Softcover, 128 Pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $25.95.

Volume 5 - 1st printing. "B-29 Hunters of the JAAF!" Written by Henry Sakaida and Koji Takaki. Art by Jim Laurier. 'B-29!' No other term struck such terror in the hearts of the Japanese public during World War 2 than this single, most-hated name. It was then only natural that the pilots who attempted to shoot these high-flying Boeing bombers out of the skies over Tokyo, Nagasaki, Hiroshima and Kobe should become known as the elite of the Japanese Army Air Force. This book details the exploits of the ?Dragon Slayers' who, flying the very latest single- and twin-engined fighters, exacted a heavy toll on the AAF Boeing bombers using a range of tactics including ramming.Softcover, 128 Pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $25.95.

Volume 6 - 1st printing. "Jagdgeschwader 54 'Grünherz'!" By John Weal. One of the most successful of the high-scoring Luftwaffe Jagdgeschwader during World War 2, JG 54 ?Grünherz' (Green Hearts) was formed from three disparate fighter 'Gruppen' immediately prior to the Battle of Britain. Having enjoyed immediate success over the Channel and South-east England during the summer of 1940, the unit was transferred to the Eastern Front in the spring of 1941 in preparation for Operation Barbarossa - the German invasion of the Soviet Union. JG 54 would remain a Jagdwaffe stalwart in the east, flying firstly Bf 109Fs and then the Fw 190. By war's end, the Geschwader's pilots had claimed over 9500 kills, and produced over 100 aces. Men like Hans Philipp, Walter Nowotny and Otto Kittel are profiled in this volume, which reveals the struggle in the face of overwhelming odds that was the lot of the Jagdflieger on the Eastern Front. Cover price $25.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $11.00

Add to cart Near Mint $11.00

Volume 7 - 1st printing. "354th Fighter Group!" Written by William N Hess. Art by Chris Davey. I think the success of the 354th as the leading group in the European theatre for aerial victories is due to several things. First was the initial training of the squadrons before deployment to England. Colonel Ken Martin nurtured the group from its infancy, and all the excellence that later showed through could be placed at his doorstep. Despite his youth, he knew how to foster teamwork and demand perfection in flying. There was nothing more important than getting the group off on the right foot. Second, our pilots were taught to fly mutual support, and practised it faithfully. There were no hot pilots in the 354th, only excellent pilots. Third, men like Glenn Eagleston gave advice and warnings about combat tactics and guarding one's tail. This prepared our pilots for lurking dangers, something the other groups may not have done.' Brigadier General James Howard, Commanding Officer of the 354th Fighter Group. Softcover, 128 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $11.00

Volume 8 - 1st printing. "352nd Fighter Group!" Written by Tom Ivie. Art by Tom Tullis. Nicknamed the ?Bluenosed Bastards of Bodney' due to the garish all-blue noses of their P-51s, the 352nd FG was one of the most successful fighter groups in the Eighth Air Force. Credited with destroying almost 800 enemy aircraft between 1943 and 1945, the 352nd finished fourth in the ranking of all groups within VIII Fighter Command. Initially equipped with P-47s, the group transitioned to P-51s in the spring of 1944, and it was with the Mustang that its pilots enjoyed their greatest success. Numerous first-hand accounts, 55 newly commissioned artworks and 140+ photos complete this concise history of the ?Bluenosers'. Softcover, 128 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Add to cart Fine $6.50

Add to cart Fine $6.50

Volume 9 - 1st printing. "No 43 ?Fighting Cocks' Squadron!" Written by Andy Saunders. Art by Chris Davey. Known as the 'Fighting Cocks', No 43 Sqn has been a part of the RAF since 1916, and is still in service today. This volume deals exclusively with the unit's exploits during WW2, covering its service during the evacuation of Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain, as well as the years spent supporting the Allied cause in North Africa and the Mediterranean. Flying Hurricanes from November 1939, and re-equipped with Spitfires in early 1943, 'Fighting Cocks' pilots scored 159 kills during the war and over a dozen of them 'made ace'. This book presents a full picture of the squadron, its men and its aircraft. Softcover, 128 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $11.00

Volume 10 - 1st printing. "359th Fighter Group!" Written by Jack H Smith. Art by Tom Tullis. Nicknamed the 'Unicorns', the 359th FG was one of the last groups to arrive in the UK for service in the ETO with the Eighth Air Force. First seeing action on 13 December 1943, the group initially flew bomber escort sweeps in P-47s, before converting to the ubiquitous P-51 in March/April 1944. Throughout its time in the ETO, the 359th was credited with the destruction of 351 enemy aircraft destroyed between December 1943 and May 1945. The exploits of all 12 aces created by the group are detailed, along with the most significant missions flown. This book also discusses the various markings worn by the group's three squadrons, the 368th, 369th and 370th FSs. Softcover, 128 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $11.00

Volume 11 - 1st printing. "303rd Bombardment Group!" Written by Brian D O'Neill. Art by Mark Styling. The first title in the Elite Units series to deal with an American bombardment group, this title focuses on the 303rd BG, dubbed the 'Hells Angels.' One of the very first B-17 units assigned to the newly created Eighth Air Force in England in September 1942, the 303rd was in the vanguard of the daylight bombing campaign through to VE-Day. Awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation in January 1944, the 303rd also had two of its aircrewmen presented with the Medal of Honor, Americas ultimate military decoration. Brian O Neill brings the group's colourful combat history to life with a mix of first-hand accounts, raw statistics and concise mission narrative. Softcover, 128 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Volume 12 - 1st printing. "Jagdgeschwader 27 'Afrika'!" By John Weal. Synonymous with the Afrika Korps and the campaign in North Africa, JG 27 provided Rommel's army with fighter protection for virtually the whole 'roller coaster ride that was the war in the Western Desert from 1941-43. Formed in Germany on 1 October 1939 (with Adolf Galland as CO of I.Gruppe), JG 27 saw considerable action both during the Battles of France and Britain, downing 146 aircraft in the latter campaign alone. Sent to North Africa in April 1941, the geschwader had an immediate impact on the campaign, which had up until then been dominated by the Allies. The third volume in the Aviation Elite series on a German fighter geschwader, this book will once again prove popular with Luftwaffe enthusiasts and hobbyists alike. Softcover, 128 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.

Volume 13 - 1st printing. "Luftwaffe Schlachtgruppen!" By John Weal. TOne of the most important, and yet least publicised, components of the front-line Luftwaffe was the Schlacht, or ground attack, arm. This book details the Schlacht units who were in the thick of the fighting from the first day of the war until the last. They played a vital part in the heady successes of the early Blitzkrieg campaigns and went on to perform an equally essential role in the dark hours of last ditch defence and ultimate defeat. In between, they fought in all defensive battles: on the eastern front at Stalingrad, Kursk and Berlin; in the west, by night, over Normandy, the Ardennes and the Rhine. Softcover, 128 pages, PC/PB&W Cover price $25.95.