Osprey Aircraft of the Aces SC (1994) comic books

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Volume 1 - 2nd and later printings. "Mustang Aces of the Eighth Air Force!" Written by Jerry Scutts. Art by Chris Davey. Unquestionably the best American fighter of World War 2, the North American P-51 Mustang served in large numbers with the USAAF's Eighth Air Force from late 1943 until VE Day, and was the mount of most aces in-theatre. Charged with the responsibility of escorting huge formations of B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator bombers on daylight raids deep into Germany, the P-51 pilots of the various fighter groups within the 'Mighty Eighth' went head to head with the cream of the Luftwaffe's fighter squadrons for control of the skies over the Third Reich. Aircraft of the Aces 1, 19 and 24 are also available in a single volume as ‘Aces of the Mighty Eighth'. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

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Volume 5 - 2nd and later printings. "Late Mark Spitfire Aces 1942–45!" Written by Alfred Price. Art by Chris Davey. Although the Spitfire is undoubtedly best known for its exploits against the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain, its later war service with Fighter Command on all fronts against the Axis alliance was equally as important. This volume features the exploits of pilots who turned the tide against the Luftwaffe on the Western European and Mediterranean fronts, as well as the Japanese in the Far East, flying Spitfire Mk VIs, VIIs, VIIIs, IXs XIIs and XIVs. Names like Johnnie Johnson, Neville Duke and Donald Kingaby, plus a myriad of lesser known British, Polish, Canadian, American, Australian, Czech, Free French, New Zealand and Norwegian pilots, and their aircraft, are all covered in this book. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

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Volume 9 - 2nd and later printings. "Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Western Front!" Written by John Weal. 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. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 15 - 2nd and later printings. "Soviet Aces of World War 2!" Written by Hugh Morgan. Art by John Weal. No single volume in English has ever appeared in the West dealing with this intriguing subject area, but now that restrictions have relaxed in the former Soviet Union, records of the deeds of the elite pilots of the various Soviet Air Forces are coming to light. Although initially equipped with very poor aircraft, and robbed of effective leadership thanks as much to Stalin's purges in the late 1930s as to the efforts of the Luftwaffe, Soviet fighter pilots soon turned the tables through the use of both lend-lease aircraft like the Hurricane, Spitfire, P-39 and P-40, and home-grown machines like the MiG-3, LaGG-3/5, Lavochkin La-5/7/9 and the Yak-1/3. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 18 - 1st printing. "Hurricane Aces 1939–40!" Written by Tony Holmes. Art by Keith Fretwell. The Hawker Hurricane was the RAF's first monoplane fighter, and it dragged the air force into a position where it could defend Britain in its 'hour of need'. Prior to the Battle of Britain, a number of squadrons equipped with the fighter had seen action firstly in the 'Phoney War', and then during the disastrous campaign in France. Pilots like 'Cobber' Kain had achieved impressive scores in the face of overwhelming LUftwaffe forces, and although the RAF lost no less than 386 Hurricanes during the Blitzkrieg, it gave many pilots valuable experience. Hawker fighters outnumbered Spitfires during the Battle of Britain by three to one, and downed far mor aircraft. Overseas, a handful of pilots put up stiff resistance against Germany's Italian ally in Libya and Egypt, and also over Malta. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

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Volume 21 - 1st printing. "Polish Aces of World War 2!" Art by Robert Gretzyngier. Pilots of the Polish Air Force saw action from the first day of World War 2 until the final victory in Europe. Flying hopelessly outmoded P.11 fighters in defence of their country in September 1939, a handful of aviators inflicted serious losses on the Luftwaffe before being overwhelmed. The survivors escaped to then neutral Hungary and Romania, before being ordered to France by the new C-in-C of exiled Polish Armed Forces, General Sikorski. With the invasion of Western Europe in May 1940, the surviving pilots were once more thrust into desperate action in newly-formed Polish units. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 28 - 1st printing. "French Aces of World War 2!" Written by Barry Ketley. Art by Mark Rolfe. French pilots endured fighting both with and against the Allies during World War 2. Possessing obsolescent aircraft at the outbreak of the war, the Armée de l'Air was decimated in the wake of the Blitzkrieg; however, a number of fighter units still achieved creditable scores flying Curtiss Hawks, Morane MS.406s and Dewoitine D.520s. Following the capitulation of France at the end of June 1940, many aces continued to fly with the now Vichy French Squadrons that were stationed in North Africa, and a number of these pilots subsequently saw action against their former Allies there. Numerous French pilots also escaped to Britain, and a handful achieved notable sucess with the RAF flying Hurricanes, Spitfires and Tempests. In Russia, the formation of the French-manned ‘Normandie-Niemen' regiment in 1943 also saw near on 40 pilots achieve ace status flying Yak fighters on the Eastern Front. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

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Volume 29 - 1st printing. "Bf 109 F/G/K Aces of the Western Front!" Art by John Weal. The follow--on volume to Osprey Aircraft of the Aces 11 - Bf 109D/E Aces 1939-41, this book charts the story of the myriad aces who flew the later marks of Messerschmitt fighter through to VE-Day. As good as the Emil had been during the opening 18 months of the war, the aircraft was being progressively bettered in virtually all aspects of aerial combat by the Spitfire come 1941, so Messerschmitt updated and improved the breed, firstly with the introduction of the Friedrich and then the multi-variant Gustav. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 30 - 1st printing. "P-47 Thunderbolt Aces of the Ninth and Fifteenth Air Forces!" Written by Jerry Scutts. Art by Chris Davey. This book charts the story of the lesser known aces who flew the mighty Republic aircraft as a tactical fighter-bomber with the Ninth Air Force, rather than as a long-range escort. It also details the exploits of the Mediterranean-based 325th FG, which was the only P-47 group within the strategic Fifteenth Air Force. Thunderbolt aces within the Ninth Air Force, particularly, were rare, despite some 15 groups flying the fighter. Supporting troops on the ground rather than searching out aerial foes, was the name of the game for the men of the Ninth. However, with the Luftwaffe often opposing such sorties through to April 1945, more than 20 pilots had the opportunity to score five or more kills and 'make ace'. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

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Volume 31 - 1st printing. "VIII Fighter Command at War!" Written by Michael O'Leary. This volume focuses on the little known official Army Air Force report commissioned by the Eighth Air Force's VIII Fighter Command (FC) in May 1944. The detailed document chronicled the experiences of 24 pilots who had seen extensive service in the frontline escorting B-17s and B-24s on daylight raids deep into Germany. Briefed to provide a candid report on combat flying that could be used as a teaching 'manual' for potential fighter pilots, the VIII FC veterans openly discuss their secrets to success, and survival in the deadly skies over occupied Europe. Exactly half of those pilots who contributed to The Long Reach subsequently achieved ace status. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

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Volume 33 - 1st printing. "Nieuport Aces of World War 1!" Written by Norman Franks. Art by Harry Dempsey. The French Nieuport company provided the Allied air forces with the first true fighter scout of World War 1 in the shape of the diminutive XI of 1915. Based on the Bebe racer, built for the abandoned Gordon-Bennett Trophy of the previous year, the aircraft utilised a sesquiplane (lower wing much smaller than the upper wing) arrangement which gave the XI extreme manoeuvrability. It was the only scout respected by the all-conquering German Fokker E-series of 1915-16, and was flown by French, British, Russian, Belgian and Italian aces. The XI was replaced from May 1916 onwards by the bigger and more powerful XVII. which proved to be one of the best fighters of World War 1. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 36 - 1st printing. "P-39 Airacobra Aces of World War 2!" Written by John Stanaway. Art by Jim Laurier. The first American fighter fitted with a tricyle undercarriage and mid-mounted engine, the P-39 proved less than successful in the hands of its launch customer, the US Army Air Force (AAF). Hampered by unreliabilty and poor engine performance at high altitude, the P-39 nevertheless served alongside the P-40 and P-38 in the bitter struggle to capture Guadalcanal in 1942/43, as well as seeing much action over the jungles of New Guinea. Around a dozen AAF aces scored five kills with the P-39, although this total was far outstripped by the Soviet Red Air Force, whose pilots rated the Airacobra as one of the best lend-lease fighters of the war. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 37 - 1st printing. "Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front!" Written by John Weal. Art by Iain Wyllie. The highest scoring aces of any aerial conflict were the Luftwaffe pilots involved in the bloody combats on the Russian Front. The most common fighter used by these pilots was the Bf 109, which was involved in the action from Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, through to the doomed Defence of the Reich in 1945. Units like JGs 5, 52 and 54 all flew the Messerschmitt fighter, progressing from Emil to Gustav variants. This volume includes all the high-scoring aces, and explains just how difficult a job the Jagdwaffe faced on the Russian Front, and how its experts achieved such overwhelming scores. Aircraft of the Aces 6 and 37 are also available in a single volume as ‘German Aces of the Russian Front'. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 39 - 1st printing. "SPAD VII Aces of World War 1!" Written by Jon Guttman. Built by the 'Société Anonyme Pour l'Aviation et ses Dérivés', (SPAD), the SPAD VII was the first successful fighting scout design to emerge from the company that had traded as Duperdussin pre-war. Flown ‘from the off' by aces Paul Sauvage and Georges Guynemer, the scouts made an immediate impression. Indeed, the latter pilot was so impressed that he dubbed the Type VII the ‘flying machine gun'. The first of two volumes on SPAD aces, this book tells the whole story from the ace perspective. By the time production of the SPAD VII ended in the final months of 1918, around 6000 examples had been built, and Allied aces on every front had enjoyed success with the type. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 40 - 1st printing. "Fokker Dr I Aces of World War 1!" Written by Norman Franks. Art by Harry Dempsey. Undoubtedly the most famous fighter type to see service on either side during World War 1, the Fokker Dr I was a revelation when it entered service on the western front in 1917. Manfred von Richthofen's JG 1 ‘circus' was the first Jasta to completely re-equip with the new fighter, and in the skilled hands of its numerous aces the Dr I proved a formidable opponent. The Dr I remained in service on the Western Front until replaced by the superior Fokker D VII in May 1918. Just weeks prior to that, however, Germany's leading ace, the great ‘Red Baron', had been killed at the controls of a Dr I. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

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Volume 42 - 1st printing. "American Aces of World War 1!" Written by Norman Franks. Art by Harry Dempsey. American fliers arriving in Europe from September 1917 brought with them no aircraft. Instead, US units had to obtain machines mainly from the British and French. From early 1918 American pilots were issued with SPAD fighters and they never looked back. As this volume details, the first American trained pilot to become an ace was Lt Douglas Campbell, who shot down five German aircraft by the end of May 1918. He was a member of the celebrated 94th 'Hat in the Ring' Aero Squadron, which created the bulk of American aces in World War I. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

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Volume 43 - 1st printing. "P-40 Warhawk Aces of the MT!" Written by Carl Molesworth. Art by Jim Laurier. Thrown into action following the Torch landings of late 1942, the ‘green' American pilots flying the obsolescent P-40F suffered cruelly at the hands of seasoned German fighter pilots flying superior machines. Those that survived learnt quickly, and a handful of Warhawk pilots succeeded in making ace by the time the Axis forces surrendered in North Africa. The action then shifted to Sicily and Italy, and the P-40 remained in service until mid-1944. This book charts the careers of the 23 men who succeeded in making ace during that time, despite the advent of much better P-47 and P-51 fighters. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 44 - 1st printing. "Gloster Gladiator Aces!" Written by Andrew Thomas. Art by John Weal. Never before has a single volume been devoted exclusively to the intrepid and disparate band of pilots who could claim to be Gladiator aces. Flying the ultimate British biplane fighter, pilots in China, Finland, East Africa, North Africa, Western Europe, the Mediterranean, Norway and the Middle East all scored the prerequisite five kills to become aces. The first individuals to do so were fighting marauding Japanese fighters and bombers attacking targets in China in 1938. The likes of Sheen, Tuck and Carey will also be featured in this volume, as they were among the many early war acers who cut their teeth in Fighter Command on the Gladiator. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 45 - 1st printing. "British and Empire Aces of World War 1!" Written by Christopher Shores. Art by Mark Rolfe. At the outset of World War I the British had some 110 assorted aircraft, used mostly for the visual reconnaissance role. With the advent of faster and more agile single-seaters, the Allies and their adversaries raced to outdo each other in the creation of genuinely effective fighters with fixed forward-firing machine gun armament. It was not until 1917 that the British developed a truly effective interrupter gear, which paved the way for excellent single seaters such as the Sopwith Triplane Camel and the RAF S.E.5., later joined by the Bristol F.2B - the war's best two-seat fighter. This volume traces the rapid development of the fighter in World War I and the amazing exploits of the British and Empire aces who flew them. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 48 - 1st printing. "Dolphin and Snipe Aces of World War 1" Written by Norman Franks. Art by Harry Dempsey. This book focuses on the combat careers of the last of the famous Sopwith fighters to enter service during World War 1, the Dolphin and the Snipe, both of which were built on the strong scouting heritage of the Pup and Camel. The Dolphin featured the unique negative-staggered biplane wing arrangement, which provided the pilot with the best possible tactical view forward for seeking out his enemy. Used extensively on the Western Front, the Dolphin proved very effective in combat, with a substantial number of British aces scoring kills with the fighter. The Snipe was built as the successor of the highly successful Camel, and entered service with the fledgling Royal Air Force in the summer of 1918. Although seeing just a few months of action before the Armistice, the Snipe nevertheless proved its superiority over virtually all other fighters. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 49 - 1st printing. "Croatian Aces of World War 2!" Written by Boris Ciglic and Dragan Savic. Art by John Weal.Initially flying Italian-supplied Fiat G.50s, the Croat forces suffered heavy losses during 1942 whilst flying alongside JG 52 in the southern sector of the Russian front. Despite this, a significant number of kills fell to future aces such as Cvitan Galic and Mato Dubovak during this time, and when the units re-equipped with Bf 109G-10s in 1943, battle-seasoned Croat pilots started to rack up impressive scores. This book reveals how, by 1944, Croat air groups were defending Yugoslavia from British and American air raids, and in the final months of the war a handful of surviving pilots fought on until final defeat in May 1945. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 50 - 1st printing. "Hungarian Aces of World War 2!" Written by György Punka. Art by Stephan Boshniakov. Like Germany, Hungary was forbidden from having an air force following the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of World War 1. However, again like Germany, the new state of Hungary created an air arm in secret during the 1930s. Hungarian fighter pilots first saw action against their Slovakian neighbours in early 1939, following the annexation of Czechoslovakia by Germany. In June 1941, Hungarian armed forces joined the Germany in the invasion of Russia, and pilots from the I/I Fighter Group saw continuous action into 1942. Flying CR.42s, Re.2000s and Bf 109Es, pilots scored a modest number of kills. However, when the Bf 109G-equipped Hungarian 101 ŒPuma1 Fighter Regiment was committed to action over Kharkov in April 1943, numerous aces started to rapidly build their scores. One year later the unit returned home in order to defend Hungarian cities from American heavy bombers, and pilots such as Dezsö Szentgyörgyi and György Debrödy scored the bulk of their kills in desperate battles against American fighters and bombers. Unlike most of Germany's Eastern European allies, Hungary did not capitulate during the Russian advances of 1944, and its fighter pilots fought on until May 1945. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

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Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 51 - 1st printing. "'Down to Earth' Strafing Aces of the Eighth Air Force!" Written by William N Hess. Art by Chris Davey. 'Like The Long Reach, Down to Earth is a message from the battle at its height, told in their own words by the men who fight' - this is how Brig-Gen Francis Griswold, VIII Fighter Command, ends his introduction to this book. His official endorsement reveals just how important a document Down to Earth was to the teaching of tyro fighter pilots heading for action in the ETO. More leading aces were lost to flak whilst ground strafing than to German fighters. In this book William Hess has included biographies of all the pilots that originally contributed to this work back in 1943-44. Softcover, 128 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

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Volume 54 - 1st printing. "Rumanian Aces of World War 2!" Written by Dénes Bérnad. Art by John Weal. First seeing action in the wake of the German invasion of the USSR in June 1941, the Royal Rumanian Air Force had been allied to the Luftwaffe since the Romanian government signed a Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy in November 1940. This book reveals how, despite suffering heavy losses to the numerically superior Russian forces, the Rumanians inflicted even greater casualties on the communists. Locked in bitter conflict with the Soviets until September 1944, when the Red Army poured across the Rumanian frontier and forced an armistice, the modest fighter force claimed 1500+ kills using primarily Bf 109's, E's. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 55 - 1st printing. "P-40 Warhawk Aces of the Pacific!" Written by Carl Molesworth. Art by Jim Laurier. The first USAAF fighters to engage the Japanese in World War 2, a handful of P-40s rose to defend Pearl Harbor from attack on the morning of 7 December 1941. Warhawk units were also heavily involved in the ill-fated fight to stem invading Japanese forces in the Philippines and Java between December 1941 and April 1942 and again in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands between January 1943 and March 1944. This book examines The Warhawk's wartime exploits and all of its aces including 'aces-in-a-day' Mel Wheadon and Joe Lesika. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

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Volume 58 - 1st printing. "Slovakian and Bulgarian Aces of World War 2!" Written by Jiri Rajlich. Art by John Weal. In 1939, Slovakia signed a protection agreement with the German Reich and joined the attack on Poland, where its Avia B-534-equipped fighter squadrons claimed their first kills. In October 1942, having made do with obsolete aircraft, the Slovaks were equipped with Bf 109Es and eventually acquired 43 Messerschmitt fighters. The Slovaks would claim over 215 kills. Although it supported German efforts in Yugoslavia and Greece, Bulgaria did not declare war on Russia. First seeing action in August 1943, Bulgarian fighter pilots used their Bf 109Gs to good effect. From late 1943 through to mid-1944, the Bulgarian pilots attempted to defend the country from American bombers, and Stoyanov and Bochev made ace during this period. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

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Volume 61 - 1st printing. "'Twelve to One' V Fighter Command Aces of the Pacific!" Written by Shlomo Aloni. Art by Jim Laurier. The American manufactured F-4 Phantom II was used by the Israelis in air-to-ground missions, as an attack aircraft, and air-to-air missions as a fighter. Despite performing both roles with equal success the Israeli reliance on the Mirage III and Nesher delta fighters meant that the F-4 was used most regularly in its air-to-ground role. The kill total of the Israeli F-4 community was, consequently, a modest 116.5; significantly lower than that of other Israeli aircraft types in service between 1969 and 1982. A handful of aces were, nevertheless, created and, using first hand accounts, this unique book tells their stories. Many F-4 pilots had previously flown the Mirage III but most of the navigators were either inexperienced flying school graduates or had been transferred from transport aircraft. The decision to create such teams may have appeared an odd one and it certainly led to a number of interesting experiences but proved, ultimately, to be so successful that by 2010 the Israeli air force will have more two-seat combat aircraft than single-seat fighters. The F-4 experience was, therefore, crucial to moulding the future of the Israeli air force. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 62 - 1st printing. "Sopwith Triplane Aces of World War 1!" Written by Norman Franks. Art by Harry Dempsey. The inspiration behind the iconic Fokker Dr I, Sopwith's Triplane was built as a replacement for the company's hugely successful, and much loved, Pup. Thanks to its massive wing area, the revolutionary Triplane boasted an unmatched rate of climb and greatly improved manoeuvrability. Indeed, when the type made its combat debut in late 1916, the Triplane could easily out-fight any other aircraft operated by either side. Used exclusively by the Royal Naval Air Service and the French Navy, theTriplane had a far greater impact on the aerial war over the Western Front than its meagre production numbers really deserved. Pilots such as Ray Collishaw, Bob Little and Roderic Dallas all enjoyed success in the bloody struggle for aerial supremacy over the Western Front in 1917. The first volume in print devoted exclusively to Triplane aces, this book includes numerous first-hand accounts, detailed appendices, more than 90 rare photographs and over 40 all-new colour profiles and planforms. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

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Volume 63 - 1st printing. "Fokker D VII Aces of World War 1!" Written by Greg VanWyngarden and Norman Franks. Art by Harry Dempsey. Volume 53 in this series covered Fokker D VII aces from the four elite Jagdgeschwadern of the German army, and this follow-on volume charts the story of the many aces who flew the famed fighter in other units committed to combat in the final months of World War 1. D VII operations covered the entire Western Front, from the North Sea to the Swiss border. In the latter half of 1918 the Fokker was not only the mainstay of the army Jagdstaffeln, but also the most potent fighter flown by home defence Kests and the pilots of the German navy in Flanders. The D VII easily proved the equal of the many British, French, Belgian and American aircraft it met in combat, and served in such roles as day bomber interceptor, 'balloon buster' and nightfighter. Though handicapped by a lack of fuel and other supplies as the German war machine fell apart, aces such as Sachsenberg, Degelow and Rumey utilised the D VII to rack up impressive scores against consistently superior odds. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

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Volume 64 - 1st printing. "Yakovlev Aces of World War 2 !" Written by George Mellinger. Art by Jim Laurier. The Yak-1 entered Soviet service in 1941, one of three modern types of aircraft accepted for production just prior to the German invasion of the USSR. Despite initial shortcomings, it soon proved to be the thoroughbred of the Soviet Airforce. Indeed, it remained in production until the end of the war, modernized but fundamentally recognizable. By VE-day about 33,100 Yakovlev fighters had been built. Virtually all Soviet fighter regiments flew at least one variety of Yak for a time, including those which gained their fame identified with other aircraft, and consequently many pilots known as Airacobra or Lavochkin aces also scored victories with the Yak. Many other famous aces were exclusively 'Yak patriots', including the French Normandie pilots. This book focuses on the Soviet aces who scored all, or most of their victories in the Yak, drawing informaion from official unit histories and memoirs of the Soviet pilots themselves. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 65 - 1st printing. "Beaufighter Aces of World War 2!" Written by Andrew Thomas. Art by John Weal. Entering service at the end of the Battle of Britain, the pugnacious Bristol Beaufighter was deployed in numbers by Fighter Command just in time for the start of the Luftwaffe's night 'Blitz' on Britain. Flown by specialised nightfighter squadrons – several of them elite pre-war Auxiliary Air Force units – it was the first nightfighter to be equipped with an airborne radar as standard. Thus equipped, it combined the ability to 'see' the enemy at night with the devastating hitting power of four cannon and six machine guns. This book covers the exploits of the men who made ace in the Beaufighter and includes stunning original artwork together with first hand accounts of the action. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

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Volume 68 - 1st printing. "Bf 109 Defence of the Reich Aces!" Art by John Weal. This volume tells the story of the daylight air battles over Germany through the eyes of the Bf 109 aces involved. It traces the development of the aerial defence of the Reich from its small beginnings to arguably the most savage and costliest campaign in the history of aerial warfare. The Luftwaffe pilots explain their tactics and relate their experiences – in the early days, waiting for short-ranged Allied fighters to turn back before attacking the bombers, the see-saw battle for aerial supremacy that followed, the advent of the P-51 and its devastating effect, the growing might of the heavy bomber streams and the final desperate measures against overwhelming odds. The story is predominantly that of the Bf 109's struggle to defeat the US Eighth Air Force, although latterly both the 'mediums' of the US Ninth Air Force and the 'heavies' of RAF Bomber Command were also active by day over Germany. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 70 - 1st printing. "F-86 Sabre Aces of the 51st Fighter Wing!" Written by Warren Thompson. Art by Mark Styling. The 51st Fighter Wing initially flew the F-80C in the Korean War, but in 1951, the 51st brought in high-scoring World War 2 ace Colonel Francis Gabreski to assume command when it converted from the F-80 over to the newly arrived F-86E. His recruits included his elite 4th Wing pilots, and by the end of the war, the 51st had two pilots who achieved the status of "Double Ace" as well as the highest scoring ace of the war, Joe McConnell. This book describes the 51st Wing's tenure with the Sabre that led to their high scoring sprees of 1953. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

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Volume 72 - 1st printing. "F-86 Sabre Aces of the 4th Fighter Wing!" Written by Warren Thompson. Art by Mark Styling. The entry of the United State's premier jet interceptor into the Korean War was triggered by the ever-increasing presence of the Soviet-built MiG-15 south of the Yalu River. The possibility of the USAF losing air supremacy over the Korean Peninsula was unacceptable. The 4th Fighter Wing got the call for combat in Korea. They were made up of a combination of new pilots right out of jet training and the older combat veterans of World War II vintage. This combination of pilot types wrote and re-wrote the text books on jet warfare. Of the 40 jet aces that the war produced, the 4th Wing boasted 24 of them. This book details these incredible pilots and the planes they flew. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 74 - 1st printing. "Soviet Lend-Lease Fighter Aces of World War 2!" Written by George Mellinger. Art by Jim Laurier. By the end of 1941 the Soviet Union was near collapse and its air force almost annihilated, leaving large numbers of surviving pilots with no aircraft to fly. To help prevent this collapse the UK eventually supplied a total of 4300 Hurricanes and Spitfires to the USSR. After the United States entered the war, the Americans extended Lend-lease to include direct supply to the Soviets as well as the British, and among the aircraft sent were almost 10,000 fighters. Although the aircraft were outdated and often unsuitable to Russian conditions, they served when they were needed, and a number of Russian pilots became Heroes of the Soviet Union flying Lend-lease aircraft. The Soviet government tried to conceal or minimize the importance of Lend-lease fighters well into the 1980s, and the pilots who flew them were discriminated against as 'foreigners'. Only in recent years have these pilots felt free to admit what they flew, and now the fascinating story of these men can emerge. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 75 - 1st printing. "Royal Navy Aces of World War 2!" Written by Andrew Thomas. Art by Chris Davey. The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy served with distinction in every theatre of war throughout World War II. From its poorly equipped beginnings - it started the war with few suitable, modern, carrier-born fighters - to the final campaigns over the Japanese home islands, the FAA proved an effective fighting force wherever it went. FAA Pilots had the distinction of being responsible for both the first, and last, enemy aircraft to be shot down during the war. Featuring first hand accounts, combat reports, photographs from private collections and an array of colour plates depicting the range of profiles and symbolic markings that were used, this book will detail the history and combat experiences of these forgotten pilots who served with such distinction for the Allied cause. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 76 - 1st printing. "More Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front!" Written by John Weal. Art by John Weal. The four-year long Eastern Front campaign fought between Germany and the Soviet Union produced not only the greatest number of aces, but also the highest individual and unit scores ever recorded in the history of aerial warfare. An ideal complement to its bestselling predecessor, this fully illustrated volume covers the Luftwaffe fighter pilots credited with scores of between 50 and 100; every single one of them amassing a greater number of victories than the highest and most celebrated of any British or American World War II ace. Despite these huge personal totals, the names of these pilots who fought against the Red Air Force remain almost unknown to many English speaking readers. More Bf 109 Aces of the Russian Front rectifies that omission, providing first-hand accounts from the combat veterans themselves, as well as never-before published photographs, vividly conveying the terrible experiences of the protagonists in this difficult theatre of war. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 80 - 1st printing. "American Spitfire Aces of World War 2!" Written by Andrew Thomas. Art by Chris Davey. The first few American volunteers in World War 2 flew Spitfires with the RAF during the Battle of Britain. Many more joined their ranks, often posing as 'Canadians', eventually forming three Eagle squadrons who earned a fierce fighting reputation. When the United States entered the war its fighter sections were issued with Spitfires and eventually the Eagle Squadrons were transferred to the Eighth Air Force. Discover the experiences of a variety of American aces in their own words through first-hand accounts, interviews and combat reports, in a thrilling read that transports the reader from the Battle of Britain to the deserts of North Africa and Fortress Europe itself. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Add to cart Near Mint $9.00

Volume 81 - 1st printing. "Griffon Spitfire Aces!" Written by Andrew Thomas. Art by Chris Davey. Modified for low-level operations to counter Luftwaffe attacks on the south coast, the Griffon-powered Spitfire XIV became the best low-level fighter of World War II. Squadrons moved to south-eastern England to counter the V1 flying bomb offensive, where daring pilots pioneered the technique of tipping the V1 over with the aircraft's wingtip to disorientate the bomb. Andrew Thomas also investigates the role played by the modified Spitfire squadrons after the V1 offensive, both in the attack on Germany and after the war in Malaya and Palestine. First-hand stories, photographs and colour profiles complete this account of the aces who flew the most powerful Spitfire variant ever built. Softcover, 96 pages, PC/PB&W. Cover price $22.95.