An illustrated account of the challenge posed to RAF Fighter Command by the Luftwaffe's Fw 190, and the ways in which Spitfire crews adapted to this deadly new threat.The introduction of Focke-Wulf's Fw 190 to Luftwaffe service presented RAF Spitfire VB and VA pilots with a formidable new foe that could quite literally run rings around them. First encountered over France in September 1941, the Fw 190 – or 'Butcher Bird' – soon demonstrated its startling capabilitie...

On 9 August 1941, one of the greatest icons of the Second World War, Douglas Bader, was shot down, captured and later incarcerated. But by whom, and how? Was it by one of his deadly German opponents, as Douglas Bader himself maintained, or was it by one of his own side? There has been much debate and controversy among historians and in 2003 the author of this book revealed for the first time that Bader may have been victim to friendly fire. That revelation was followed by interest in the n...

A follow-up to Finding the Few, this companion volume deals with the postwar discovery and recovery of wartime Luftwaffe aircrew who were downed and lost over the UK, most of them during 1940s. There is a lot of detective work involved here. Sometimes airmen have been identified with the tiniest clue, although each case has a common thread; they were all concluded by the diligent research of private individuals and researchers, many involving the author. Indeed, as a result of his work, Sa...

A fascinating look at German planes that wound up in British territory during World War II, with photos.During the Second World War, a great many Luftwaffe aircraft arrived in the United Kingdom or its coastal waters, but, as with the famous flight of Rudolf Hess, not all of them through "conventional" combat circumstances. Some got lost; others were brought by defectors; some were lured through electronic countermeasures by the RAF; and others were brought down in...

An "extraordinarily researched" account of a quest to find MIA fighter pilots decades after World War II (Barrett Tillman).1940: The air over Britain is filled with danger. Courageous and heroic men fly and fight, often sacrificing their lives to keep the nation free. Some of them will disappear into the summer sky without leaving a trace . . .This remarkable book records the lives of RAF pilots who were shot down and remained missing for decades—until dili...

The Junkers 87 Stuka was an iconic weapon of World War Two and an aircraft name that was, and still is, instantly recognized worldwide. Its roles in Poland and the Battles of France and the Low Countries are almost legendary, but in the UK its import during the Battle of Britain is one that has never been covered in any specific detail.Here, Andy Saunders takes a critical look at every operation by Ju87s against British targets in 1940 – including those on land and at sea. Each rai...

**AN INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERDiscover space as you've never seen it before, with these awe-inspiring, breathtakingly restored images of our first missions to the Moon**'The next best thing to being there' Charlie Duke, Apollo 16 astronaut'One of the best records of Apollo history ever produced' David R. Scott, Apollo 15 CommanderIn a frozen vault in Houston sits the original NASA photographic film of the Apol...

The definitive biography of the WWI fighter pilot Edward "Mick" Mannock—and a revealing investigation into his mysterious fate.Although he was arguably the highest scoring RAF fighter pilot of the First World War, Edward "Mick" Mannock's life, particularly his death, is still shrouded in mystery. Did he achieve as many victories as are sometimes ascribed to him? How did he die? Where did he die? And more pertinently, where do his remains now lie?Investigati...

A fascinating look at what might have happened had historical assassination attempts succeeded.If Hitler had died at any stage in the Second World War, would Germany have immediately sued for peace, or would the generals have taken over and fought a far more practical war than the obdurate Führer? Equally intriguing is the possible failed assassination attempt on General de Gaulle on British soil. Who, one wonders, was behind that scheme, and how would Anglo-French...

During the early hours of 8 August 1940 over twenty merchant ships set sail in Convoy CW9 “Peewit” and edged past Dover, hugging the shore in complete darkness. Whilst unseen to human eyes, the Germans had picked up the large convoy on its Freya radar at Cap Gris Nez and flashed warning messages to the Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe. At Boulogne E-Boats were readied and left port in the early hours to take up station off Beachy Head to watch and wait for the inevitable convoy. With horrendous ...

Luftwaffe Bombers in the Blitz will comprise of some 140-150 images of German bomber aircraft during the Blitz of 1940-1941. The images will cover the entirety of the Blitz and will also depict losses across Britain during this period. Each picture will tell its own story, and will be fully captioned with historical detail. Each section will have a short introduction and the images will include those of shot down aircraft, including relatively intact machines, badly damaged/destroyed wreck...

Spitfire, Mustang, Lightning, Thunderbolt… in the darkest days of World War II, these legendary fighters escorted lumbering heavy bombers over enemy territory, providing protection, drawing cover, and taking on everything Germany’s Luftwaffe could throw at them.Escort Pilot is the lavishly-illustrated celebration of these unique heroes, painstakingly researched and beautifully designed. It conjures up the lost world of these daring US, British, an...