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From Spitfire to Focke Wulf

Author : H. Leonard Thorne

Publisher : The History Press

Page : 287 pages

File Size : 34,80 MB

Release : 2013-09-02

Category : Biography & Autobiography

ISBN : 0752497286

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Book Description

'I hold the greatest respect for Len for what he achieved in the RAF'. – Gordon Mitchell, son of Spitfire designer R.J. Mitchell In May 1940, 20-year-old Len Thorne joined the RAF, as did many young men during the Second World War. After two hectic tours of operational duty as a fighter pilot, including some desperately dangerous low-level flying at Dunkirk, he was posted to AFDU (Air Fighting Development Unit) and remained there as a test pilot for the rest of the war. Fortunately for us, Len kept a detailed diary, which, set alongside his log book, tells the unique story of a test pilot tasked with developing operational tactics and testing captured enemy aircraft, such as the feared Fw 190. During Len's career, he worked alongside some of the most famous fighter aces and his records cast light on some of the most famous flyers of the RAF, including Wing Commander Al Deere and Spitfire aces Squadron Leader 'Paddy' Finucane, Ernie Ryder and many others. A unique record of military aviation history, From Spitfire to Focke Wulf offers a window to this era of rapid and high-stakes aircraft development.



From Spitfire to Focke Wulf

Author : Herbert Leonard Thorne

Publisher :

Page : 0 pages

File Size : 19,43 MB

Release : 2023

Category : Test pilots

ISBN :

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Book Description

An insightful look into the life of a wartime test pilot. In May 1940, 20-year-old Len Thorne joined the RAF, as did many young men during the Second World War. After two hectic tours of operational duty as a fighter pilot, including some desperately dangerous low-level flying at Dunkirk, he was posted to AFDU (Air Fighting Development Unit) and remained there as a test pilot for the rest of the war. Fortunately for us, Len kept a detailed diary, which, set alongside his log book, tells the unique story of a test pilot tasked with developing operational tactics and testing captured enemy aircraft, such as the feared Fw 190. During Len's career, he worked alongside some of the most famous fighter aces and his records cast light on some of the most famous flyers of the RAF, including Wing Commander Al Deere and Spitfire aces Squadron Leader 'Paddy' Finucane, Ernie Ryder and many others. A unique record of military aviation history, From Spitfire to Focke Wulf offers a window to this era of rapid and high-stakes aircraft development.



Focke-Wulf Fw190 in Combat

Author : Alfred Price

Publisher :

Page : 0 pages

File Size : 40,39 MB

Release : 2000-01-03

Category : Aeronautics, Military

ISBN : 9780750925488

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Book Description

When the Focke Wulf Fw 190 became operational in 1941, it gave its enemies a nasty shock: it could out-run, out-climb and out-dive the Spitfire Mk V, the best machine the RAF then had available. The story of the versatile aircraft is offered here, along with first-hand accounts from former pilots, and an interview with the head of the Focke Wulf design team, Professor Kurt Tank.



Spitfire vs Bf 109

Author : Tony Holmes

Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing

Page : 147 pages

File Size : 32,50 MB

Release : 2020-05-28

Category : History

ISBN : 1472847857

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Book Description

Churchill's words, 'never was so much owed by so many to so few', came to encapsulate how, in a few critical months, the entire fate of the British Empire, if not the war, hung in the balance, to be determined by a handful of pilots fighting tirelessly in the skies over Britain. Tony Holmes describes the Battle of Britain, the clash between the Spitfire I/II and the Bf 109E - detailing not only the key elements of both aircraft types - the airframe, engine, armament and flying characteristics, but also the pilots' training and tactics accompanied by diagrams of actual flight formations. The growing influence of radar and the efforts of British air defences are also examined, as are real-life engagements - from both German and British perspectives. With a wealth of first-hand accounts from the veterans who strapped themselves into these legendary machines as well as illustrations and cockpit-view artwork, this book puts the reader in the midst of a dogfight, providing a unique insight into one of the greatest duels of history in the world's first major aerial battle.



Spitfire

Author : Bill Sweetman

Publisher : Random House Value Pub

Page : 48 pages

File Size : 48,5 MB

Release : 1980

Category : Political Science

ISBN : 9780517542613

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Book Description

A detailed look at the various models of the World War II English fighter documents its design, evolution, and performance in the war





Fight for the Sky

Author : Douglas Bader

Publisher : Pen and Sword

Page : 320 pages

File Size : 25,82 MB

Release : 2006-05-01

Category : History

ISBN : 1473814065

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Book Description

The only book written by the legendary “legless” ace, the double amputee World War II fighter pilot immortalized by the film Reach for the Sky. In Fight for the Sky, Douglas Bader tells the inspiring story of the Battle of Britain from the viewpoint of “The Few.” Using superb illustrations he traces the development of the Spitfire and Hurricane and describes the nail-biting actions of those who flew them against far superior numbers of enemy aircraft. As an added bonus, other well-known fighter aces including Johnnie Johnson, “Laddie” Lucas and Max Aikten contribute to Douglas’s book, no doubt out of affection and respect. This a really important contribution to RAF history by one of the greatest—and certainly the most famous—pilot of the Second World War.



Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Russian Front

Author : John Weal

Publisher : Osprey Publishing

Page : 100 pages

File Size : 42,85 MB

Release : 1995-09-11

Category : History

ISBN : 9781855325180

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Book Description

Of all the fronts fought on by the Jagdflieger during World War 2, the Russian, or Eastern, was easily the most lucrative in terms of targets for the experten. Marry an abundance of targets with the Luftwaffe's best piston-engined fighter of the war – Focke-Wulf's Fw 190 'Butcher Bird' – and it quickly becomes apparent why so many Jagdflieger achieved kills that passed the 100 victories mark. Flying in variable weather on a battlefront that was constantly changing, the Fw 190 pilots fought virtually to extinction in both the pure fighter and the crucial Schlacht ground attack roles.



The Focke-Wulf 190

Author : Heinz J. Nowarra

Publisher :

Page : 226 pages

File Size : 50,81 MB

Release : 1965

Category : History

ISBN :

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Book Description

Beskrivelse af Luftwaffe-jagerflyet Fw 190 kendt fra 2. verdenskrig.



Focke-Wulf Fw 187

Author : Dietmar Harmann

Publisher : Schiffer Publishing

Page : 160 pages

File Size : 22,39 MB

Release : 2003

Category : Focke-Wulf Fw 187 (Fighter plane)

ISBN : 9780764318719

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Book Description

The twin-engined Focke-Wulf Fw 187 was a contemporary of the Messerschmitt Bf 110, however production was limited to a handful of prototypes. So far the story of this largely forgotten fighter has been shrouded in darkness. Developed by Professor Kurt Tank, the Fw 187 first flew in the summer of 1937. Not only was it faster than any other German fighter with similar engines, it was also earmarked for record attempts which had to be abandoned with the outbreak of war. The debacle of the Me 210, which was supposed to succeed the Bf 110, revived the Fw 187s fortunes. With a speed of 700 km/h, it was faster than any contemporary fighter and was considered as a replacement for the Me 210. Once again, however, no production contract was forthcoming. The few Fw 187s built served in industry defense and were later operated by the Vaerløse Aerial Gunnery School. This little-known aircraft is documented with numerous photographs and drawings, many of them never before published. This is a book for aviation enthusiasts and modelers, which closes a significant gap in German aviation history.