Customer Reviews

475th Fighter Group (Aviation Elite Units)

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3 star:		(1)
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Jon Stanaway's 475TH FIGHTER GROUP joins others in the 'Aviation Elite Units' series to focus on a superior fighting force, the pet project of an air force chief which made headlines from its entry into combat in August 1943 until the war's end. Vintage black and white photos compliment color plane specs and history in a detailed survey of special interest to military aviation collections.

One of only two USAAF fighter groups formed in-theater, the all Lightning-equipped 475th FG set a blistering scoring pace following activation in May 1943, eventually outscoring all other 5th AF fighter groups except for its arch-rival, the 49th FG. Credited with 552 victories, its ranks included two of the top aces in the Pacific including the legendary Tom McGuire. The combat history of this illustrious group is nicely covered in this Osprey volume by noted aviation historian John Stanaway.

The 475th was 5th AF CO George Kenney's pet project, who raided existing 5th AF fighter groups and 7th AF units in Hawaii for manpower. Initial missions, flown against Wewak and Rabaul, got the 'Satan's Angels' off to a flying start but the group really hit its stride when Charles MacDonald became CO in November 1943. Paced by aggressive pilots like Harry Brown, Frank Nichols, Danny Roberts, John Loisel, Verl Jett and Tom McGuire, the 475th became the fastest scoring fighter group in the Pacific.

Author Stanaway does a good job of covering the ferocious air battles and outstanding personalities that made up this top-scoring group. Stanaway's text is nicely complimented by 10 pages of color profiles by Chris Davey and over 120 black and white photographs.

All in all, a fine addition to Osprey's Aviation Elite Units series!

****
For the definitive history of the 475th, see Stanaway's "Possum, Clover and Hades" published in 1993.

This effort often seems to be a mere compilation of the pilots after-action reports. It seems to lack coherence and depth and does not do much of a job discussing unit organization, replacement policies, logistics, or strategy. The dual series book comparing the lightning and the Tony is more readable, more concise, and gives a better overall picture of the campaign in this theater.