General Chennault's Secret Weapon: The B-24 in China [Hardcover]

A.B. Feuer (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0275943534 | ISBN-13: 978-0275943530 | Publication Date: December 30, 1992

This book records the World War II experiences of Captain Elmer E. Haynes, who flew low-altitude night radar strikes against Japanese shipping in the South China Sea, and daylight raids against various enemy land based installations in eastern and central China. Haynes flew secretly developed B-24 Liberator bombers that were equipped with radar which had been integrated with the Norden bombsight for night missions. These B-24's operated with the 14th Air Force--General Chennault's Flying Tigers. The bombing attacks were so accurate and successful that, in a little over a year, Haynes and his fellow pilots had sunk approximately a million tons of Japanese shipping. Due to the "Top Secret" classification of this equipment, the story of the radar B-24's, operating with the Flying Tigers, has never before been told. The war in the Pacific was definitely brought to a quicker end by the devastating destruction caused by the sinking of such a tremendous number of Japanese merchant and naval vessels in the South China Sea. In its three years of operation, the 14th Air Force was credited with sinking two and a half million tons of enemy shipping. The radar-equipped B-24's were also used on reconnaissance missions--locating Japanese convoys for U.S. naval ships and submarines. Military historians, and anyone interested in World War II, will find this story highly informative, since it discloses never before published facts about the development of radar systems by the United States. This same radar technique was used by B-17's during the saturation night bombing raids over Germany.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“It includes far more than tactical descriptions. Several entries deal with activity on and off a World War II air base, offering a glimpse of life not found in traditional war histories.”–The Indianapolis Star

“General Chennault's Secret Weapon is filled with maps and notes that give the reader a solid background on China and the fighting there. The narrative flows well and reads more like a novel than a diary.”–World War II Magazine

About the Author

A.B. FEUER is a military historian and freelance newspaper and magazine journalist.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Praeger Publishers (December 30, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0275943534
• ISBN-13: 978-0275943530
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,626,822 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.