Mustang Aces of the Ninth & Fifteenth Air Forces & the RAF (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces, No 7) [Paperback]

Jerry Scutts (Author), Chris Davey (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Aircraft of the Aces | Publication Date: November 13, 1995

Although best remembered for its exploits with Eighth Air Force units, the Mustang, in its various marks, actually made its combat debut firstly with the RAF in the Army co-operation role, and then with the USAAF's tactically-optimised Ninth and Fifteenth Air Forces. Seeing action in Western Europe and the Mediterranean, pilots like Glenn T Eagleston, John J Voll and Samuel J Brown notched up impressive scores flying P-51Bs and Ds with the 354th, 31st and 52nd Fighter Groups. Rarely given the exposure enjoyed by their high-scoring brethren in the 'Mighty Eighth', this volume at last sets the record straight on Europe's remaining Mustang aces.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces series combines full colour artwork, the best archival contemporary photography, and first hand accounts from aces to bring history's greatest airborne conflicts to life.

About the Author

Jerry Scutts has worked in the field of aviation publishing since the late 1960s, writing over 40 books that have covered a broad spectrum of subject matter ranging from US Navy floatplane fighters in World War 2 to the exploits of the USAF_s Phantom IIs over Vietnam. His specialist areas are the Luftwaffe and the US Army Air Forces in World War 2, and he originally appeared on the Osprey list as long ago as 1977, when he wrote the second volume in the now much sought after Air Cam Air War series –- many of the jacket illustrations in this series were also painted by him. Jerry has been a regular contributor to Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces series since its inception in 1994.

Product Details

• Paperback: 100 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (November 13, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855325837
• ISBN-13: 978-1855325838
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.3 x 9.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,329,779 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not worth it., May 16, 2011

By 

Gromit801 (Manteca, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mustang Aces of the Ninth & Fifteenth Air Forces & the RAF (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces, No 7) (Paperback)

This book belongs in the Osprey Squadrons and Units series. There's almost nothing here about aces. Very poorly written from the point of view of the title series.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cobbled-Together Clutch of P-51 Aces!, May 14, 2010

By 

Michael OConnor "Wordsmith" (Wausau, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mustang Aces of the Ninth & Fifteenth Air Forces & the RAF (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces, No 7) (Paperback)

Osprey 'Aircraft of the Aces' #7 is an odd duck. Author Jerry Scutts has combined the stories of aces that flew Mustangs in the RAF, 9th and 15th Air Forces to produce this Mustang Aces smorgasbord. The end result makes for interesting if disjointed reading.

After detailing the Mustang's record with the RAF in Chapter One, Scutts looks at USAAF Mustangs in Europe then switches to RAF P-51s in North Africa and Italy before covering the American exploits with the A-36/P-51 in the Med and with the 15th Air Force. The final chapters relate the war record of the all-black 332nd FG and the 9th AF's 354th FG, the top-scoring FG in the ETO.

The color profiles reflect the cobbled-together nature of the book. No less than five illustrators including John Weal and Chris Davey contributed to the 60 profiles featured. Another two color pages are given over to Mustang pilot flight gear. Over 80 b&w photographs are also included.

I gave Scutts' book four stars for several reasons. First, it lacked an index. Second, it did not include a listing of the 9th/15th/RAF aces. Osprey should have considered expanding Scutts' work from 96 to 100 pages.

Air combat buffs will enjoy MUSTANG ACES OF THE NINTH & FIFTEENTH AIR FORCES & THE RAF. Despite its cobbled-together nature, the book does tell some exciting tales of air combat and is nicely illustrated to boot. Recommended.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars No list of aces, January 14, 2007

By 

Hercule Poirot (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mustang Aces of the Ninth & Fifteenth Air Forces & the RAF (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces, No 7) (Paperback)

Many if not all of the of Osprey Aircraft Aces books have a list of aces at the end of the book. Sadly, this book does not have one. You have to write down the names of the people who made aces in the 9th & 15th Air Force plus the RAF which probably explains why the book is only 100 pages and there are two chapters that are devoted to two fighter groups.