U.S. Navy PB4Y-1 (B-24) Liberator Squadrons in Great Britain durring World War II [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Alan C. Carey (Author), Alan C. Carey (Author)

Book Description

Series: Schiffer Military History Book | Publication Date: April 1, 2003

Alan Careys new book, his fifth on USN and USMC bomber units of the Second World War, is the story of U.S. Navy Fleet Air Wing Seven (FAW-7) and the men who flew the Navy version of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber out of Dunkeswell and Upottery, England during World War II. Navy PB4Y-1 Liberator squadrons were unlike their counterparts in the U.S. Armys 8th Air Force, who battled their way through thick flak and swarms of German fighters while flying to and from targets in continental Europe. The job of U.S. Navy PB4Y-1 Liberator aircrews was to keep German U-boats from successfully operating in the Bay of Biscay and the English Channel by going out day after day, often in miserable weather conditions, on unrelenting search and destroy missions. During the war, FAW-7 Liberators were responsible for the sinking of five U-boats and damaging many more.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076431775X
• ISBN-13: 978-0764317750
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #467,013 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars U-boat hunting in the Atlantic, June 13, 2010

By 

Charles Lindstedt Jr. (Stroudsburg, PA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: U.S. Navy PB4Y-1 (B-24) Liberator Squadrons in Great Britain durring World War II (Paperback)

I was stationed at this facility in England during WW2. It is the best history of the squadrons and their experiences that I have found. There are many pictures of flight crews and action shots that will bring back memories of former friends and shipmates. A good and factual account of their record facing the German U-boat and aircraft. This copy was purchased and sent to a crewmate and he enjoyed reading it immensely. 5 stars plus

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars U.S. Navy PB4Y, August 31, 2009

By 

J. Larson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: U.S. Navy PB4Y-1 (B-24) Liberator Squadrons in Great Britain durring World War II (Paperback)

Excellent and somewhat rare book. This book covers a key weapon and U.S. Naval units in WWII that aren't well known. These men were heros and their story needed to be told.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deadly Duels Between Navy Libs & German Subs in the Bay of Biscay!, July 18, 2008

By 

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

This review is from: U.S. Navy PB4Y-1 (B-24) Liberator Squadrons in Great Britain durring World War II (Paperback)

Though the USAAF was the primary user of B-24s, the Navy utilized Liberators worldwide as PB4Y long-range patrol bombers. Based at Dunkeswell, England, Fleet Air Wing-7 operated different models of the B-24/PB4Y-1 for anti-submarine sweeps of the Bay of Biscay, convoy escort and conventional bombing strikes against Axis shipping. Alan Carey, a well-known authority of USN Liberator ops, chronicles the combat exploits of the various squadrons assigned to FAW-7 in this well-written and well-illustrated volume from Schiffer Publishing.

Seven squadrons were assigned to FAW-7 between August 1943 and war's end: VB-103, -105, -107, -110, -111, -112 and -114. FAW-7 crews logged thousands of hours criss-crossing the Bay of Biscay searching for U-boats. Contacts were few; Navy Libs eventually sinking five U-boats and damaging others. Though patrols could be deadly dull, long-range Junkers 88s prowled the same area, acounting for a number of B-24s. The English weather also proved to be as deadly as U-boat flak defenses. FAW-7 lost 40 aircraft and over 200 personnel to all causes.

Carey does a first-rate job relating FAW-7's war; the tedium, the brief, sometimes terrifying battles with U-boats or Luftwaffe fighters, the dangerous weather conditions that claimed aircraft and lives along with life on the base. A number of reminiscences from various VP personnel and Dunkeswell civilians are skillfully interwoven into Carey's smooth-flowing text.

The book runs to 160 pages and is positively bulging with illustrations: over 300 black & white photos, eight pages of color pix and 12 pages of color profiles of FAW-7 and RAF Coastal Command Libs along with maps and diagrams. At $29.95, this book is a steal!

While this book may not be the final word on Fleet Air Wing-7 operations, it comes damn close. It does combine a well-written and informative text with a wealth of illustrative material to entertainingly tell the story of the men and aircraft of Fleet Air Wing-7 at war. Nice job, Mr. Carey!