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5.0 out of 5 stars
Exciting Exploits of Little-Known Royal Navy Fighter Aces!, August 19, 2007
This review is from: Royal Navy Aces of World War 2 (Aircraft of the Aces) (Paperback)
Considering the aerial duds Royal Navy fighter pilots flew, especially in the early war years, it was an eye-opener to discover that 36 RN pilots made ace in World War II! The aerial exploits of this unique group of men is the subject of Andrew Thomas' latest book for Osprey, #75 in their Aces series. It's a wonderfully interesting story that all air combat fans should enjoy.
The Royal Navy only regained control of its Fleet Air Arm from the Royal Air Force in May 1939. Consequently, at war's outbreak, RN fighter squadrons were equipped with the underpowered Blackburn Skua, Gloster Gladiator biplanes and the gun-turreted abortion, the Blackburn Roc! Despite being saddled with these second-stringers, Fleet Air Arm fliers like Skua pilot Bill Lucy used their mounts effectively, Lucy becoming the first Fleet Air Arm ace of the war.
Lumbering Fairey Fulmars were next on the scene and again, enterprising RN pilots used their aircraft to the fullest. The top Fulmar ace, Graham Hogg, scored 12 kills! The subsequent arrival of first-class fighters such as the Wildcat, Sea Hurricane, Seafire, Corsair and Hellcat enabled later RN pilots to score the magic five kills.
Aside from flying an incredible variety of aircraft, RN fighter pilots served in all theaters. Thomas does an excellent job of relating the far-flung exploits of what were some incredible fighter pilots. This is an especially lively entry in the Osprey Aces series due, in part, to the 'characters' that flew RN fighters and Thomas' engaging writing style.
The book includes over 90 photographs and 12 pages of color profiles by Chris Davey.
In short, a very nice piece of work, well-written and informative.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
ROYAL NAVY ACES OF WORLD WAR 2, April 16, 2011
This review is from: Royal Navy Aces of World War 2 (Aircraft of the Aces) (Paperback)
ROYAL NAVY ACES OF WORLD WAR 2
ANDREW THOMAS
OSPREY PUBLISHING, 2007
QUALITY SOFTCOVER, $20.95, 96 PAGES, ILLUSTRATIONS, PHOTOGRAPHS, APPENDICES
From its roots in the work of Bill Frost, Samuel Cody, and others in the early 1900s, the origins of naval aviation stem from early experiments that took place around 1908. In 1911, the Brtish Royal Navy graduated it's first airplane pilots, Lts. Longmore (from Australia), Gregory, and Samson. Later Lt. Arthur Longmore, as a pilot in the Royal Naval Air Service, flew an aircraft to the world's first water landing using pontoon shaped airbags.
The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was first established in January, 1914 under the Air Department of the Admiralty. By the outbreak of the First World War in August, 1914, it had more aircraft under its control than the Army's Royal Flying Corps (RFC). The main roles of the RNAS were fleet reconnaissance, patrolling coasts for enemy ships and submarines, attacking enemy coastal territory and defending Britain from enemy air raids. In April, 1918, the RNAS, which at this time had 67,000 officers and men, 2,949 aircraft, 103 ships, and 126 coastal stations, was merged with the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) to form the Royal Air Force (RAF).
In 1937, the Naval Air Branch was returned to Admiralty control under the Inskip Award, and soon renamed the Fleet Air Arm. At the onset of the Second World War, the Fleet Air Arm consisted of 20 squadrons with only 232 aircraft.
The Second World War gave a new impetus to naval flying which gradually changed naval tactics from a ship versus ship conflict to aircraft versus ships, with devastating effect. The crippling of the Italian fleet in Taranto Harbor by Swordfish biplanes carrying torpedoes in a night attack in 1940 was undoubtedly the most notable Fleet Air Arm success of the war, although the FAA served in almost every theater of the war. It took part in the Battle of France, the Low Countries, Britain, Battle of the Atlantic, Russian convoys, invasion of Madagascar, North Africa, Libyan Desert campaigns, Sicily, Italy, Aouthern France, D-Day, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Japan. The FAA was also instrumental in sinking the greatest tonnage of enemy shipping, and was one of the main weapons against the U-Boat. FAA aircrew were also adept at aerial combat and had 36 air aces as well as being awarded numerous honors including two Victoria Crosses, many Distinguished Service Orders (DSO), Distinguished Service Crosses, Distinguished Service Medals (DSM), and Mention In Dispatches.
By the end of the war, the strength of the Fleet Air Arm had grown to 59 aircraft carriers, 3,700 aircraft, 72,000 officers and men, and 56 air stations all over the world. The aircraft had replaced the battleship as the fleet's capital ship and its aircraft were now strike weapons in their own right. After the Second World War, the FAA was again named the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS).
Featuring first hand accounts, combat reports, photographs from private collections, and an array of color plates depicting the range of profiles and symbolic markings that were used, ROYAL NAVY ACES OF WORLD WAR 2 skillfully details the history and combat experiences of these much overlooked pilots who served with such distinction for the Allied cause.
Lt. Colonel Robert A. Lynn, Florida Guard
Orlando, Florida
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