Osprey Aircraft of the Aces Series

At the time of its operational debut the fighter's design features offered the revolutionary combination of an all-round vision canopy, cannon armament and a jettisonable drop tank giving it phenomenal range. Together with the flying and tactical proficiency of superbly trained pilots, this made the Zero-sen a true strategic fighter, spearheading Japan's offensive in the Pacific. It was also the mount of a plethora of successful and flamboyant naval aces engaged in both sea and land campaigns.

About this Osprey Publishing BookJagdgeschwader 3 may not have the same immediate resonance as some of the more famous Luftwaffe fighter units, such Jagdgeschwader 2 -Richthofen', but it is arguably the archetypal German fighter formation of World War 2. Not only did it participate in every campaign fought by the Luftwaffe (with the exceptions of Poland and Norway), it flew every major variant of the two legendary German wartime fighters, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 -...

Aces of Jagdgeschwader Nr III from Osprey Publishing Item Number:OSPACE128 Author: Greg VanWyngarden Illustrator: Harry Dempsey, Mark Postlethwaite Short code: ACE 128 Publication Date: 20 Jan 2016 Number of Pages: 96 About this Osprey Publishing Book Royal Prussian Jagdgeschwader Nr III was the third of Germany's vaunted fighter wings to be formed during World War 1. Commanded by the Pour le M-rite winner and well-respected ace Hauptmann Bruno Loerzer for its entire existence, it was composed...

The ace pilots of the Republic of China Air Force have long been shrouded in mystery and obscurity, as their retreat to Taiwan in 1949 and blanket martial law made records of the RoCAF all but impossible to access. Now, for the first time, the colourful story of these aces can finally be told. Using the latest research based on released archival information and full-colour illustrations, this book charts the history of the top scoring pilots of the RoCAF from the beginning of the gruelling,...

About this Osprey Publishing BookDubbed the -Eagles of Duxford', the 78th Fighter Group (FG) was unique in being the only fighter unit in the -Mighty Eighth' to fly the P-38 Lightning, P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang operationally. Arriving in the European Theatre of Operations (ETO) in November 1942, and eventually committed to combat five months later, the 78th, along with the 4th and 56th FGs, -wrote the book' on long-range fighter escort by VIII Fighter Command in the ETO. This volume...

Albatros Aces Of Ww-I Pt1 by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE32Author: Norman FranksIllustrator: Harry DempseyAbout this bookThe Albatros family of fighters were amongst the most effective aircraft employed by the Idlfieg (Imperial German Air Service) for much of World War 1, with the D.III and D.Va being flown by most of the 363 pilots who qualified as aces at some point in their often brief careers. The Albatros was the scourge of the RFC on the Western Front in 1916-17, with pilots of the calibre...

Author: Warren ThompsonIllustrator: Chris DaveyAbout this book ? The Americans lagged behind their European contemporaries in military aviation in the late 1930s, and it took the Battle of Britain to awaken America to the necessity of having aircraft that could defend targets against night-time attack by bomber aircraft. This book examines the numerous aircraft types that were used by the US in this role, beginning with the early stop-gap conversions like the TBM Avenger, Lockheed Ventura and...

American Spitfire Aces Ww-Ii by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE80Aircraft of the Aces 80Author: Andrew ThomasIllustrator: Chris DaveyAbout this bookThe first few American volunteers in World War 2 flew Spitfires with the RAF during the Battle of Britain. Many more joined their ranks, often posing as 'Canadians', eventually forming three Eagle squadrons who earned a fierce fighting reputation. When the United States entered the war its fighter sections were issued with Spitfires and eventually the...

Once Nazi Germany had conquered Norway in 1940, just a handful of Gruppen flying the Bf 109 and Bf 110 fighters were able to shatter all opposition and dominate the air in the Arctic Circle. Yet as the dual threats of the RAF and the Red Air Force grew, the Luftwaffe was forced to increase its fighter presence to full Geschwader strength with the formation of JG 5 Eismeer (Ice-sea) in early 1942.The struggle for the frozen skies of the arctic raged on until the end of the war as the embattled...

Balloon-Busting Aces of World War 1 by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPACE66Aircraft of the Aces 66Author: Jon GuttmanIllustrator: Harry DempseyAbout this bookTethered balloons reached their zenith as a means of providing a stationary observation platform above the battlefield during World War I. It took a special breed of daredevil to take on such odds deep in enemy lines in order to destroy a balloon, with Balloon specialists such as Willy Coppens, Pierre Bourjade and Michel Coiffard rising...

Beaufighter Aces Of Ww-Ii by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE65Aircraft of the Aces 65Author: Andrew ThomasIllustrator: John WealAbout this bookEntering service at the end of the Battle of Britain, the pugnacious Bristol Beaufighter was deployed in numbers by Fighter Command just in time for the start of the Luftwaffe's night 'Blitz' on Britain. Flown by specialised nightfighter squadrons ' several of them elite pre-war Auxiliary Air Force units ' it was the first nightfighter to be equipped with an...

Bf-109 Defence Of The Reich Ac by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE68Aircraft of the Aces 68Illustrator: John WealAbout this bookThis volume tells the story of the daylight air battles over Germany through the eyes of the Bf 109 aces involved. It traces the development of the aerial defence of the Reich from its small beginnings to arguably the most savage and costliest campaign in the history of aerial warfare. The Luftwaffe pilots explain their tactics and relate their experiences ' in the early...

Bf-109d/E Aces 1939-41 by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE11About this bookThe period covered in this volume was considered to be the 'glory years' for the Jagdwaffe - fresh from the experience gained in the Spanish Civil War - and for the Bf 109 in particular. Many famous pilots scored their first kills in the classic dogfights staged over Poland, Western Europe, the Channel and finally southern England. Some 40 Knight's Crosses were awarded in 1940 alone. However, after sweeping all before them in...

Brewster F2a Buffalo Aces Ww-2 by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPACE91 Aircraft of the Aces 91Authors: Kari Stenman Andrew ThomasIllustrator: Chris DaveyAbout this bookAlthough designed and built for the US Navy, the F2A fought in only one major US engagement, the battle of Midway, in which F2A pilots managed to shoot down a number of Japanese fighters. Soon replaced by the navy, the F2A was exported to Britain, where it was nicknamed the -Buffalo- thanks to its stubby appearance. The...

Bristol F2 Fighter Aces Ww-I by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE79Aircraft of the Aces 79Author: Jon GuttmanIllustrator: Harry DempseyAbout this bookThis is the history of the best Allied fighter-destroyer of World War I and the pilots who flew it. Numerous ace teams earned the 'Biff' grudging respect from its German opponents, as the crews operated the plane not as a standard two-seater, but as a single-seat with a 'sting in the tail' in the form of a rear gunner with a Lewis machine gun. This book...

Corsair Aces Ww-Ii by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE8Aircraft of the Aces 8Illustrator: Mark StylingAbout this bookThe speed with which the Corsair was rushed into service as a land-based fighter obliged the pilots to learn on the job. The aircraft soon proved to be superior to the Japanese Zero and played a major part in the destruction of Japan's elite air forces in the South Pacific. Later, in an effort to counter the Kamikaze threat, the Corsair was once again hurriedly pressed into service;...

Defiant,Blemheim & Havoc Aces, Osprey Publishing Item Number OSPACE105

Dolphin & Snipe Aces Of Ww-I by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE48Aircraft of the Aces 48Author: Norman FranksIllustrator: Harry DempseyAbout this bookThis book focuses on the combat careers of the last of the famous Sopwith fighters to enter service during World War 1, the Dolphin and the Snipe, both of which were built on the strong scouting heritage of the Pup and Camel. The Dolphin featured the unique negative-staggered biplane wing arrangement, which provided the pilot with the best possible...

Early German Aces Of Ww-I by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE73Aircraft of the Aces 73Author: Greg VanWyngardenIllustrator: Harry DempseyAbout this bookThe Fokker Eindecker (monoplane) started the true age of fighter aviation. With the development of its revolutionary synchronised machine gun system, the Eindecker caused consternation in the ranks of Allied airmen as its pilots began to reap a grim harvest of victims in 1915. The exploits of aces like Max Immelmann and Oswald Boelke became legendary...

F-86 Sabre Aces 4th Fw by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE72Aircraft of the Aces 72Author: Warren ThompsonIllustrator: Mark StylingAbout this bookThe entry of the United State's premier jet interceptor into the Korean War was triggered by the ever-increasing presence of the Soviet-built MiG-15 south of the Yalu River. The possibility of the USAF losing air supremacy over the Korean Peninsula was unacceptable. The 4th Fighter Wing got the call for combat in Korea. They were made up of a combination of...

About this Osprey Publishing BookThe first VF-2 was a prewar unit that had been dubbed the -hottest outfit afloat' due to the skill of their non-commissioned pilots. This first unit only saw combat at the Battle of the Coral Sea, although VF-2 pilots flying Grumman F4F Wildcats were able to rack up 17 claims there during the bitter 48-hour period of fighting. The second -Fighting Two' was armed with the new Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat fighter. Arriving in Hawaii in October 1943, the squadron so...

About this Osprey Publishing BookVF-9 was activated in March 1942 as part of Carrier Air Group (CAG) 9, one of the many air groups the US Navy was hurriedly forming in the aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Equipped with Grumman F4F Wildcats, VF-9 first saw combat during the Allied invasion of North Africa in November 1942, where the squadron engaged Vichy French fighters over Morocco. Returning to the United States, VF-9 became one of the first squadrons to receive the Grumman...

Fiat Cr.42 Aces Of Ww-Ii by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPACE90Authors: Hakan Gustavsson Ludovico SlongoIllustrator: Richard CaruanaAbout this bookThe Fiat CR.42, a logical development of the Fiat CR.32, was the last single-seat fighter biplane to be produced. It entered service with the Italian Regia Aeronautica in May 1939 before being exported to Belgium, Hungary and Sweden. Its combat debut came when the Belgian air force threw its fleet into action during the German invasion of the Low...

Focke Wulf Fw-190 Aces Russ Fr by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE6Aircraft of the Aces 6Author: John WealIllustrator: Mike ChappellAbout this bookOf all the fronts fought on by the Jagdflieger during World War 2, the Russian, or Eastern, was easily the most lucrative in terms of targets for the experten. Marry an abundance of targets with the Luftwaffe's best piston-engined fighter of the war ' Focke-Wulf's Fw 190 'Butcher Bird' ' and it quickly becomes apparent why so many Jagdflieger achieved...

Focke Wulf Fw-190 Aces West Fr by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE9Aircraft of the Aces 9Author: John WealAbout this bookThe Fw 190 was the scourge of Fighter Command from the moment it appeared on the Western Front at Abbeville in August 1941 with II./JG 26. A nimble, speedy and well-armed adversary, the 'Butcher Bird' quickly proved superior to all Allied fighters of the time, particularly at medium to low altitude. Led by Experten of the calibre of 'Pips' Priller, Heinz Bar and Walter Oesau, the...

Fokker D.Vii Aces Of Ww-I Pt1 by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE53Aircraft of the Aces 53Authors: Greg VanWyngarden Norman FranksIllustrator: Harry DempseyAbout this bookDesigned in a great rush at the end of 1917 just in time to take part in the German standard fighter competition held in January/February 1918, the D VII easily walked away with first prize. As Germanys premier fighter unit, von Richthofens JG I (led by Hermann G'ring in the wake of the 'Red Baron's' recent death) received the first...

Fw 190 Defence of the Reich Aces by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPACE92Aircraft of the Aces 92About this bookRenowned aviation author and artist, John Weal, presents the last volume of Fw 190 Aces not previously covered in the Aircraft of the Aces series. From mid-1942 until the end of the war, German fighter pilots were deployed in the defence of the homeland in an effort to halt the near-constant bombing raids by Britain and America. This book tells their story, from the moment when the...

Griffon-Spitfire Aces by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE81Aircraft of the Aces 81Author: Andrew Thomasllustrator: Chris DaveyAbout this bookModified for low-level operations to counter Luftwaffe attacks on the south coast, the Griffon-powered Spitfire XIV became the best low-level fighter of World War II. Squadrons moved to south-eastern England to counter the V1 flying bomb offensive, where daring pilots pioneered the technique of tipping the V1 over with the aircraft's wingtip to disorientate the...

Hurricane Aces 1939-40 by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE18Aircraft of the Aces 18Author: Tony HolmesIllustrator: Keith FretwellAbout this bookThe Hawker Hurricane was the Raf's first monoplane fighter, and it dragged the air force into a position where it could defend Britain in its 'hour of need'. Prior to the Battle of Britain, a number of squadrons equipped with the fighter had seen action firstly in the 'Phoney War', and then during the disastrous campaign in France. Pilots like 'Cobber' Kain...

Hurricane Aces 1941-45 by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE57Aircraft of the Aces 57Author: Andrew ThomasIllustrator: John WealAbout this bookThe Hurricane saw widespread action with Allied forces, as the RAF's first monoplane fighter. This book describes its many feats throughout 1945. It served as a fighter-bomber on the Channel Front, where the American Eagles and Polish units were amongst the Fighter Command squadrons flying the Hurricane, and where some of its highest-scoring aces operated. The...

Israeli Mirage Iii & Nesher Ac by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE59Aircraft of the Aces 59Author: Shlomo AloniIllustrator: Mark StylingAbout this bookIsraeli delta fighters pilots have been credited with almost 300 kills between 1966 and 1974, and dozens of them became aces. The Israeli aerial kill exchange rate and overall air-to-air performance was phenomenal. Although the Israeli pilots were flying Mach 2 fighters, they lacked any modern radar equipment and their MiG-21 flying opponents should...

Formed shortly after the outbreak of World War 2, and equipped with Messerschmitt Bf 109Es, Jagdgeschwader 1 was initially tasked to defend the regional North Sea and Baltic coastal areas and Germany's main port cities and naval bases. The greatest task for JG 1 though came after 1942 in its defence of the Reich against the US Eighth Air Force's B-17s and B-24s, bearing the brunt of defence against increasingly regular, larger and deep penetrating USAAF daylight bomber raids with fighter...

Boasting pilots who had been blooded in the Spanish Civil War, Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53) ? Pik As' or ? Ace of Spades' achieved great success in the skies over France and Britain in 1940. It was infamous amongst its opponents for the quality and calibre of its aces - men such as Werner M ? lders, Hans-Karl Mayer and Rolf Pingel. These aces won numerous Knight's Crosses for their exploits in 1940, credited with 258 victories, with 51 pilots being killed or captured. This study follows these...

Japanese Army Air Force Aces by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE13Aircraft of the Aces 13Author: Henry SakaidaIllustrator: Grant RaceAbout this bookLittle has been published in English on the Japanese Army Air Force (JAAF), let alone its most successful fighter pilots - no less than 150 of them achieved ace status during eight years of near-constant war, and they are all listed in this volume. From the arid plains of the Mongolian border region to the lush jungles of New Guinea, the JAAF was more...

Boasting pilots who had been blooded in the Spanish Civil War, Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53) "Pik As" or "Ace of Spades" achieved great success in the skies over France and Britain in 1940. It was infamous amongst its opponents for the quality and calibre of its aces - men such as Werner M ? lders, Hans-Karl Mayer and Rolf Pingel. These aces won numerous Knight's Crosses for their exploits in 1940, credited with 258 victories, with 51 pilots being killed or captured. This study follows these...

Ki-44 'Tojo' Aces of World War 2 by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPACE100The Ki-44 'Tojo' epitomises JAAF air power in defence of the homeland, but was also used extensively in the skies over China. The introduction of the Ki-44 was noted with concern because of its departure from the performance and tactics previously associated with the JAAF. It was a fast-climbing, heavily armed point-defence interceptor that was used successfully in slashing hit-and-run tactics that caught Allied pilots...

Ki-61 & Ki-100 Aces from Osprey Publishing Item Number:OSPACE114 Aircraft of the Aces Series: Each book focuses on the fighter pilots who became aces flying a particular aircraft in a particular war or theatre of war, with first hand accounts from the aces themselves. Aircraft profiles, unit listings and scale plans support the text. Books in Osprey’s Aircraft of the Aces series cover the full spectrum of manned military flight. From the earliest aces of World War I, through every...

Lagg & Lavochkin Aces Of Wwii by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE56Aircraft of the Aces 56Author: George MellingerIllustrator: Jim LaurierAbout this bookThis book examines the LaGG family of fighters, that were amongst the first modern piston-engined interceptors made available to the Red Air Forces in early 1941and proved far better fighters than their radial-engined predecessors. Despite technical maladies and political interference from Moscow, the LaGG-3 matured into an effective fighter when...

Late Marque Spitfire Aces 1942 by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE5Aircraft of the Aces 5Author: Alfred PriceIllustrator: Chris DaveyAbout this bookAlthough the Spitfire is undoubtedly best known for its exploits against the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain, its later war service with Fighter Command on all fronts against the Axis alliance was equally as important. This volume features the exploits of pilots who turned the tide against the Luftwaffe on the Western European and Mediterranean...

Author: Robert ForsythIllustrator: Jim LaurierAbout this book_Viermot Aces_ were pilots who shot down five or more USAAF and RAF bombers during the daylight Defence of the Reich missions from May 1942 through to VE Day. This book tells the complete story of the men and the planes that challenged the great bomber offensive. Flying a number of different aircraft including the Bf 110G, Me 210 and the Me 410, they fought their desperate battles against the numerous machine guns of B-17s and...

Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstorer Aces of World War 2 by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPACE25Aircraft of the Aces 25Illustrator: John WealAbout this bookThis volume is the first of its type to be devoted exclusively to the Zerst_rer day fighter aces, spanning the war years from Poland to the defence of the Reich. Although Messerschmitt's single-engined Bf 109 has received most of the plaudits for achieving virtual air superiority over Europe in 1939-40, the exploits of the manufacturer's...

Author: Dmitriy KhazanovIllustrator: Andrey YurgensonAbout this bookThe MiG-1/3 family of fighters was built to satisfy a Soviet Air Force requirement for an advanced, fast, high-altitude fighter. Entering service in the spring of 1941, the problematic MiG-1 had its handling issues rectified with the hasty production of the MiG-3. Many of these were destroyed on the ground when the Germans launched Operation Barbarossa. Nevertheless, enough examples survived to allow pilots such as Stepan...

Mosquito Aces Of Ww-Ii by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE69Aircraft of the Aces 69Author: Andrew ThomasIllustrator: Chris DaveyAbout this bookThe Mosquito developed into one of the most versatile aircraft of World War 2, entering service with Fighter Command in early 1942. The 'Mossie' was soon defending raids on Britain's Cathedral cities and became an integral part of the country's night defences. Its airborne radar gave it the ability to 'see' the enemy at night, and its speed and devastating...

Mustang Aces 9th & 15th Af&Raf by OspreyItem Number: OSPACE7Aircraft of the Aces 7Author: Jerry ScuttsIllustrator: Chris DaveyAbout this bookAlthough 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,...

Mustang Aces of the 357th Fighter Group by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPACE96Aircraft of the Aces 96Author: Chris BucholtzIllustrator: Chris DaveyAbout this bookThe 357th Fighter Group produced 42 aces, more than any other group within the USAAF. It was also the first group in the Eighth Air Force to be equipped with the P-51. Thanks to this fighter and the talented pilots assigned to the group (men such as Bud Anderson, Kit Carson, John England and Chuck Yeager) the 357th achieved a...

Naval Aces of World War 1 Part I by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPACE97Aircraft of the Aces 97Author: Jon GuttmanIllustrator: Harry DempseyAbout this bookIn the first of a two-part study covering all of the naval fighter pilots to achieve ace status during World War I, author and artist Jon Guttman examines the elite members of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). The first to employ Sopwith"s excellent line of scouts, such as the Pup, Triplane and Camel, some of the RNAS pilots such as...

P-36 Hawk Aces of World War 2 by Osprey PublishingItem Number: OSPACE86Authors: Kari Stenman Andrew Thomas Lionel PersynIllustrator: Chris DaveyAbout this bookThe Curtiss P-36 was considered a revolution in performance design in comparison to other US fighters. Yet by the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the P-40 was increasingly supplanting the P-36, which the US then exported to France under the guise of the Hawk 75. Flown by the French, captured by the Germans, sold to the Finns,...

The first P-38s became operational with the 1st Fighter Group in April 1941, and the initial combat deployments were made in Alaska, the Southwest Pacific and North Africa during the latter part of 1942. Photographic reconnaissance versions of the P-38 were in action even sooner when F-4 (P-38E) models were rushed to frontline units a few months after Pearl Harbor. Often using modified field measures to equip aircraft and train pilots in this demanding fighter, early pilots wrote a remarkable...