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Upcoming Releases
Night Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe 1940–43
9781636244907
Casemate
During World War II, the Luftwaffe's Nachtjagd evolved from chaos to effective night fighter units in response to RAF Bomber Command raids.
On 10 May 1940, the Wehrmacht launched its assault on the West. One element of the West’s response was the dispatch of RAF Bomber Command ‘heavy’ bombers at night over German industrial centers. These raids had only limited effectiveness, but the inability of the Luftwaffe to chase down RAF bombers at night so annoyed Wolfgang Falck that it swiftly resulted in the creation of a credible night fighter force.
Initial trials had been flown with Bf 110s at dusk in Denmark in April, and 1. Nachtjagd.Division was founded in the summer of 1940. Its first few months were chaotic, with constant reorganizations of units, and reassignment of aircraft, but soon enough the night fighter arm was achieving steady victories—and losing crews at a similarly steady rate.
Despite the efforts of senior leadership, the Nachtjagd constantly struggled to secure sufficient personnel or aircraft, and would spend most of its life playing catch up—its radar systems regularly outdone by RAF Bomber Command’s jamming capabilities, though the development of Schräge Musik and Wilde Sau did give the Nachtjagd an edge. The first specialist Luftwaffe night fighter—the Heinkel He 219—would be trialled only in 1943.
Fully illustrated, this is a full chronological account of the night fighter units for the first part of World War II, covering major campaigns, the biographies of individual aces, and the details of the technology developed for the Nachtjagd.
On 10 May 1940, the Wehrmacht launched its assault on the West. One element of the West’s response was the dispatch of RAF Bomber Command ‘heavy’ bombers at night over German industrial centers. These raids had only limited effectiveness, but the inability of the Luftwaffe to chase down RAF bombers at night so annoyed Wolfgang Falck that it swiftly resulted in the creation of a credible night fighter force.
Initial trials had been flown with Bf 110s at dusk in Denmark in April, and 1. Nachtjagd.Division was founded in the summer of 1940. Its first few months were chaotic, with constant reorganizations of units, and reassignment of aircraft, but soon enough the night fighter arm was achieving steady victories—and losing crews at a similarly steady rate.
Despite the efforts of senior leadership, the Nachtjagd constantly struggled to secure sufficient personnel or aircraft, and would spend most of its life playing catch up—its radar systems regularly outdone by RAF Bomber Command’s jamming capabilities, though the development of Schräge Musik and Wilde Sau did give the Nachtjagd an edge. The first specialist Luftwaffe night fighter—the Heinkel He 219—would be trialled only in 1943.
Fully illustrated, this is a full chronological account of the night fighter units for the first part of World War II, covering major campaigns, the biographies of individual aces, and the details of the technology developed for the Nachtjagd.
American Experimental Fighters of WWII
The Pursuit of Excellence
9781800353107
Hikoki
Surveys World War II U.S. fighter prototypes from 1940-1946 that never entered production, showcasing innovative designs.
During World War II, America's air arms fielded some superlative fighters such as the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, North American P-51 Mustang and Vought F4U Corsair. The large numbers of these excellent fighters produced by the US aircraft industry made a significant contribution to the eventual success of the Allies. However, even as the war was raging and the industry was working flat out to produce the huge numbers of aircraft required for front line duties, extensive research and development programmes were also being pursued to create the next generation of fighters. This book focuses on the aircraft generated by those programmes and provides a detailed survey of the fighter prototypes produced and flown during the period from 1940 to 1946, which, for various reasons, did not progress to production and service.
The work has twenty-four chapters that embrace the great diversity of design and layout of these prototypes. They demonstrate the remarkable creative flair that was present in the US aircraft industry during the war. There are designs of all shapes, sizes and configurations powered by piston, jet and mixed power plants. The designs encompassed various configurations including pusher layouts, swept and flying wings. Each of these prototypes is given its own chapter.
The book also reviews a selection of production fighter types that were kitted out for trials and used as test bed aircraft. A small number of unbuilt projects and studies are also included. The thoroughly researched text is complimented by a superb collection of photographs and illustrations.
For all of those interested in World War Two US aviation and the aircraft produced in its aftermath, this book will be a revelation. Written by Tony Buttler, one of our most distinguished aviation writers, it will be a must read for all modellers and students of aviation history in this era.
During World War II, America's air arms fielded some superlative fighters such as the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, North American P-51 Mustang and Vought F4U Corsair. The large numbers of these excellent fighters produced by the US aircraft industry made a significant contribution to the eventual success of the Allies. However, even as the war was raging and the industry was working flat out to produce the huge numbers of aircraft required for front line duties, extensive research and development programmes were also being pursued to create the next generation of fighters. This book focuses on the aircraft generated by those programmes and provides a detailed survey of the fighter prototypes produced and flown during the period from 1940 to 1946, which, for various reasons, did not progress to production and service.
The work has twenty-four chapters that embrace the great diversity of design and layout of these prototypes. They demonstrate the remarkable creative flair that was present in the US aircraft industry during the war. There are designs of all shapes, sizes and configurations powered by piston, jet and mixed power plants. The designs encompassed various configurations including pusher layouts, swept and flying wings. Each of these prototypes is given its own chapter.
The book also reviews a selection of production fighter types that were kitted out for trials and used as test bed aircraft. A small number of unbuilt projects and studies are also included. The thoroughly researched text is complimented by a superb collection of photographs and illustrations.
For all of those interested in World War Two US aviation and the aircraft produced in its aftermath, this book will be a revelation. Written by Tony Buttler, one of our most distinguished aviation writers, it will be a must read for all modellers and students of aviation history in this era.
Volume 3 - Guadalcanal: From the Brink November - December 1942
9780975642337
Avonmore Books
In late 1942, Cactus Air Force defended Guadalcanal against fierce Japanese attacks, introducing new combat tactics.
This third volume of Solomons Air War chronicles aerial warfare in the Solomon Islands theatre during the months of November and December 1942. It can be read alone or as part of the ongoing Solomons Air War series.
At the start of November 1942, the American position on Guadalcanal was precarious. Cactus Air Force had suffered extremely high attrition in October and virtually all of the available reserves had been drawn on, while the damaged USS Enterprise was the only carrier that could lend assistance. Against this environment the Japanese continued to wage a savage air war and determined to try to wipe out Cactus Air Force through battleship bombardments, while they rolled the dice with the largest yet Tokyo Express convoy.
Hence the Americans were pushed to the brink as the frenzied activity known as the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal played out over 12-15 November. Following this the Japanese were forced to admit that they couldn’t supply their troops on Guadalcanal and began to focus on building a new airfield at Munda. In response American bombers returned to Henderson Field and took the fight north to Munda and beyond for the remainder of 1942.
This period saw new tactics being trialled, including the use of P-38s as long-range escort fighters and the first PBY-5A Black Cat missions. Meanwhile Cactus Air Force expanded, gaining P-40s, B-26s, OS2U Kingfishers and RNZAF Hudsons.
This chronicle has been written using primary Allied and Japanese sources, to give a fresh, factual and highly detailed account of all aspects of the complex Solomons air campaign.
This third volume of Solomons Air War chronicles aerial warfare in the Solomon Islands theatre during the months of November and December 1942. It can be read alone or as part of the ongoing Solomons Air War series.
At the start of November 1942, the American position on Guadalcanal was precarious. Cactus Air Force had suffered extremely high attrition in October and virtually all of the available reserves had been drawn on, while the damaged USS Enterprise was the only carrier that could lend assistance. Against this environment the Japanese continued to wage a savage air war and determined to try to wipe out Cactus Air Force through battleship bombardments, while they rolled the dice with the largest yet Tokyo Express convoy.
Hence the Americans were pushed to the brink as the frenzied activity known as the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal played out over 12-15 November. Following this the Japanese were forced to admit that they couldn’t supply their troops on Guadalcanal and began to focus on building a new airfield at Munda. In response American bombers returned to Henderson Field and took the fight north to Munda and beyond for the remainder of 1942.
This period saw new tactics being trialled, including the use of P-38s as long-range escort fighters and the first PBY-5A Black Cat missions. Meanwhile Cactus Air Force expanded, gaining P-40s, B-26s, OS2U Kingfishers and RNZAF Hudsons.
This chronicle has been written using primary Allied and Japanese sources, to give a fresh, factual and highly detailed account of all aspects of the complex Solomons air campaign.
Then and Now
9781036101282
After the Battle
The Natter rocket plane, a WWII German weapon, marked a key milestone in vertical rocket-powered flight.
Well before Yuri Gagarin or Alan Shepard, Lothar Sieber became the first man to take off vertically from the ground under rocket power on March 1, 1945. The plane crashed after flying for 55 seconds and he was killed. The launch marked a milestone on the road to spaceflight, even though it remained virtually unknown to the general public for more than half a century.
But the Natter was a weapon of war born out in the closing months of World War II when Germany was desperately looking for 'wonder weapons' to fight the inevitable defeat.
A vertical take-off rocket fighter, the Natter would reach the Allied bomber altitude in seconds, then the pilot would get within firing distance of a bomber, and fire all 24 rockets into the nose in a single shot. Its fuel running out, the pilot will then glide the plane at high speed to a lower altitude, at which point he will trigger the plane to break up, a large parachute opening at the rear, popping off the nose and the pilot with it. The pilot and the tail with the Walter rocket engine would land under their separate parachutes, while the disposable nose, fuselage and wings were to crash to the ground.
The Natter is unquestionably an exciting aircraft but it is safe to assume that it would have been a failure as a bomber interceptor.
Well before Yuri Gagarin or Alan Shepard, Lothar Sieber became the first man to take off vertically from the ground under rocket power on March 1, 1945. The plane crashed after flying for 55 seconds and he was killed. The launch marked a milestone on the road to spaceflight, even though it remained virtually unknown to the general public for more than half a century.
But the Natter was a weapon of war born out in the closing months of World War II when Germany was desperately looking for 'wonder weapons' to fight the inevitable defeat.
A vertical take-off rocket fighter, the Natter would reach the Allied bomber altitude in seconds, then the pilot would get within firing distance of a bomber, and fire all 24 rockets into the nose in a single shot. Its fuel running out, the pilot will then glide the plane at high speed to a lower altitude, at which point he will trigger the plane to break up, a large parachute opening at the rear, popping off the nose and the pilot with it. The pilot and the tail with the Walter rocket engine would land under their separate parachutes, while the disposable nose, fuselage and wings were to crash to the ground.
The Natter is unquestionably an exciting aircraft but it is safe to assume that it would have been a failure as a bomber interceptor.
Reprints and New Editions
Hitler's Miracle Weapons Volume 1
Secret Nuclear Weapons of the Third Reich and their Carrier Systems The Luftwaffe & Kriegsmarine
9781804517260
Helion and Company
Examines Nazi Germany's efforts to develop nuclear weapons and their associated delivery systems during WWII.
How close did Hitler come to his dream of developing nuclear weapons? What evidence is there for the design, testing and production of such weapons, and their carrier systems?
In his efforts to answer these questions, Friedrich Georg has produced a groundbreaking book. Volume 1 describes the efforts of the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine to design and produce carrier-systems for the nuclear weapons the Third Reich was developing. These included the search for an intercontinental ‘Amerikabomber’, as well as lighter designs, such as the Arado Ar E 555, Messerschmitt P 1107 & 1108, and Junkers EF 132 & 140. The various atom bombs themselves are thoroughly investigated, from the 1-ton to the massive 30-ton variety. Information about the variety of carrier systems being developed by the Kriegsmarine is also provided. Finally, the author investigates the reasons why Germany ultimately failed to produce the atom bomb.
As well as black & white photos and other images, Hitler’s Miracle Weapons Volume 1 features 16 full pages of colour plates, including colour profiles of the various craft described in the text, computer-generated artwork showing these craft ‘in action’, and images of the some of the author’s scratchbuilt models of various weapons systems!
How close did Hitler come to his dream of developing nuclear weapons? What evidence is there for the design, testing and production of such weapons, and their carrier systems?
In his efforts to answer these questions, Friedrich Georg has produced a groundbreaking book. Volume 1 describes the efforts of the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine to design and produce carrier-systems for the nuclear weapons the Third Reich was developing. These included the search for an intercontinental ‘Amerikabomber’, as well as lighter designs, such as the Arado Ar E 555, Messerschmitt P 1107 & 1108, and Junkers EF 132 & 140. The various atom bombs themselves are thoroughly investigated, from the 1-ton to the massive 30-ton variety. Information about the variety of carrier systems being developed by the Kriegsmarine is also provided. Finally, the author investigates the reasons why Germany ultimately failed to produce the atom bomb.
As well as black & white photos and other images, Hitler’s Miracle Weapons Volume 1 features 16 full pages of colour plates, including colour profiles of the various craft described in the text, computer-generated artwork showing these craft ‘in action’, and images of the some of the author’s scratchbuilt models of various weapons systems!
Hitler's Miracle Weapons Volume 2
The Secret History of the Rockets and Flying Craft of the Third Reich From the V-1 to the A-9 Unconventional short- and medium-ranged Weapons
9781804517277
Helion and Company
Friedrich Georg's second book explores the V-rocket program, including lesser-known variants and experimental weaponry.
Following on from the success of volume 1 Friedrich Georg’s second book in the series covers unconventional short- and medium-range weapons. In particular this volume includes a wealth of information about the V-rocket programme not just the more familiar V-1 and V-2 but special variants of these two rockets as well as later experimental craft and weaponry.
Following a fascinating examination of pre-war efforts to build flying bombs the author examines the V-1 and V-2 projects in great detail. Particular attention is paid to special variants that have previously received little coverage. These include the V-2 A-4 ‘America Rocket’ and V-2s designed to carry nuclear and radiological warheads. The capability of the Germans to deploy such weapons is also discussed. A large number of weird and wonderful projects that never left the drawing board are examined including the FR-35 V-6 V-101 Waterfall and Naval EMW A-7 rockets. The fascinating final section examines German plans to utilise such rocketry against London and Paris in 1945 as well as recounting the activities of V-weapons on other fronts including Italy Yugoslavia and the Eastern Front.
The text is supported by black & white photographs and 16 superb pages of colour artwork including profiles computergenerated images of designs that never flew and pictures of the author’s own models.
Following on from the success of volume 1 Friedrich Georg’s second book in the series covers unconventional short- and medium-range weapons. In particular this volume includes a wealth of information about the V-rocket programme not just the more familiar V-1 and V-2 but special variants of these two rockets as well as later experimental craft and weaponry.
Following a fascinating examination of pre-war efforts to build flying bombs the author examines the V-1 and V-2 projects in great detail. Particular attention is paid to special variants that have previously received little coverage. These include the V-2 A-4 ‘America Rocket’ and V-2s designed to carry nuclear and radiological warheads. The capability of the Germans to deploy such weapons is also discussed. A large number of weird and wonderful projects that never left the drawing board are examined including the FR-35 V-6 V-101 Waterfall and Naval EMW A-7 rockets. The fascinating final section examines German plans to utilise such rocketry against London and Paris in 1945 as well as recounting the activities of V-weapons on other fronts including Italy Yugoslavia and the Eastern Front.
The text is supported by black & white photographs and 16 superb pages of colour artwork including profiles computergenerated images of designs that never flew and pictures of the author’s own models.
