Pathfinder Aircrew
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Pathfinder Aircrew
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Author : Jennie Mack Gray
language : en
Publisher: Perardua Books
Release Date : 2021-06-30
Pathfinder Aircrew written by Jennie Mack Gray and has been published by Perardua Books this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2021-06-30 with History categories.
Who were the RAF Pathfinders in the Second World War? Who led them? What gave them the courage to carry on despite flak, night-fighters, and the many other hazards of air warfare? The Path Finder Force was RAF Bomber Command's only official elite Force, and it played a vital part in the Command's campaigns against Nazi Germany. This detailed and sympathetic account, based on 25 years' research, vividly describes what sort of people the Pathfinders were, what sustained them during their highly dangerous operations, and how their comrades, friends and families dealt with the all-too frequent losses - at sea, in Occupied Europe, in Germany, or in terrible accidents on British soil. Most of the personal documents used in Pathfinder Aircrew have never been published before. Based almost entirely on wartime or immediate post-war records, including aircrew letters and diaries, this book tells a very human story of members of an elite which was a byword for perseverance, technical excellence, and the most magnificent bravery.
A Pathfinder S War
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Author : Ted Stocker
language : en
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
Release Date : 2012-11-15
A Pathfinder S War written by Ted Stocker and has been published by Casemate Publishers this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2012-11-15 with Biography & Autobiography categories.
The only RAF flight engineer to be awarded a Distinguished Service Order recounts his prolific WWII combat career in this engaging military memoir. Flight Lieutenant Ted Stocker lived a charmed life. Joining the Royal Air Force as a teenager, he trained as one of the famous Halton Aircraft Apprentices known as Trenchard’s Brats. Stationed at RAF Boscombe Down, he flew prototype Stirling and Halifax bombers just as the Second World War broke out. Qualifying as one of the RAF’s first flight engineers, he went on to join Bomber Command’s elite Pathfinder Force. Stocker was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1943 and eventually completed more than 100 bombing operations, often as a master bomber. Although his aircraft was frequently hit, and he survived a crash landing, Stocker was never wounded. His achievements were recognized with the only known Distinguished Service Order issued to a flight engineer. In this candid and fascinating memoir, co-written by acclaimed aviation historian Sean Feast, Stocker relates his incredible tale of singular courage and miraculous survival.
The Raf Pathfinders
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Author : Martyn Chorlton
language : en
Publisher: Mitchell Beazley
Release Date : 2012
The Raf Pathfinders written by Martyn Chorlton and has been published by Mitchell Beazley this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2012 with Biography & Autobiography categories.
The formation of the Pathfinder Force in August 1942 produced a steady but certain change in the fortunes of Bomber Command. Its effectiveness against targets during the early years of the war had been very difficult to gauge. When examined in detail afterwards, aerial photographs showed that only one third of the aircraft were successfully reaching their target area and less than this were actually placing their bombs with target accuracy. It was known during the large-scale bombing of Coventry in the autumn of 1940 that the Germans had used an elite force of pathfinder aircraft, armed with incendiaries, who had acted as target finders for the main force of German bombers. What was now needed for the RAF were some similar specialist squadrons, with crews handpicked for their discipline, courage, high morale and, in particular, skills in a wider than normal range of flying jobs. Sidney Bufton, Deputy Director of Bomber Operations, developed the concept of a new Target Finding Force, and his tenacity in putting pressure upon senior Air Ministry staff to implement his ideas and bring Bomber Command out of the doldrums paid off. The new force was finally accepted and the choice of Don Bennett as its first Commander was inspired. Bennett was restless, imaginative, and receptive to change. He never accepted second best and he became a legend to all who served under him. Pathfinder Squadrons were equipped with the best available aircraft, which included the famous Lancaster bomber and later, increasingly, the Mosquito which was a hugely versatile and successful fighter bomber. To join a Pathfinder Squadron was a rare privilege but with it went a huge leap in the likelihood of being shot down. Pathfinder aircrew and aircraft had to lead the way for their following Bomber Force in hazardous raid after raid. They flew at night but it took a full 25 minutes to run the gauntlet of the Berlin defenses from end to end at full stretch. They were highly vulnerable to the wall of flak thrown up by German city defenders, as well as to attacks by night-fighters. By the end of the war some 56,000 crewmen of Bomber Command had lost their lives. Martyn Chorlton has written a gripping account of the RAF's Pathfinder Squadrons, recalling the challenges faced in the smoke-filled skies over occupied Europe. It is also a tribute to the brave young men whose exploits, lives and, in all too many cases, deaths have left a powerful torch to bear for all who care about freedom.
Master Bombers
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Author : Sean Feast
language : en
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
Release Date : 2012-09-26
Master Bombers written by Sean Feast and has been published by Casemate Publishers this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2012-09-26 with History categories.
The wartime exploits and experiences of an RAF bomber pathfinder squadron are recounted in this WWII history—“A stunning war book” (Oxford Times, UK). Formed in July 1942, the Pathfinder Force was the corps d’élite of the Royal Air Force’s Bomber Command. The Squadrons of the PFF were tasked with marking targets and leading bomber formations to the right place at the right time. And the best of the force formed the crews of the master bombers, the aircraft in charge of the whole attack. It took nerves of steel for the crew to linger high over the target area, often for hours, in constant fear of attack from fighters or flak. In Master Bombers, aviation historian Sean Feast shares the wartime stories of the men and women of No. 582 Squadron. This bomber pathfinder squadron was formed in April of 1944 and began operations with a night raid on Occupied France a week later. The aircrew and supporting staff of No. 582 distinguished themselves in numerous operations, with one pilot, Ted Swales, winning a posthumous Victoria Cross over Pforzheim.
Pathfinder Pilot
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Author : R. A. Wellington
language : en
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
Release Date : 2020-08-31
Pathfinder Pilot written by R. A. Wellington and has been published by Casemate Publishers this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2020-08-31 with Biography & Autobiography categories.
A riveting account of surviving sixty RAF bombing missions during World War II. During the Second World War, 55,573 RAF Bomber Command aircrew were killed, a shocking 44.4% death rate. A further 8,500 were wounded, and 9,800 became prisoners of war. The author of this thrilling memoir defied the odds, becoming one of the few Lancaster captains to survive his quota of sixty bombing missions. ‘Wimpy’ Wellington’s skills must have been exceptional. After serving in 106 Squadron under the legendary Guy Gibson, he and his crew moved to the elite 83 Pathfinder Squadron, where they coped with the prolonged strain of constant mortal danger, nighttime sorties to distant targets such as Milan, and the steady loss of comrades. Every night they danced with death, surviving enemy fighters, intense flak, and mechanical problems. On completion of flying duties Wellington was sent to the USA and South America to bolster support for the Allied cause. In this vivid account, the decorated and highly accomplished airman tells his story.
The Pathfinder Companion
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Author : Sean Feast
language : en
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
Release Date : 2012-10-24
The Pathfinder Companion written by Sean Feast and has been published by Casemate Publishers this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2012-10-24 with History categories.
Veterans of the RAF’s legendary Pathfinder Force share their personal accounts of WWII in this authoritative history by the author of Master Bombers. During the Second World War, the Pathfinder Force was the corps d’élite of Bomber Command. Literally leading the charge in the Royal Air Force’s bombing raids over Nazi occupied territory, the aircrews of the PFF required top notch skills and nerves of steel. In Pathfinder Companion, aviation historian Sean Feast tells the remarkable stories of these brave men, drawing on extensive interviews with veterans as well as official records and archival documents. Pathfinder Companion highlights the raids and the losses, the successes and failures, the terror and the turmoil these men endured, as well as the inevitable humor in the face of tremendous adversity. Profusely illustrated throughout with photos and memorabilia, the book shows how a poorly equipped, disparate group was forged into one of the most effective fighting forces ever created.
Rear Gunner Pathfinders
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Author : Smith Ron Smith
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 2019
Rear Gunner Pathfinders written by Smith Ron Smith and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2019 with World War, 1939-1945 categories.
The Pathfinders
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Author : Will Iredale
language : en
Publisher: Random House
Release Date : 2021-07-15
The Pathfinders written by Will Iredale and has been published by Random House this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2021-07-15 with History categories.
Military History Matters Book of the Year Bronze Award Winner 'Compelling... sensitive, colourful and moving' -- Saul David, Telegraph 'Fascinating and utterly gripping' -- James Holland 'Absorbing' -- Daily Mail Book of the Week The incredible story of the crack team of men and women who transformed RAF Bomber Command and helped the Allies deliver decisive victory over Nazi Germany. The Pathfinders were ordinary men and women from a range of nations who revolutionised the efficiency of the Allies' air campaign over mainland Europe. They elevated Bomber Command - initially the only part of the Allied war effort capable of attacking the heart of Nazi Germany - from an impotent force on the cusp of disintegration in 1942 to one capable of razing whole German cities to the ground in a single night, striking with devastating accuracy, inspiring fear and loathing in Hitler's senior command. With exclusive interviews with remaining survivors, personal diaries, previously classified records and never-before seen photographs, The Pathfinders brings to life the characters of the airmen and women - many barely out of their teens - who took to the skies in legendary British aircraft such as the Lancaster and the Mosquito, facing almost unimaginable levels of violence from enemy fighter planes to strike at the heart of the Nazi war machine.
A Pathfinder S Story
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Author : W. W. Robinson
language : en
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
Release Date : 2007-11-12
A Pathfinder S Story written by W. W. Robinson and has been published by Casemate Publishers this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2007-11-12 with History categories.
When he died in 1946, Flight Lieutenant Jack Mossop left behind a widow and child, a chest full of medals, and a diary. He was 25 years old. The diary gave tantalizing glimpses of his career; sixty years on, his son has uncovered the truth. It is the story of an ordinary Durham lad called upon to perform extraordinary deeds.Serving initially as a Wireless Operator in 49 Squadron, he progressed to 76 Squadron under the legendary Leonard Cheshire, and finished as a Deputy Master Bomber with the elite Pathfinder Group in 35 Squadron.To complete even one tour of duty was against the odds. To complete a second and then to volunteer for a third was nigh-on incredible. Small wonder that one of his crewmates called him The bravest man I ever knew. It is all the more tragic that he died a civilians death on board a BOAC Lancastrian after the war, in suspicious circumstances, which attracted the attention of the Prime Minister himself.Jack saw most of the great actions of Bomber Command, from the 1,000 bomber raids of 1942, to the Battles of the Ruhr and Berlin in 1943, and the daylight operations of Normandy before and after D-Day. His story stands as a microcosm of the entire bomber campaign. Bill Robinsons account is a fascinating and stirring account of courage in war: a tribute not only to one mans courage, but also to the courage of the nameless thousands whose stories will now never be told.
Night Flyer Mosquito Pathfinder
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Author : Lewis Brandon
language : en
Publisher: Stackpole Books
Release Date : 2011
Night Flyer Mosquito Pathfinder written by Lewis Brandon and has been published by Stackpole Books this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2011 with Biography & Autobiography categories.
* Two gripping memoirs by British night-fighter crewmen * Action-adventure tales of aerial combat aboard Beaufighter and Mosquito aircraft * Accounts of Pathfinders who flew ahead of bomber formations and marked targets deep inside German territory * How new technologies like airborne radar, one of World War II's best-kept secrets, were used * How night-fighters helped save British cities from destruction Lewis Brandon was a navigator and squadron leader with the Royal Air Force in World War II, earning the Distinguished Service Order and Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions. Albert Smith joined the RAF at sixteen and completed 90 missions in Wellingtons and Mosquitos.