Naval Aviation in the Second World War

Naval Aviation in the Second World War PDF Author: Philip Kaplan
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1473829976
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 234

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Book Description
The first aircraft carriers made their appearance in the early years of World War I. These first flattops were improvised affairs built on hulls that had been laid down with other purposes in mind, and it was not until the 1920s that the first purpose-built carriers were launched, but no-one was as yet clear about the role of the carriers and they were largely unloved by the 'battleship admirals' who still believed that their great dreadnoughts were the ultimate capital ships.World War II changed all that, At Taranto, Pearl Harbour, and in the North Atlantic, the carrier, the ugly duckling of the world's navies, proved itself to be the dreadnought nemesis. As the tide of war turned, the fast attack carriers of the U.S. Navy spearheaded the counter-attack in the Pacific while the makeshift escort carriers helped to seal the fate of the German U-boats in the Atlantic. The carrier, and naval aviation, thus emerged into the post-war world as the primary symbol and instrument of seapower; it would play a crucial role in the strategic encirclement of the Soviet Union and enabled western airpower to be rapidly and effectively deployed in areas of conflict as remote as Korea, Vietnam, the Falklands and the Gulf.Kaplan describes the adventure of the young American, British, and Japanese naval aviators in the Second World War. It is an account of their experiences based on archives, diaries, published and unpublished memoirs, and personal interviews with veteran naval airmen of WWII, providing a vivid and often hair-raising picture of the dangers they encountered in combat and of everyday life aboard an aircraft carrier. It considers some of the key aspects of the WWII naval aviator's combat career, such as why it was that only a tiny minority of these pilots those in whom the desire for aerial combat overrode everything accounted for such a large proportion of the victories.In the major carrier actions of that conflict, from the Royal Navy's attack on Taranto which crippled the Italian fleet in 1940, to the Japanese carrier-launched surprise attack on U.S. Navy battleships and facilities at Pearl Harbour in 1941, to the carrier battle of Midway in 1942, and the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot of 1944, through the Japanese Kamikaze campaign against the U.S. Carriers in the final stages of the Pacific war, this book takes the reader back to one of the most exciting and significant times in modern history.

Naval Aviation in the Second World War

Naval Aviation in the Second World War PDF Author: Philip Kaplan
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1473829976
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 234

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Book Description
The first aircraft carriers made their appearance in the early years of World War I. These first flattops were improvised affairs built on hulls that had been laid down with other purposes in mind, and it was not until the 1920s that the first purpose-built carriers were launched, but no-one was as yet clear about the role of the carriers and they were largely unloved by the 'battleship admirals' who still believed that their great dreadnoughts were the ultimate capital ships.World War II changed all that, At Taranto, Pearl Harbour, and in the North Atlantic, the carrier, the ugly duckling of the world's navies, proved itself to be the dreadnought nemesis. As the tide of war turned, the fast attack carriers of the U.S. Navy spearheaded the counter-attack in the Pacific while the makeshift escort carriers helped to seal the fate of the German U-boats in the Atlantic. The carrier, and naval aviation, thus emerged into the post-war world as the primary symbol and instrument of seapower; it would play a crucial role in the strategic encirclement of the Soviet Union and enabled western airpower to be rapidly and effectively deployed in areas of conflict as remote as Korea, Vietnam, the Falklands and the Gulf.Kaplan describes the adventure of the young American, British, and Japanese naval aviators in the Second World War. It is an account of their experiences based on archives, diaries, published and unpublished memoirs, and personal interviews with veteran naval airmen of WWII, providing a vivid and often hair-raising picture of the dangers they encountered in combat and of everyday life aboard an aircraft carrier. It considers some of the key aspects of the WWII naval aviator's combat career, such as why it was that only a tiny minority of these pilots those in whom the desire for aerial combat overrode everything accounted for such a large proportion of the victories.In the major carrier actions of that conflict, from the Royal Navy's attack on Taranto which crippled the Italian fleet in 1940, to the Japanese carrier-launched surprise attack on U.S. Navy battleships and facilities at Pearl Harbour in 1941, to the carrier battle of Midway in 1942, and the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot of 1944, through the Japanese Kamikaze campaign against the U.S. Carriers in the final stages of the Pacific war, this book takes the reader back to one of the most exciting and significant times in modern history.

Wings of Gold

Wings of Gold PDF Author: Gerald Astor
Publisher: Presidio Press
ISBN: 0345472527
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 466

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Book Description
From critically acclaimed military historian Gerald Astor comes Wings of Gold, the first account of how the airplane transformed the U.S. Navy and paved the way to victory in the Pacific in World War II. Astor tracks that fateful journey from its humble beginnings in 1910 when Eugene Ely flew the very first plane off the deck of a U.S. Navy ship to the unprecedented air combat missions that helped defeat the Japanese. Few naval aviators in World War II realized that when they earned their wings of gold they were about to become test pilots for a whole new kind of combat. In their own words, these courageous fliers describe the life-and-death air battles that defined the revolution in naval strategy that rose from the ashes of Pearl Harbor, when fighter pilots watched in horror as Japanese carrier-launched aircraft bombed their planes and airfields into smoking rubble. While following the pilots’ firsthand reports of air strikes and blazing dogfights across the islands and atolls of the Pacific, Astor explores the ways the U.S. Navy began its momentous transformation before the war. Later, the critical role of aircraft carriers in the stunning U.S. victory at Midway sounded the death knell for conventional naval warfare, yet the public, the press, the Army, and even the president’s advisors refused to recognize the new reality. In fact, only a few in the Navy understood that a new era had begun that would change the face of war forever. The young Americans who fought the deadly duels against Imperial Japanese forces high over the Pacific gave everything they had to the war effort, and many made the supreme sacrifice. Wings of Gold pays tribute to their courage, daring, and selfless dedication. Vividly told, thoroughly researched, and filled with stirring accounts of the Pacific War’s greatest air battles, Wings of Gold is an important addition to the annals of World War II aerial combat.

Naval Aviation in the First World War

Naval Aviation in the First World War PDF Author: R. D. Layman
Publisher: US Naval Institute Press
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 250

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Book Description
All aspects of naval aviation in World War I are detailed in this superbly researched book.

Duels in the Sky

Duels in the Sky PDF Author: Eric Brown
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 248

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Book Description


U.S. Navy Fighter Squadrons in World War II

U.S. Navy Fighter Squadrons in World War II PDF Author: Barrett Tillman
Publisher: Specialty Press (MN)
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 168

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Book Description
US Navy Fighter Squadrons In World War IITillmanSubtitled: Chronologies, Deployments, Combat Records. This first-ever chronology of VF squadrons describes their history, deployments, battle highlights, commanders, aces, losses and aircraft. Appendices supply information on shoot down claims, biographies of 12 famous aces, a list of 371 naval fighter aces, aces in a day, top scoring squadrons, and more. Hdbd., 7 1/4x 1 1/2, 16 pgs., 65 bandw ill.

US Naval Air Station, Melbourne Florida, World War II

US Naval Air Station, Melbourne Florida, World War II PDF Author: William R. Barnett
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 9780738856322
Category : Air bases
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Operational flight training in fighter aircraft in WW II was a highlight for young Navy pilots. The Naval Air Station, Melbourne, Florida was a specialized fighter training base that saw many of the young men become top gun fighter pilots. This book traces the training Navy cadets went through, the operational training they accomplished, and the history of NAS Melbourne from its grass roots through the war years. Activities and actions that went on at this Navy base are told along with stories about some of the people that ran the base. There are 60 images in the book along with a map of the base and close- up photos of the buildings. It is a history written in a way that takes the reader back in time and lets him "live" through those activities brought on by a war that no one wanted but had to cope with.

Wings of Gold

Wings of Gold PDF Author: Gerald Astor
Publisher: Presidio Press
ISBN: 0307417778
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 466

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Book Description
From critically acclaimed military historian Gerald Astor comes Wings of Gold, the first account of how the airplane transformed the U.S. Navy and paved the way to victory in the Pacific in World War II. Astor tracks that fateful journey from its humble beginnings in 1910 when Eugene Ely flew the very first plane off the deck of a U.S. Navy ship to the unprecedented air combat missions that helped defeat the Japanese. Few naval aviators in World War II realized that when they earned their wings of gold they were about to become test pilots for a whole new kind of combat. In their own words, these courageous fliers describe the life-and-death air battles that defined the revolution in naval strategy that rose from the ashes of Pearl Harbor, when fighter pilots watched in horror as Japanese carrier-launched aircraft bombed their planes and airfields into smoking rubble. While following the pilots’ firsthand reports of air strikes and blazing dogfights across the islands and atolls of the Pacific, Astor explores the ways the U.S. Navy began its momentous transformation before the war. Later, the critical role of aircraft carriers in the stunning U.S. victory at Midway sounded the death knell for conventional naval warfare, yet the public, the press, the Army, and even the president’s advisors refused to recognize the new reality. In fact, only a few in the Navy understood that a new era had begun that would change the face of war forever. The young Americans who fought the deadly duels against Imperial Japanese forces high over the Pacific gave everything they had to the war effort, and many made the supreme sacrifice. Wings of Gold pays tribute to their courage, daring, and selfless dedication. Vividly told, thoroughly researched, and filled with stirring accounts of the Pacific War’s greatest air battles, Wings of Gold is an important addition to the annals of World War II aerial combat.

Comprehensive History of U. S. Naval Aviation in World War II - Complete Chronology Including Pearl Harbor, Kamikazes, Aircraft, Wake Island, Halsey, Moffett, Suicide Torpedoes, and Fighter Tactics

Comprehensive History of U. S. Naval Aviation in World War II - Complete Chronology Including Pearl Harbor, Kamikazes, Aircraft, Wake Island, Halsey, Moffett, Suicide Torpedoes, and Fighter Tactics PDF Author: U. S. Military
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781549879159
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 362

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Book Description
This is a comprehensive compilation of Navy history material providing extensive information about the role of Naval aviation in World War II. The first part of the compilation is a full chronology of events in Naval aviation during the war. Thirty-nine unique articles comprise part two, and the third section focuses on aspects of the Pacific theater. Part 1: Naval Aviation Chronology in World War II Part 2: World War II Naval Aviation Stories: Ready to Mobilize, Part 1 * Ready to Mobilize, Part 2, Victory Winning Team * Ready or Not...Naval Aviation's Aircraft and Ships on the Eve of Pearl Harbor * The Neutrality Patrol: To Keep Us Out of World War II, Part 1 * The Neutrality Patrol: To Keep Us Out of World War II, Part 2 * Aviation Training and Expansion, Part 1 * Aviation Training and Expansion, Part 2 * Wings of Victory, Prewar Technical Development, Part 1 * Wings of Victory, Technical Development During WW II, Part 2 * Wings of Victory, Part 3 * Organization of Naval Aviation in World War II * Aviation Ordnance 1939-1941 * The Pacific Neutrality Patrol * "This is No Drill." U.S. Naval Aviation and Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941 * Wake Island--A Gallant Defense * The Early Carrier Raids: Proving Japanese Vulnerability * The Battle of Coral Sea * Do the Best We Can with What We have (Battle of Midway) * Patrol Aviation in the Pacific in WW II, Part 1 * Patrol Aviation in the Pacific in WW II, Part 2 * Naval Aviation in Operation Torch * Guadalcanal: Trial by Fire, Part 1 * Guadalcanal: Trial by Fire, Part 2 * Combat Art in WW II * Fighter Tactics in WW II * Fleet Carrier Combat Operations, 1943 to 1944 * Solomon Islands Campaign: The Isolation of Rabaul * Island Hopping in WW II: From the Gilberts to the Marshals * Island Hopping in WW II: The Marianas * Invasion! Fortress Europe--Naval Aviation in France, Summer 1944 * The Kamikazes: Japanese Suicide Units * Victory at Leyte Gulf * Patrol Aviation in the Atlantic in World War II * Back to the Philippines, Part 1 * Back to the Philippines, Part 2 * Technical Development in World War II * From Autos to Aircraft: General Motors' WW II conversion to Wildcats and Avengers * The Largest Invasion...That Never Was * In the Wake of Victory Part 3: This important U.S. Navy history about naval aviation in the Pacific during World War II was published in 1947. Contents * CHAPTER I * Mission and Organization of Naval Aviation * CHAPTER II * Components and Weapons of Naval Aviation * CHAPTER III * Special Aspects of the Air War * CHAPTER IV * The Japanese Offensive-Pearl Harbor to Midway * CHAPTER V * Offensive-Defensive-Guadalcanal to Bougainville * CHAPTER VI * The United States Offensive--Tarawa to Tokyo * CHAPTER VII * Tactical Effectiveness of Naval Aviation * CHAPTER VIII * Lessons Learned

Jane's Naval History of WWII

Jane's Naval History of WWII PDF Author: Bernard Ireland
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 0004721438
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 266

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Book Description
The author, a naval historian, reveals the critical elements that determined the war at sea.

Carrier War

Carrier War PDF Author: Paul Stillwell
Publisher: Friedman/Fairfax
ISBN: 9781402718564
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
A military historian explores these mammoth warships. A great gift for WWII buffs. Though the aircraft carrier has become the cornerstone of the modern fleet, it is a relative newcomer to the world of navy vessels. It wasn’t until World War II that the carrier’s outstanding effectiveness forever altered the future of naval warfare. Through gripping historical anecdotes and breathtaking paintings by the most respected aviation and military artists, this crucial period lives again. Begin with the earliest demonstrations of planes flying from and landing on a vessel at sea and the carrier’s evolution in the period between the wars. The British, Japanese, and US fleets all obtained true carriers, with their numbers growing by leaps and bounds by the onset of World War II—especially in America, which had the largest of all. Written by a renowned military historian, packed with thrilling accounts of daring missions, and illustrated with stirring aviation art, here is a unique look at one of the most effective weapons platforms in the world.