Roger A. Freeman (1) (1928–2005)

This volume is an excellent companion to "The Mighty Eighth", providing useful information that would have made the original book too unwieldy. Freeman explains in some detail how the 8AF went about its bloody business, describing the various organizations and suborganizations such as combat wing, bomber group, and fighter group, and then he proceeds to outline how a bombardment mission or fighter escort mission actually took place. The author explains how the various parts of the bomber/fighter group operated and the development of the organizations and the missions between 1942 and 1945.

In the next section of the book Freeman gives a great account of the Eigth's various aircraft, describing them in detail down to the production block level. There is much useful information for the modeler in these pages as one can trace how specific aircraft were equipped at various times in the war. So if a modeler is trying to depict a specific aircraft, with Freeman's help they should be able to build it to the correct specification.

Next, the author talks about the armament and equipment of the Eighth, from machine guns and cannon, through bombs, guided weapons, radios, bomb sights, bombing radars, flying equipment, and ground equipment. These descriptions, although brief, were far more coherent than the assemblage of manuals and reports pieced together by William Wolf in his U.S. Aerial Armament in World War II series.

Finally, Freeman talks about the bases that sprang up all over the UK for 8AF units, especially in the southeast. He usefully provides airfield maps for 64 sites, which makes for fascinating discovery when used in conjunction with Google Earth, although I had trouble with some locations in reconciling map with actually overhead imagery.… (meer)

The bestselling book responsible for dubbing the U.S. Eighth Air Force as "The Mighty". The most remarkable and most popular account of WWII aviation depicts the 8th from its arrival in Britain in 1942, to its spread across the country to operate from over 40 bases, on the way to becoming the largest air unit ever committed to battle. An extensively detailed and fully researched account covers intensive bomber and fighter sorties over Europe conducted by over 2,000 aircraft involving over 150,000 men. The exploits of B-17s, B-26s, and P-47s are told, along with little-known explanations of the vastly sophisticated supply chain that kept them flying. Over 700 photos of planes on the ground and in battle action depict formations and strategies, while over 150 full-color illustrations display aircraft group markings.
The Mighty Eighth was the largest striking force ever committed to battle, and putting it in the air remains one of the greatest military achievements of the Second World War. Over 1,700 aircraft, involving 15,000 men and a vastly sophisticated supply chain, engaged in a ceaseless war of high-altitude daylight precision bombing. More than 300 photographs, maps, and line drawings--along with details of the procedures and improvisations that went into play--tell the history of this incredible success. A leading authority on WWII aircraft and their pilots (the author of six books on this division alone) discloses the operational techniques of bombers and fighters; the background behind weather and photographic reconnaissance; the secrets of special operations; as well as experimentation, training, logistics, and more. All the installations, armament, and equipment are here, too, from the airfields and depots to the gunsights and communication sets to the flight clothing and oxygen tanks. A splendid tribute to the men who helped safeguard liberty.… (meer)