Description
ABOUT THIS PRODUCT
Dubbed 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 charts the group's highs and lows during its two
years in action from Duxford, focusing on the exploits of the 51 pilots who
achieved ace status with the 78th during World War 2. These men included
Capt Charles London, the very first Eighth Air Force ace, and Maj Quince
Brown, who was the 78th's most successful aerial ace prior to being murdered
by the SS after he was shot down over Germany. By VE Day, the Eagles of
Duxford' had downed 316 aircraft and destroyed a further 320 machines on the
ground during strafing attacks on German airfields.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Thomas McKelvey Cleaver has been a published aviation writer for the past 35
years, his work appearing in Air International, Air Enthusiast, Plane and
Pilot, Air Force Magazine and Aviation History magazine. He is also a
regular contributor to Flight Journal magazine. Additionally, he is Senior
Contributing Editor to Modeling Madness Webzine, where his weekly reviews
include extensive history writing introducing the model reviewed in that
article. He is considered to be one of the leading model reviewers on the
internet. He is also a published book author, with Air Combat Annals being
recently published as an e-book by Pacifica Military History Press.Artist
Chris Davey has illustrated more than 20 titles for Osprey's Aircraft of the
Aces, Combat Aircraft and Elite Units series since 1994. Based in Mansfield,
Nottinghamshire, and one of the last traditional airbrush artists in the
business, he has become the artist of choice for both USAAF fighters and RAF
subject matter.
CONTENTS
30 July 1943
Beginnings
Against the odds
Battle of Germany
Liberating Europe
Coming of the Mustang
Appendices
