Me 163 vs Allied Heavy Bombers

Northern Europe 1944–45

Un relato ilustrado del dramático enfrentamiento entre las unidades Me 163 de la Luftwaffe y los bombarderos aliados durante los últimos años de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. En el verano de 1944, las tripulaciones aéreas de la Fuerza Aérea del Ejército de los Estados Unidos (USAAF) que sobrevolaban el Tercer Reich informaron haber observado pequeños aviones de alta velocidad con forma de murciélago volando cerca de sus formaciones. El extraordinario interceptor Messerschmitt Me 163 de la Luftwaffe, propulsado por cohetes, hacía su devastador debut con el Jagdgeschwader (JG) 400. El Messerschmitt Me 163 era capaz de alcanzar grandes altitudes a gran velocidad. Capaz de alcanzar grandes altitudes en el menor tiempo posible utilizando un combustible volátil para cohetes, el Me 163 era el avión más impresionante y peligroso de la Luftwaffe, y el más rápido del mundo. El experto en la Luftwaffe Robert Forsyth detalla las pruebas del avión y su letal sistema de armas SG 500 "Fighter Fist", así como su despliegue contra los B17 y B24 de la Octava Fuerza Aérea de la USAAF y, desde finales de 1944, los Lancasters y Halifaxes del Mando de Bombarderos de la RAF. Estos duelos iniciaron una forma mortal de guerra, en la que las escuadrillas de bombarderos atacaban las refinerías de petróleo sintético y los aeródromos de reactores alemanes, y los Me 163 de la JG 400 intentaban detenerlos utilizando tecnología aeronáutica de vanguardia.

Harpoon Missile vs Surface Ships US Navy, Libya and Iran 1986–88

Allied Warships vs the Atlantic Wall Normandy 1944

A fascinating exploration of the often-overlooked gunnery duels between the formidable artillery weapons in the Atlantic Wall defences and the mighty US and Royal Navy battleships. Amphibious landings were an essential tool of Allied military strategy in World War II. The Royal Navy and the US Navy provided operational mobility that allowed the Allies to strike unexpectedly across the vast coastlines of the Mediterranean and Atlantic. Nazi Germany did not have sufficient naval power to seriously contest this, and consequently relied heavily on the huge and costly Atlantic Wall fortification programme. By 1944, the French coast featured more than 1,900 coastal guns over 75mm in calibre.

An absorbing study of the duels fought between the US Navy's escort warships and Hitler's U-boats between December 1941 and May 1945. Although the Battle of the Atlantic lasted several years, its most critical phase began once the United States entered World War II. By December 1941, the British had mastered the U-boat threat in the Eastern Atlantic, only to see the front abruptly expand to regions the US Navy would patrol, chiefly the Atlantic Seaboard. Unless the US Navy overcame the U-boat threat, the Allies would struggle to win.

Drawing on rare, historical photography and specially commissioned artwork, Matthew Willis explores the heroic feats of the few Royal Navy's obsolescent biplanes that stood between the state-of-the-art Axis warships and their objectives. Focusing on the technical specifications of both opponents, using original records, and detailed armament and cockpit views, this book explores the key attributes and drawbacks of the disadvantaged Royal Navy torpedo-bombers against the mighty Regia Marina and Kriegsmarine destroyers and raiders, covering a wide range of sea battles, from the more famous attacks such as the strike on the Bismarck, the tragic events of the Channel Dash or the clash with the Italian battle fleet at Taranto, to less covered sea battles such as the Battle of Matapan. Despite their powerful weaponry and heavy armour protection, the Axis warships proved vulnerable to a skillfully and audaciously flown torpedo-bomber, thanks to innovative commanders exploiting every possible advantage. Including rare personal recollections from the airmen who flew the torpedo-bombers and historical accounts from the Axis warship crews, this book describes each and every facet of this dramatic duel.

This illustrated history explores the cruiser forces of the Italian and British Royal navies, the jack-of-all trades warships of the Mediterranean Naval War.

In 1940, when Italy entered World War II, the Royal Navy was badly overstretched, and its Mediterranean Fleet had to face both the Italian Navy and the German and Italian Air Forces in a battle for supremacy. Although the British and Italian battle fleets squared off against each other, they were both often held in reserve, in case the enemy fleet put to sea. So, it was left to the cruisers to wage their own naval war in the Mediterranean. This involved a range of missions, from escorting convoys and hunting enemy ones, to fighting for control of the sea around key locations such as the waters off Malta and Crete.

This superbly illustrated study, written by renowned naval expert Angus Konstam, compares and contrasts the design, weapon technologies and combat performance of the opposing cruiser forces. It also documents several major clashes between British, Commonwealth and Italian cruisers, including spirited actions fought off Cape Spada in 1940, a string of actions in the Gulf of Sirte throughout 1941, battles against Axis convoys in 1941-42, and the Battle of Pantelleria in 1942. Among the subjects of the specially commissioned colour artworks are HMAS Sydney, HMS Naiad, RM Trento and RM Raimondo Montecuccoli.