ANATOMY OF A MISSION

ANATOMY OF A MISSION

NEW BOOKS FOR THE AVIATION ENTHUSIAST

Detailing one day in the European air war

Some of the 8th Air Force's bombing missions during World War Two have become legendary - such as those to Schweinfurt and Berlin. Yet in the course of the war there were many, many others - missions forming part of the larger Allied strategy but which did not become famous even though they were equally deadly. These missions were simply part of wearing down and defeating the enemy.

One such mission was Mission 376 which took place on 28 May 1944 when ordinary men on both sides revealed extraordinary courage as they experienced the confusion and terror which accompanied the routine blood-letting. The mission also had one unusual characteristic - it saw the first combat use by the USAAF of remote control glide bombs.

Mission 376 by Ivo de Jong (Specialty Press $44.95, 800-895-4585) describes the event in amazing detail, covering the experiences of participants and the aircraft of both sides that took part. The book includes first-hand combat reports by American and German participants as well as details of the use of the GB-1 glide bombs.

The volume has over 250 photographs as well as 16 pages of specially commissioned color paintings illustrating the markings and camouflage schemes of the USAAF and Luftwaffe aircraft that took part in Mission 376. A must for any WWII aero library.

Copyright Challenge Publications Inc. Oct 2004
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved