Description
| Product ID: | 9781855328983 |
| Product Form: | Paperback / softback |
| Country of Manufacture: | GB |
| Series: | Aircraft of the Aces |
| Title: | French Aces of World War 2 |
| Authors: | Author: Barry Ketley, Mark Rolfe |
| Page Count: | 100 |
| Subjects: | European history, European history, History: specific events and topics, Second World War, Air forces and warfare, Weapons and equipment, History: specific events & topics, Second World War, Air forces & warfare, Weapons & equipment, c 1939 to c 1945 (including WW2) |
| Description: | Select Guide Rating French pilots fought both for and against the allies during World War II. After the fall of France, many pilots achieved ace status flying with Vichy French squadrons, and in Russia flying Yaks on the Eastern Front. This volume includes many scale drawings of planes and archival photographs. French pilots endured fighting both with and against the Allies during World War 2. Possessing obsolescent aircraft at the outbreak of the war, the Armée de l''Air was decimated in the wake of the Blitzkrieg; however, a number of fighter units still achieved creditable scores flying Curtiss Hawks, Morane MS.406s and Dewoitine D.520s. Following the capitulation of France at the end of June 1940, many aces continued to fly with the now Vichy French Squadrons that were stationed in North Africa, and a number of these pilots subsequently saw action against their former Allies there. Numerous French pilots also escaped to Britain, and a handful achieved notable sucess with the RAF flying Hurricanes, Spitfires and Tempests. In Russia, the formation of the French-manned ''Normandie-Niemen'' regiment in 1943 also saw near on 40 pilots achieve ace status flying Yak fighters on the Eastern Front. |
| Imprint Name: | Osprey Publishing |
| Publisher Name: | Bloomsbury Publishing PLC |
| Country of Publication: | GB |
| Publishing Date: | 1999-09-15 |
