Fighter Aces of World War II

by Robert Jackson

A thrilling account of fourteen legendary WW2 fighter pilots.

It is World War Two, and the battle for control of the skies is proving to be just as fierce as the battles raging on land.

In this powerful account, Robert Jackson explores the true stories of fourteen top fighter pilots during the Second World War.

The pilots, of various nationalities, have been carefully selected from hundreds of other distinguished fighter pilots due to their exemplary qualities which set them apart from the rest.

They include Irish Wing Commander Paddy Finucane — the youngest person ever given command of a fighter wing; Japanese aviator Saburo Sakai, and German Luftwaffe general Adolf Galland, credited with 104 aerial victories.

The expertly narrated stories provide a powerful insight into the lives of the legendary fighter pilots, whose awe-inspiring achievements make Fighter Aces of World War II a must read for lovers of military aviation.



“… with precise, controlled writing, Mr Jackson has made a valuable contribution to our knowledge of the air war …” - The New York Times

Robert Jackson (b. 1941) is a prolific author of military and aviation history, having become a full time writer in 1969. As an active serviceman in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve he flew a wide range of aircraft, ranging from jets to gliders.

Genres: History, Military Fiction

156 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Robert Jackson was born in 1941 in the North Yorkshire village of Melsonby. A former pilot and navigation instructor, his active involvement with aviation lasted many years. Following his retirement from the RAFVR in 1977 as a squadron leader, he became a full-time aviation writer and aerospace correspondent and lectured extensively on strategic issues. He speaks five languages, including Russian, and has written more than forty nonfiction works on military affairs. He is also the author of the popular Yeoman and SAS fiction series.

Reviews

[Jonno · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly short book. Interesting stories and information about pilots from the main nations fighting in WWII. Not written in the most engaging way.

[Pat Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

The actions of Aces from World War 2


Follows the skills and achievements of the best Flying Aces from all the countries involved in the Second World War

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little book. Written in the mid seventies, it is an introductory book for those interested in aerial warfare in the 20th Century. We get 14 mini-biographies of WWII "shooting stars"- mainly British, American and German, but with one each for Japan and Russia to give a good cross view of the WWII Pilot experience. Obviously the big lessons are: See them first- its on EVERY story. Be Above them - in just about every story too. Have the superior machine- pretty obvious. Take a break every now and then- The Germans and Japanese used up their trained pilots- never had the resources to train properly after 1941. The stories are always compelling - always interesting- and all too often sad- as about half these dudes did NOT survive the war.
I think this was written for the junior reader- so its an OK book for kids over about 9- if they can handle characters in books passing- they can read this book. For the Gamer/modeller/Military Enthusiast- a great starter book- sure to get you fired up for more Pilot memoirs. Every story features several scenario/diorama ideas- some over five. I think a club could use this book for a campaign, its got that much content. Hard core enthusiasts may want more depth, but I think this is a good survey to keep the fire going.....

[Tim Ganotis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good quick read. Each chapter deals with a different pilot, and some of the things they accomplished were quite astounding. I found that each chapter was enough to give a fair description of the pilot and their adventures, but left me wanting to research more about them individually. Recommended if you like this sort of thing.

[Jan Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book - I read a lot of books that depict aircraft flown during the war and so it was interesting for me to read about the enemies aircraft and airmen in such detail as well as our own RAF pilots. All were so brave and we owe them so much. I hope other readers agree with me .