Duels in the Sky
World War II Naval Aircraft in Combat
Brown, Eric (Captain)
Was the Hellcat a greater fighter than the Zeke? The Spitfire better than the FW 190? The Stuka a more effective dive bomber than the Dauntless?
Questions such as these have long provoked disputes among aviation enthusiasts, who to this day argue the merits of one World War II airplane over another and attempt to relive their phenomenal duels in the sky. Now one of the greatest naval aviators of all time puts these controversies to rest. In this book the Royal Navy's famed test pilot Captain Eric Brown pits various Allied and Axis aircraft against one another in theoretical combat to determine which deserve to be called the greatest.
Drawing on his own experiences test-flying these planes, Captain Brown evaluates their strengths and weaknesses and in dramatic single-combat scenarios decides the victors. Even potentially classic duels that never occurred - aerial fights between friends and between combatants from different operational theaters - are included in his scenarios. These pages are also filled with valuable technical descriptions and subjective impressions of Allied naval aircraft and their opponents, all put in historical perspective by Captain Brown's fascinating narrative of the air war. Having flown a remarkably wide range of captured German, Italian, and Japanese combat airplanes, he is able to offer unique insights into the handling characteristics of enemy aircraft. He follows his assessments of individual warplanes with a final, comparative analysis of the top fighters, dive bombers, and torpedo bombers.
A highly decorated World War II fighter pilot himself, Captain Brown is eminently qualified to write this book. He holds world records for flying the greatest variety of aircraft (487) and for completing the greatest number of carrier landings (2,400). By applying his extensive technical knowledge to the flight evaluations and combat verdicts presented here, he settles questions that have remained unanswered for decades.
Hardcover with dust jacket, large format
222 Seiten / pages
many photos
very good condition
Annapolis, Maryland - 1988 - Naval Institute Press
Art.Nr. 17772
