Many of its squadrons were based in lincolnshire, where the flat terrain and open fields made the county ideal for the development of new airfields. Born the son of a fighter pilot on march air force base in riverside, california, ethell was prevented from joining the air force because he lacked 2020 vision. These records are royal air force combat reports written during the second. The strategic air command headquarters were at offut afb, nebraska.
Feaf bomber command and the air war in korea, 19501953 that others may live the united states air force in korea. From 1942 onward, the british bombing campaign against germany became less restrictive and increasingly targeted industrial sites and the civilian manpower base essential for german war. Members who served with air command far east raf changi. Bases of bomber command then and now after the battle.
Northeast air command air force historical research. Raf high wycombe acts as the liaison between the raf and united states visiting forces. Bomber command books is a community site from mention the war publications, a. An raf bomber command squadron commander was a wing commander, and in path finder force pff, where ranks were one higher than regular bomber command, a group captain. Campaigns, units and stations, 19501953 the united states air force in korea. Eto area, april 1944 to june 1944 010375 losses of the us 8th and 9th air forces volume five, eto area october 1944 december 1944. Raf bomber command was authorized to attack german targets east of the rhine on. Raf rank structure varied according to the branch of the command. Bomber command books is the sales site for mention the war ltd.
Raf bomber commands offensive against the cities of germany was one of the epic campaigns of the second world war. Sixty years ago over 100 aerodromes in east and northeastern england were occupied by the men and machines of raf bomber command. It also supports the joint ground based air defence, and joint force air component commander. World war ii armed forces orders of battle and organizations. The far east air forces fifth air force was the command and control organization for usaf forces engaged in combat. Americans in bomber command americans in bomber command author. Memories of bomber command are unusual in being both complex and volatile. Fighter and troop carrier wings from tactical air command and federalized air national guard units from the united states deployed to the far east and reinforced feaf units engaged in combat. The far east air force feaf was the military aviation organization of the united states army in the philippines just prior to and at the beginning of world war ii.
Its centrepiece is a 9ft bronze sculpture depicting a sevenman bomber crew returning from a mission. Bomber commands air offensive against the cities of nazi germany was one of the most epic campaigns of world war ii. The author provides a masterly survey of this key part of the air war, including areas that are nearly always overlooked. For richard overy, whose first book on the subject appeared in 1980, the. In 1946, this was renamed raf air command far east, and finally far east air force in june 1949. The commands headquarters was in rostovondon, and it was responsible for the air defence of the north caucasus military district and the volgaurals military district. Bomber command books from mention the war publications. More than 56,000 british and commonwealth aircrew and 600,000 germans died in the course of the rafs attempt to win the war by bombing. Ethell, whose nickname in the air was fighter writer, was the author of fiftynine books and more than one thousand magazine articles, many dealing with world war ii aviation. Far east air forces combat cargo command, provisional. The history of 514 squadron raf 514 squadron served in the rafs no. From the opening day of the second world war, raf bomber command took the offensive to the enemy and played a leading role in the liberation of europe.
You may find what you are looking for in raf operations record books and. This book contains a full quotation of the two paragraphs quoted here, and. This is the gutwrenching, scaredashell story of collegeage kids who flew b25 straferbombers. Interior of the operations room at bomber command headquarters. Raf bomber command with hq at high wycombe was responsible for most light and medium, and all heavy, bomber units. Viii bomber command, after redesignation as eighth air force, was assigned viii fighter and viii air support commands under its command.
The world war ii record of the 345th bomb group, air apaches, fifth air force, typifies the finest tradition of the united states air force. Its a cool, colorful compendium certain to motivate your modeling muse. Bomber command books is a community site from mention the war publications, a specialist in publishing and selling. Our growing list of titles focuses on the aircraft, squadrons and above all the men and women who shaped the legend that endures to this day. In addition to the lonely battles fought by bomber command crews in the night skies over germany from february 1942 to may 1945 there was an equally intense if much less bloody struggle in the halls of power between the air staff and the aoc bomber command, concerning the best employment of the strategic bomber forces. On page 364 of the bomber command war diaries by martin middlebrook and chris everitt is a photograph of various nationalities at a bomber command station in the north of england. Buy bases of bomber command then and now first edition by freeman, roger a. Far east air forces materiel command later, far east air logistics force.
Crews came from across the globe from the uk, canada, australia, new zealand and all corners of the commonwealth, as well as. We specialise in publishing and selling books about raf bomber command in the second world war and related topics. This book is actually a combination of two previous books by the same authors. The middle east command was a british army command established prior to the second world war in egypt.
Those books were bomber command and fighter command. British, colonial, and dominion air forces order of battle. Royal air force combat reports 19391945 the national archives. The bases and wings were then grouped by the original purpose of air divisions was to provide a higher authority when two or more wings shared a base. This reflects the number of men in the unit and the various levels of responsibility.
The tenure of the majority of the bases was brief some six years but during that time more than 55,000 men lost their lives while flying from them to. Members who served with air command far east forces reunited. Formed on 16 november 1941, feaf was the predecessor of the fifth air force of the united states army air forces and the united states air force initially the far east air force also included aircraft and personnel of the. Most who flew were very young, the great majority still in their late teens. Its primary role was to command british land forces and coordinate with the relevant naval and air commands to defend british interests in the middle east and eastern mediterranean region.
The raf benevolent fund is proud and privileged to be the official guardian of the bomber command memorial, which stands as a fitting tribute to the 55,573 bomber command crew who lost their lives in the second world war. British, colonial, and dominion air forces with thanks to robert michel. From 1942 onward, the british bombing campaign against germany became less restrictive and increasingly targeted industrial sites and the civilian manpower base essential for german war production. The 4th air and air defence forces command was a formation of the russian air force.
The bomber command memorial in londons green park remembers the sacrifice and bravery of the 55,573 raf crew who lost their lives in the conflict. Raf bomber command y reports archive luftwaffe and. The raf split into bomber, fighter, coastal and training commands. Your help is needed royal air force journal, september 1944 warrant officer ewan brookings logbook 1 sqn seac 100,000 airmen accounted for. Bomber command memorial royal air force benevolent fund. Pacific air forces usaf air force historical research. When the northeast air command discontinued in 1957, its subordinate components were reassigned, most going to air defense command and strategic air command. American heavy bomber groups in england 194245 010373 losses of the us 8th and 9th air forces vol 3. Included are intercom recordings from 1943 made during raf raids on kleve, essen, stettin and berlin, debriefings, eyewitness accounts and news correspondent reports.
The air ministrys account of bomber commands offensive against the axis september 1939 june 1941 size. Don charlwoods and miles tripps books caused sensations when they were first published, giving a personal and very direct view of what life was like in bomber command at different times in the war. I know that late war forms y for 466 squadron are preserved at the australian war memorial in australia, and researcher richard koval has found a small amount of forms y for a few rcaf squadrons at the library and archives canada. Sixty years ago over 100 aerodromes in east and northeastern england were. Welcome to forces reunited the place where you can find information and friends from air command far east raf changi we are the largest and fastest growing community of uk forces veterans on the web with over 500,000 members.
Bomber command books from mention the war publications, merthyr tydfil. Upon publication, bomber command, winner of the somerset maugham prize, attracted controversy but today is widely considered a classic account of one of the longest and bloodiest campaigns of world war ii. Far east air force united states military wiki fandom. Usaf units and aircraft of the korean war wikipedia. Sources used by us in compiling archive reports include. Three years in the making, this cd features 75 minutes of rare historical material recorded both in the air and on the ground during wwii. The selling point of these books is not a historical rundown of events of each theater of aerial combat. Raf bomber command 151 lancasters attacked an oil plant. Along with the united states army air forces, it played the central role in the. I read it in preparation for an upcoming trip to lincolnshire, where there is a museum on bomber command. It hosts and supports hq air command, several groups, and the european air group. This work, in hastingss characteristic prose, profiles the harrowing experiences of bomber commands aircrew from 193945, the entire length of the air war of europe.
Raf high wycombe in buckinghamshire is a major administrative support station. Defence of the realm 1936 1945 011406 we wage war by night. Buy bomber command pan military classics main market by max hastings isbn. The resources were divided between numbered air forces. Along with the united states army air forces, it played the central role in the strategic bombing of germany in world war ii. The u s air force in korea air force historical support. Royal air force wwii bomber command related discussion forum. Raf bomber command controlled the rafs bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. It was originally formed as air command, south east asia in 1943 during the second world war.
Raf distinguished service order dso awards citation database did you buy this spitfire photo on ebay. Books books are reproduced in their entirety here, with each one occupying half of this volume. Apart from the obvious interest to aviation historians, many people researching family history find these books invaluable, as so many families had someone in an raf bomber squadron, who failed to. A chronology, 19501953 for additional afhso books on this topic, see the afhso title listing page. Bomber command airfields of lincolnshire east anglia.
Royal air force logistics since 1918 011264 the royal air force day by day 1918 to 2018 011266 raf fighter command. Yates book came out somewhat later, but was, and is, remarkable for a first book written at the age of 77. Hi bruce, the simple answer, unfortunately, is that very few survive. After the fall of france, only raf bomber command had the ability to carry the war to the enemy. The royal air force, formed on april 1st 1918 from the royal flying corps and royal naval air service, was split into several main parts. Early attacks on germany met with heavy losses but under the leadership of sir arthur harris, bomber command grew into an enormous force, capable of launching bomber raids. It was formed on 1 december 2009 from the amalgamation of the 4th air and air defence forces army and 5th air and air defence forces army. Hastings has a particular skill at weaving together the different aspects of a war such that one can see both the broad max hastings is arguably the top british war historian working today. After a short period of operations from raf foulsham, the squadron transferred to its permanent home at raf waterbeach, cambridgeshire, in december 1943, some aircraft travelling from the old base to the new via a raid on berlin. On june 1, 1948, when air transport command inactivated, it became a directly assigned component of military air transport service, then in october 1950 it became a major command. Bomber command memorial welcome to the bomber command memorial website. Formed on 16 november 1941, feaf was the predecessor of the fifth air force of the united states army air forces and united states air force initially feaf also included aircraft and personnel of the philippine army air corps. In 1939 there were 6 groups in bomber command, 5 no 2 gp to no 6 gp the united kingdom and a sixth advanced air striking force aasf in france. Raf bomber command lancasters operation manna day 2 lei.
567 453 665 211 520 196 40 1296 548 1377 268 140 1187 552 988 733 265 224 1391 1563 568 323 1459 1018 1146 1004 71 229 1053 511 782 281 726 918 1224 1317