Designed before the Mk. IX, but following it into service because its radical design changes would have meant production delays when time was of the essence, the Spitfire Mk. Vlll was in fact a non-pressurised version of the Mk. VII designed for low altitude combat (see SQUADRONS! No. 6). At the outset it was the designated successor to the Mk. V, the replacement of which was planned from 1943 onwards but when it became available the Mk. IX had recently entered service with Fighter Command and appeared to have a bright future. Therefore, the RAF decided to retain the Mk. VIII for overseas theatres – the Mediterranean, Far East and the Pacific – where the replacement of the Spitfire Mk. V had become a necessity. One fourth of the production will reach the Southwest Pacific, and this volume focuses on the usage made by the three RAAF squadrons, Nos. 79, 452 and 457. Close to seventy photographs (including three in colour) and eight colour profiles. The story of the British squadrons in the SWPac is told in SQUADRONS! No. 14.
Available as a paperback version as 979-1096490-08-0
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pdf, epub and Kindle versions are available with ISBN 979-1096490-09-7 (see below).
Turret equipped fighters became operational with the Royal Air Force during WW2 as the result of the British Government’s ongoing concern about German aerial attacks on the United Kingdom during World War One. The possibility of enemy bombers, and not just German ones, once again flying over the country and dropping their deadly load on British soil had troubled them ever since. In the 1930s a fighter fitted with a gun turret was considered to be an effective way of attacking bombers and would be a feasible alternative to conventional fighters. The result of this concept was the Defiant, which was developed to meet this operational requirement. After a promising start during the dark days of the Battle of France the Defiant was withdrawn from day operations, after having sustained heavy losses, during the Battle of Britain, the switched to the night fighter role until the spring of 1942. This publication of 80 pages is illustrated with 80 photographs and four colour profiles and included all the confirmed and probable claims made by Defiant crews between 1940 and 1942. All losses of Defiants used as fighters are also listed, squadron by squadron.
Revised 2018, updated Feb.2020, May 2022
Available as a paperback version as 979-1096490-06-6
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PDF version is available as 979-1096490-07-3.
(new PDF uploaded September 2023)
The Curtiss P-40 was the most numerous USAAF fighter on hand when the United States entered the war in December 1941. A development of the Curtiss P-36, the P-40 was essentially a P-36 equipped with an Allison inline V12 V-1710. The French were the first to express an interest in this model, known as the H-81, having already ordered the Curtiss H-75, the export version of the P-36. The Curtiss H-81 would later be purchased by the USAAC and the RAF as the Tomahawk. Curtiss continued to improve the breed and a new production model, the H-87, was soon available with a new version of the V-1710 that had a spur-gear reduction mechanism, raising the engine thrust-line. This caused the nose profile to be redesigned, hence the new Curtiss designation.
The RAF became interested in purchasing this version as the Kittyhawk for its squadrons fighting in the Western Desert and to replace the Tomahawk already in service. In all four Marks would be used by the RAF, the Mk II corresponding to the P-40F/L and would see service in only two squadrons, the Australian 3 Squadron and the British 260 Squadron and saw action for the first time shortly before the Battle of El Alamein. The full story of the Kittyhawk Mk II is here told in 38 pages illustrated with 40 photos and 6 colour profiles.
Profiles:
FL274/HS-V – 260 Sqn
FL308/CV-V – 3 Sqn RAAF
FS400/CV-Y – 3 Sqn RAAF
FS490/CV-V – 3 Sqn RAAF
FS452/5 – 239 Wing Training Flight
FL294/29 – CIC Meknes, French Air Force
Available as a paperback version as 979-1096490-04-2
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PDF version is available as 979-1096490-05-9 (see below)
(new PDF uploaded August 2023)
The Curtiss Hawk 75 was the export version of the USAAC Curtiss P-36 that became, from 1936 onwards, the standard American single-seat fighter and represented a big step forward for the USAAC. The French were the first to express interest in this fighter and ordered large quantities before and during the first months of WW2. When the French ask for an armistice, all of the contracts were taken over by the British and the balance of the Curtiss H-75 still to be delivered were shipped out to the UK where they became the Mohawk. The RAF also took charge of more Mohawks coming from various sources and in all over 200 Mohawks were included in the RAF inventory. Some were handed over to the SAAF where they served in East Africa, while most would be sent to the Far East where they served until the end of 1943. The full story of the Mohawk in the RAF and in the SAAF is here told in 50 pages illustrated with 55 photos and 7 colour profiles.
UPDATED October 2019, August 2023
Profiles:
BJ546/OQ-O – 5 Sqn
AR690/E – 5 Sqn
BS796/T – 5 Sqn
BB928 – 155 Sqn
AR674/H – 155 Sqn
BS790/WPB – 169 Wing
2540/G – 6 Sqn SAAF
Available as a paperback version as 979-1096490-00-4
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PDF available as 979-1096490-01-1
(new PDF uploaded August 2023)
The Mitchell was one of the major medium bombers of the Second World War. It was operated by many air forces during the war including the RAF. The RAF received about 900 Mitchells among them some Mitchells coming from a Dutch order which were exclusively used by No. 320 (Dutch) Squadron. The Mitchell was also used by two other foreign units in the RAF, the Polish 305 and the French 342. This book covers in 44 pages, about 30 photos and 7 colour profiles, the operational usage of the Mitchell by those three squadrons with the usual details on losses.
REVISED April 2019, November 2020
Available as a paperback version as 978-2918590-98-9
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PDF version is also available as 978-2918590-99-6
(new PDF uploaded, August 2023)
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies’ only operational jet aircraft during the Second World War. For the Meteor, the main issue was to find the right engines and the development of these took more time than initially planned and proved more complicated than originally thought but eventually the first Meteor F.Is were ready to enter service in the summer 1944. Their first action took place soon after in the hunt of the V-1 launched against England. Then the Meteor was deployed on the Continent in its F.III variant where it participated to the last stages of WW2 with the 2 TAF. This study covers the wartime era and stopps in September 1945. This book is illustred with 30 photos (5 in colours) and five colour profiles.
updated December 2018, revised December 2021
Available as a paperback version as 9782918590-94-1
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PDF version is also available as 9782918590-95-8 (see below)
(July 2023: revised PDF uploaded)
Designed before the Mk. IX, but following it into service because its radical design changes would have meant production delays when time was of the essence, the Spitfire Mk. Vlll was in fact a non-pressurised version of the Mk. VII designed for low altitude combat (see SQUADRONS! No. 6). At the outset it was the designated successor to the Mk. V, the replacement of which was planned from 1943 onwards but when it became available the Mk. IX had recently entered service with Fighter Command and appeared to have a bright future. Therefore, the RAF decided to retain the Mk. VIII for overseas theatres – the Mediterranean, Far East and the Pacific – where the replacement of the Spitfire Mk. V had become a necessity. One fourth of the production will reach the Southwest Pacific, and this volume focuses on the usage made by the three RAF squadrons, Nos. 54, 548 and 549. Over thirty photographs and six colour profiles.
Updated June 2019
Profiles:
A58-317/DL-V – 54 Sqn
A58-370/DL-W – 54 Sqn
A58-360/DL-R – 54 Sqn
A58-482/TS-V – 548 Sqn
A58-482/TS-M – 548 Sqn
A58-379/ZF-Z – 549 Sqn
Available as a paperback version as 9782918590-92-7
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PDF version is available as 9782918590-93-4.
(new PDF uploaded August 2023)
Even though the history of the Marauder is generally pretty well known, the history of the Marauder Mk.I has been overshadowed for many reasons, the main one being that only 71 Marauders received the designation of Marauder Mk.I. With so few aircraft only one unit could be equipped with this type and this was No. 14 Squadron in the Middle East. Manned by aggressive aircrew, coming from all the Dominions, the Marauder Mk.I was used for two years in the unexpected role of maritime reconnaissance. Sorties were normally flown by a single aircraft and the Marauder Mk.I recorded an impressive record against the Luftwaffe, showing that the aircraft was able to defend itself and was far from being an easy prey, but sustaining heavy losses with 25 aircraft lost on operations. It is a revised edition of Allied Wings #2 publised in 2008 with new photographs and new data added. Forry pages, over thirty photos and 5 colour profiles.
Paperback verions: ISBN 978-2918590-88-0
REVISED May 2019
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PDF is available as ISBN 978-2918590-89-7 (see below)
(new PDF uploaded August 2023)
The Spitfire XVI is one of the Spitfire mark to have been so far little covered in depth. It was actually a Mk. IX engined with an American built Packard engine but otherwise it was very familar to a IX. Used in the fighter-bomber role, from the UK with the Fighter Command or from the Continent with the 2 TAF, one of the main task given to the XVI would be the destruction of the V-2 sites located in Holland. This book gives the details of the operations carried out by the British squadrons, Nos. 66, 74, 127, 229, 602 and 603. (post-war usage added in the October version)
Paperback version: ISBN 978-2918590-86-6
Revised edition September 2018, updated October 2021, October 2024 (extended edition)
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PDF is also available (see below 978-2918590-87-3)
(revised PDF uploaded October 2024)
The North American P-51 is among the most famous fighters of WW2, and the P-51D probably the model the most known. The RAF became a late user of this model as Mustang IV, and they participated to the last weeks of the war over Italy and the Balkans in the fighter-bomber role, the Australian 3 Squadron and the South African 5 Squadron being among the major units which flew the Mustang IV with great success. With over 40 pages, over 40 photos and seven colour profiles, this volume with Squadrons! No. 10 – The Mustang IV in Western Europe – completes the history of the Mustang IV.
Revised August 2019, June 2021, March 2022, September 2024
Available in paperback version with ISBN 978-2918590-80-4
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A PDF version a with ISBN 978-2918590-81-1 is also available.
(new revised PDF uploaded September 2024)
