The Panzer IV programme was started in
1934, forming, alongside the Panzer IIs and IIIs, the force that
was to become the Panzerwaffe. At first, German planners
envisioned the tank in a secondary role, but during the
invasions of The Low Countries and France, it took on a more
central role. When the Panzerwaffe turned east to attack the
Soviet Union, the Panzer IV initially fared poorly against the
better-armed T-34. However, upgrades to its gun and armour
protection saw it perform far better, and also against British
and American tanks in North Africa and Italy. In 1944, it was
slowly replaced by the Panzer V Panther, but the dire strategic
situation meant that it bore the brunt of the Allied D-Day
invasion, remaining in service until the end of the war.
New
in d/w - 304pp, c500 b/w photos & tables
Osprey, 2021 ISBN 9781472829689
OSPREY AVIATION ELITE
UNITS 6: JAGDGESCHWADER 54 'GRUNHERZ'
by John Weal
One of the
most successful of the high-scoring Luftwaffe units of World
War 2, JG 54 ‘Grunherz' (Green Hearts) was formed from three
disparate fighter Gruppen immediately prior to the Battle of
Britain. Having enjoyed immediate success over the Channel
and South-east England during the summer of 1940, the unit
was transferred to the Eastern Front in the spring of 1941
in preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the
Soviet Union. JG 54 would remain a Jagdwaffe stalwart in the
east, flying firstly Bf 109Fs and then the Fw 190. By war's
end, the Geschwader's pilots had claimed over 9500 kills,
and produced over 100 aces. Men like Hans Philipp, Walter
Nowotny and Otto Kittel are profiled in this volume.
New in card cover
- A4 format, 128pp, 13 colour plates, numerous b/w
photos
OSPREY AIRCRAFT OF THE
ACES 59:
ISRAELI MIRAGE AND NESHER ACES
by
Shlomo Aloni. Illustrated by Mark Styling
Israeli delta fighters pilots
have been credited with almost 300 kills between 1966 and
1974, and dozens of them became aces. The Israeli aerial
kill rate and overall air-to-air performance was phenomenal.
Although the Israeli aircraft were Mach 2 fighters, they
lacked any modern radar equipment and their MiG-21 opponents
should have had a performance edge over them. This book
details their most signifcant engagements, many of which
were essentially World War 2 style dogfights fought with jet
aircraft. Because neither side had the combat edge to
disengage at will most engagements were a life and death
struggle. The introduction of air-to-air missiles and the
Israeli Nesher was to prove decisive in the various combat
theatres.
New
in card cover - A4 format, 96pp, 15 colour plates,
numerous b/w photos
OSPREY COMBAT AIRCRAFT 114:
AD SKYRAIDER UNITS OF THE KOREAN WAR
by Richard R. Burgess & Warren E. Thompson
The Douglas AD Skyraider is
considered the most effective naval aircraft of the Korean
War despite the emergence of new jet fighters that captured
public imagination. Built to replace the World War 2
workhorses like the Dauntless, Helldiver and Avenger dive
and torpedo-bombers, the Skyraider operated numerous combat
missions from carrier decks and from US Marine Corps land
bases throughout the conflict. Drawing from personal
interviews with Skyraider pilots, the authors paint a
harrowing picture of the deadly combat of this often
forgotten air war as pilots took on Chinese and North Korean
forces during daring night and daytime attacks. With
illustrations by Jim Laurier.
New in card cover
- A4 format, 96pp, numerous colour & b/w photos, 10 colour
plates
OSPREY AIRCRAFT OF
THE ACES 82:
SOVIET MIG-15 ACES OF THE KOREAN WAR
by Leonid Krylov. Illustrated by Yuriy Tepsurkaev
In 1950 Soviet Air Force regiments
were sent to train pilots of the People's Republic of China
Air Force. China's involvement in the Korean War inevitably
drew Soviet pilots into the war, with a total of 52 Soviet
pilots scoring five or more victories there. The history of
these covert actions has been a long-buried secret and this
book is the first English publication to detail the only
instance when the Cold War became 'hot'. Illustrated with
previously unpublished photographs and detailed full colour
profiles, this is a unique study on an often-forgotten
aspect of the conflict.
New in card cover
- A4 format, 96pp, 9 colour plates, numerous b/w photos, 7
illustrations
