Fifteenth Air Force Against the Axis

Kevin A. Mahoney

doi:10.5771/9780810884953

Summary

In Fifteenth Air Force against the Axis: Combat Missions over Europe during World War II, historian Kevin A. Mahoney provides a detailed combat history of the crucial role played by this air force from November 1943 through May 1945. Presented by month in chronological order, Mahoney describes all the major bombing and fighter missions carried out by this air force within a strategic context. Each chapter includes an introduction describing developments in the evolution of the strategic air campaign against the Germans, highlights the purpose and importance of the month’s operations, and reviews the Luftwaffe’s resistance and changes in tactics and important developments in the Fifteenth Air Force’s organization.

Each monthly narrative further explores most missions, detailing the number of aircraft lost during these missions. Losses are based on an exhaustively researched database compiled by Mahoney that contains details of almost 3,000 aircraft. Target damage is mentioned, while enemy opposition is also described for each mission. Appendices include four short essays on bombing operations (planning and flying of missions, tactics and techniques, bomb types, and bombing accuracy), tactics employed by fighter escort in aerial combat and strafing, combat crews and their aircraft (including a comparison of American fighters and bombers, the training of the crews, and their combat tours), and the Fifteenth Air Force command structure (including the use of intelligence, photo and weather reconnaissance, and the considerable effect of weather on Fifteenth Air Force operations). This work of military history is ideal for students and scholars of the air war in Europe.

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Bibliographic data

Copyright year: 2013
ISBN-Print: 978-0-8108-8494-6
ISBN-Online: 978-0-8108-8495-3
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham
Language: English
Pages: 486
Product type: Book Titles

1. Contents No access
2. Preface No access
3. Abbreviations No access
4. Notes on Sources and Statistics Used in Mission Descriptions No access
Chapter 1: Creation of the Fifteenth Air Force No access Pages 1 - 4
Chapter 2: November 1943 No access Pages 5 - 18
Chapter 3: December 1943 No access Pages 19 - 32
Chapter 4: January 1944 No access Pages 33 - 52
Chapter 5: February 1944 No access Pages 53 - 66
Chapter 6: March 1944 No access Pages 67 - 80
Chapter 7: April 1944 No access Pages 81 - 102
Chapter 8: May 1944 No access Pages 103 - 132
Chapter 9: June 1944 No access Pages 133 - 162
Chapter 10: July 1944 No access Pages 163 - L
Chapter 11: August 1944 No access Pages 195 - 222
Chapter 12: September 1944 No access Pages 223 - 244
Chapter 13: October 1944 No access Pages 245 - 264
Chapter 14: November 1944 No access Pages 265 - 286
Chapter 15: December 1944 No access Pages 287 - 310
Chapter 16: January 1945 No access Pages 311 - 320
Chapter 17: February 1945 No access Pages 321 - 346
Chapter 18: March 1945 No access Pages 347 - 374
Chapter 19: April–May 1945 No access Pages 375 - 400
Chapter 20: Summing Up No access Pages 401 - 406
Appendix 1: Command Structure, Intelligence, Photo Reconnaissance, and Weather No access Pages 407 - 410
Appendix 2: Bomber Operations No access Pages 411 - 416
Appendix 3: Fighter Operations No access Pages 417 - 420
Appendix 4: Crews and Their Aircraft No access Pages 421 - 424
Glossary No access Pages 425 - 428
Chapter Source Notes No access Pages 429 - 446
Bibliography No access Pages 447 - 458
Index of Targets Bombed by the Fifteenth Air Force No access Pages 459 - 476
Chapter Introductions and Appendices Index No access Pages 477 - 484
About the Author No access Pages 485 - 486