Air Wars IHRA

09/12/2022

Last Chance For Holiday Shipping! 📦
https://us4.campaign-archive.com/?u=9384363ef8dd2c671e883ad00&id=d51897516f

03/12/2022

Ken’s Men Against the Empire, Volume II
The Illustrated History of the 43rd Bombardment Group During World War II, October 1943 to 1945 The B-24 Era
https://irandpcorp.com/products/43bg2/
“…exhaustively researched chronology with aircrew’s memories and a wealth of photographs tell an epic tale.”
–Aviation History Magazine

25/11/2022

Harvest of the Grim Reapers, Volume I: 3rd and 27th Bomb Groups During World War II, Prewar to December 1942
https://irandpcorp.com/products/3bg1/
"Harvest tells a powerful story that is well worth reading.”
–Air & Space Power History, Winter 2022

19/11/2022

Warpath Across The Pacific: The Illustrated History of the 345th Bombardment Group During World War II
https://irandpcorp.com/products/345bg/
“Only once in many decades does a book of this quality and impact appear…” –Jeff Ethell, Warbirds Magazine

19/11/2022

Ken’s Men Against The Empire: The Illustrated History of the 43rd Bombardment Group During World War II Volume I: The B-17 Era
https://irandpcorp.com/products/43bg1/
“5 Stars: This book is a magnificent hardbound volume..." –Air Classics Magazine

12/11/2022

Rampage of the Roarin' 20's: 312th Bomb Group
https://irandpcorp.com/products/312bg/
"...stunning detail and incredible photos of A-20 Havocs in action.” –FlyPast Magazine
$15 off coupon "AirApaches" until November 15th!

29/10/2022

Pacific Wrecks now distributes “Eagles Over The Pacific” books 📚

“Each volume is a comprehensive World War II bombardment group history, lavishly illustrated wartime photography, color profiles and artwork. We are honored to make them available to new audiences.”– Justin Taylan, Pacific Wrecks.com

09/05/2022

On May 8, 1943 took off from 7-Mile Drome piloted by Captain Robert N. Keatts on a armed reconnaissance mission to Madang and Saidor rammed by Ki-43 Oscar.

06/05/2022

The following excerpt comes from Warpath Across the Pacific. At this point in the story, the 345th Bomb Group is attacking Vunapope, located near Rabaul, on October 18, 1943. "While the other squadrons were attacking the airfield, the six planes of the 500th swept wide and raced across the tree tops of a vast coconut plantation towards the supply dumps and docks along the bay just west of the airfield....

https://airwarworldwar2.wordpress.com/2022/05/06/the-500th-squadron-attacks-vunapope/

The following excerpt comes from Warpath Across the Pacific. At this point in the story, the 345th Bomb Group is attacking Vunapope, located near Rabaul, on October 18, 1943. “While the other…

29/04/2022

As the anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea draws near, we decided it was time to revisit our 2017 post on the subject and how it impacted the 3rd Bomb Group. As of May 1942, the Japanese expansion of territory in the Pacific had nearly reached its peak. The biggest danger was in the south: the last significant Allied base on New Guinea, Port Moresby, was under continual air assault and vulnerable to a sea-borne invasion force....

https://airwarworldwar2.wordpress.com/2022/04/29/repost-preparing-for-the-battle-of-the-coral-sea/

As the anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea draws near, we decided it was time to revisit our 2017 post on the subject and how it impacted the 3rd Bomb Group. As of May 1942, the Japanese exp…

21/04/2022

Take a look inside the A-20 cockpit

Douglas A-20 requested by Erik Bajalinov. Enjoy

18/04/2022

80 years ago today, the U.S. retaliated against Japan for the attack on Pearl Harbor with a strike against Tokyo. 16 B-25s launched from the USS Hornet and bombed the greater Tokyo area in what would be coined the Doolittle Raid, as it was led by Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle.

Pictured is Panchito, one of the B-25s that participated in the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Doolittle Raid at EAA AirVenture 2017. 📸 Connor Madison

18/04/2022

World War II Allied and Japanese aircraft that served in the Pacific War.

15/04/2022

Tomorrow marks 78 years since Fifth Air Force crews were caught on the wrong side of a front as they tried to get home from attacking Hollandia. First published in 2010, the following story is a repost of the first in a four part series on the 312th Bomb Group's experience on April 16, 1944. --- The 312th was back to attacking Hollandia with bombers from the rest of Fifth Air Force: B-24s from the 22nd, 43rd and 90th Bomb Groups, B-25s from the 38th and 345th, and A-20s from the 312th, 3rd and 417th (a new bomber unit)....

https://airwarworldwar2.wordpress.com/2022/04/15/repost-black-sunday-part-1/

Tomorrow marks 78 years since Fifth Air Force crews were caught on the wrong side of a front as they tried to get home from attacking Hollandia. First published in 2010, the following story is a re…

12/04/2022

The exciting finale of our series on the Royce Raid http://airwarworldwar2.wordpress.com/2014/05/08/the-royce-raid-the-3rd-bomb-group-wins-its-spurs/

The morning of April 12th brought a raid by the 3rd Bomb Group on Davao, located on the southeast coast of Mindanao. This base became a primary target for the 3rd Bomb Group’s raids, as it ha…

12/04/2022

Part two of our series on the 1942 Royce Raid http://airwarworldwar2.wordpress.com/2014/05/02/the-royce-raid-journey-to-del-monte/

After they heard the news of the surrender of Bataan, the 3rd Bomb Group was told the details of their secret mission. They would be staging out of Del Monte, Mindanao, over 3000 miles away from th…

06/04/2022

in 1942...
https://airwarworldwar2.wordpress.com/2014/04/22/the-3rd-bomb-groups-combat-debut-prelude-to-the-royce-raid/

By April 1942, the 3rd Bomb Group was about two weeks into training on the B-25. This training was suddenly put to the test when an order came through for any operational 3rd Bomb Group B-25s to fl…

01/04/2022

In early April 1943, the 43rd Bomb Group was repeatedly sent on missions to keep an eye on the Japanese base 150 miles northwest of Rabaul at Kavieng, New Ireland. On April 2nd, no shipping activity was observed, but Australian Coastwatchers reported seeing somewhere between 10 and 12 ships around the harbor area. Just in case the Japanese were planning a convoy mission, eight B-17s from the 64th Squadron were loaded up and sent out to disrupt those plans in the wee hours of April 3rd....

https://airwarworldwar2.wordpress.com/2022/04/01/skip-bombing-the-aoba/

In early April 1943, the 43rd Bomb Group was repeatedly sent on missions to keep an eye on the Japanese base 150 miles northwest of Rabaul at Kavieng, New Ireland. On April 2nd, no shipping activit…

25/03/2022

This illustration was originally commissioned from Jack Fellows for a smaller book that would have focused specifically on the Battle of the Bismarck Sea. Unfortunately, we did not have the manpower to pursue this project, and the color section of Ken's Men Against the Empire, Volume 1, where it would have fit thematically, did not have any spare room for a fourth painting....

https://airwarworldwar2.wordpress.com/2022/03/25/art-from-the-archives/

This illustration was originally commissioned from Jack Fellows for a smaller book that would have focused specifically on the Battle of the Bismarck Sea. Unfortunately, we did not have the manpowe…

16/03/2022

On March 15, 1943 took off from 7-Mile Drome piloted by 1st Lt. Arthur L. McMullan on a mission over Wewak, returning ditched March 16, 1943 at 2:37am.

04/03/2022

On October 28, 1942, 89th Squadron CO Maj. Donald P. Hall made the following entry to his diary: “Capt. Ed Larner, a classmate of mine has just come over from the states. Ed and I used to fish a lot while we were at Barksdale Field . He and 12 other are joining my Squadron. We flew to Port Moresby today. ...

https://airwarworldwar2.wordpress.com/2022/03/04/pilot-spotlight-edward-l-larner-makes-history/

On October 28, 1942, 89th Squadron CO Maj. Donald P. Hall made the following entry to his diary: “Capt. Ed Larner, a classmate of mine has just come over from the states. Ed and I used to fish a lo…

25/02/2022

This aircraft was assigned to the 19th Bomb Group and was flying with the 435th Reconnaissance Squadron by the second week of July 1942. Transferred to the 403rd Bomb Squadron, 43rd Bomb Group on November 9, 1943, its first two flights with the 403rd were courier missions piloted by 1/Lt. Robert B. Irwin. It is unknown to what extent this aircraft was flown in combat by the 403rd....

https://airwarworldwar2.wordpress.com/2022/02/25/profile-history-gypsy-rose/

This aircraft was assigned to the 19th Bomb Group and was flying with the 435th Reconnaissance Squadron by the second week of July 1942. Transferred to the 403rd Bomb Squadron, 43rd Bomb Group on N…

21/02/2022

Read the story in the first volume of Ken's Men Against the Empire https://irandpcorp.com/products/43bg1/

(Standing left to right) Jose Holguin, Hal Winfrey, Charles Trimingham and Frank Peattie.

08/02/2022

The origin story about how the strafer came into being.

https://airwarworldwar2.wordpress.com/2022/02/08/pappy-gunn-and-the-a-20-strafer/

“Build a fire under anybody that can do us any good in getting the planes put together and sent up here…If you can catch any A-20’s coming up from the South marking time in Brisbane kick them [the …

31/01/2022

"Harvest of the Grim Reapers is unsurpassed when it comes to providing a thorough, engaging history of the 3rd Bombardment Group and the ill-fated, short-lived 27th Bombardment Group. And the authors never allow readers to forget that every mission, every victory, and every loss involved young airmen far from home. This is a terrific book with a huge amount of appeal for anyone interested in the air war in the Pacific." Read the entire review of our new book here: http://books.stonebooks.com/reviews/220130/

12/01/2022

We are excited to announce the release of Harvest of the Grim Reapers, Volume I. The books arrived earlier this week and we are now working on shipping out all of the preorders. If you haven’t ordered your copy yet, now is a great time to do it! We hope you enjoy the latest installment in the Eagles Over the Pacific series. Now shipping: Harvest of the Grim Reapers, Volume I.

https://airwarworldwar2.wordpress.com/2022/01/12/the-new-book-has-arrived/

We are excited to announce the release of Harvest of the Grim Reapers, Volume I. The books arrived earlier this week and we are now working on shipping out all of the preorders. If you haven’t orde…

06/01/2022

On January 5, 1943 took off piloted by Captain Jean A. Jack on a bombing mission against Rabaul and was damaged by fighters then force landed off Urasi Island with the entire crew rescued the next day.

27/12/2021

If you've ever wondered what the view was like from inside the ball turret, check this out.

The 360° view seen here is the Ball Turrett of the famed B-17F Memphis Belle which became the first heavy bomber to return to the US after flying 25 missions over Europe. The Memphis Belle, which had been on loan from the Air Force to the city of Memphis, was relocated to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in 2005, and after years of meticulous restoration, it was placed on public display in May 2018.

Support the Cockpit360 Project by sharing the Memphis Belle’s ball turret with a friend!

17/12/2021

P.R. from the Pacific Theater

A thread ⬇️

https://airwarworldwar2.wordpress.com/2021/12/17/p-r-from-the-pacific-theater/

As the fight against the Japanese continued in the Pacific Theater, military commanders kept asking U.S. government officials for one vital thing to keep them going: more resources. Due to the “Eur…