Aces of the Mighty Eighth

This book combines Aircraft of the Aces 1: ‘Mustang Aces of the Eighth Air Force’, Aircraft of the Aces 19: ‘P-38 Lighting Aces of the ETO/MTO’ and Aircraft of the Aces 24: ‘P-47 Thunderbolt Aces of the Eighth Air Force’. The three most distinguished and best known US fighter aircraft of World War II were undoubtedly the P-38, the P-51 and the P-47. This book assesses the relative strengths and weaknesses of each legendary aircraft, and uncovers the personalities and achievements of their greatest 'ace' pilots. The daylight raids on the Third Reich, when P-51 pilots went head to head with the cream of the Luftwaffe; the less-celebrated yet equally outstanding exploits of the P-38 over Germany's heartland, and the evolving combat tactics that enabled the heavy P-47 to hold its own against more nimble German opponents are all detailed in this volume.