Military History Encyclopedia Forum

Focke-Achgelis Fa 266 Hornisee (Hornet)

JohnRickardJR — Wed May 22, 2013 8:15 am

Author: JohnRickardJR

Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 8:15 am

The Focke-Achgelis Fa 266 Hornisee (Hornet) was the first genuine transport helicopter in the world, and was an enlarged version of the Focke-Wulf Fw 61/ Focke-Achgelis Fa 61. Soon after making its maiden tethered flight the Fa 266 was taken over by the Germany military and became the Fa 223 Drache.

Focke-Wulf Fw 61/ Focke-Achgelis Fa 61

JohnRickardJR — Wed May 22, 2013 8:14 am

Author: JohnRickardJR

Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 8:14 am

The Focke-Wulf Fw 61/ Focke-Achgelis Fa 61 was the first practical helicopter in the world, and was a twin-rotor machine that made quite an impact when it was flown through the Deutschlandhalle in February 1938.

Battle of the Eastern Solomons (24-25 August 1942)

JohnRickardJR — Tue May 21, 2013 12:02 pm

Author: JohnRickardJR

Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 12:02 pm

The battle of the Eastern Solomons (24-25 August 1942) was the second battle in the series of six naval actions linked to the fighting on Guadalcanal and was a carrier battle that ended as a minor American victory.

Battle of Savo Island (9 August 1942)

JohnRickardJR — Tue May 21, 2013 12:01 pm

Author: JohnRickardJR

Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 12:01 pm

The battle of Savo Island (9 August 1942) was a crushing Japanese victory in the waters just off Guadalcanal that saw them sink four Allied cruisers and helped to isolate the US Marines fighting on Guadalcanal.

French Cruisers 1922-1956, John Jordan & Jean Moulin.

JohnRickardJR — Fri May 17, 2013 5:46 am

Author: JohnRickardJR

Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 5:46 am

French Cruisers 1922-1956, John Jordan & Jean Moulin.

Split into technical and historical sections, so looks at the design of the cruisers class by class before turning to their peacetime and wartime experiences. The text is supported by very high quality accurately labelled plans of the ships and a good selection of photos. These were interesting ships, with some unusual features and that often had a very dramatic time during the Second World War.
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Adventurous Empires - The Story of the Short Empire Flying

JohnRickardJR — Fri May 17, 2013 5:45 am

Author: JohnRickardJR

Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 5:45 am

Adventurous Empires - The Story of the Short Empire Flying Boats, Phillip E. Sims.

A look at the history of the Short Empire Flying Boat, from the pioneering long-distance routes flow by Imperial Airways to their unglamorous but vital role as a long range passenger transport aircraft during the Second World War. An interesting account of the adventurous and rather more romantic early days of civil aviation, with a useful section of the wartime service of the Empire boats.
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Operation Goodtime - the invasion of the Treasury Islands

JohnRickardJR — Thu May 16, 2013 8:44 am

Author: JohnRickardJR

Posted: Thu May 16, 2013 8:44 am

Operation Goodtime - the invasion of the Treasury Islands (27 October 12 November 1943) - was a preliminary operation before the main invasion of Bougainville Island in the Solomon Islands.

Land battle of Vella Lavella (15 August-7 October 1943)

JohnRickardJR — Thu May 16, 2013 8:43 am

Author: JohnRickardJR

Posted: Thu May 16, 2013 8:43 am

The <a href="http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_vella_lavella_invasion.html">land battle of Vella Lavella (15 August-7 October 1943)</a> was one of the first examples of the leapfrogging strategy that carried the Americans across the vast distances of the Pacific.

No.4 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron, RNZAF

JohnRickardJR — Tue May 14, 2013 6:47 am

Author: JohnRickardJR

Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 6:47 am

No.4 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron, RNZAF, spent most of the Pacific war based on Fiji, from where it flew anti-submarine patrols. Late in 1944 it moved to Emirau where it spent two tours flying a mix of maritime patrols and bombing raids on the Japanese base at Rabaul.

No.3 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron, RNZAF

JohnRickardJR — Tue May 14, 2013 6:47 am

Author: JohnRickardJR

Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 6:47 am

No.3 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron, RNZAF, was one of the longest serving New Zealand squadrons of the Pacific War. It fought on Guadalcanal late in 1942, flew regular patrols in support of the fighting on New Georgia during 1943, took part in the Bougainville campaign during 1944 and the long campaign to isolate Rabaul in late 1944 and 1945.

Salamanca 1812 - Wellington's Year of Victories, Peter Edwar

JohnRickardJR — Mon May 13, 2013 6:56 am

Author: JohnRickardJR

Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 6:56 am

Salamanca 1812 - Wellington's Year of Victories, Peter Edwards.

A look at Wellington's campaigns of 1812, from the sieges of Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz to the triumph at Salamanca, the failure at Burgos and the retreat back to Portugal at the end of a year that saw the French permanently forced out of large parts of Spain. A good account of this campaign, copiously illustrated with carefully used eyewitness accounts.
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Hornet's Sting, Derek Robinson.

JohnRickardJR — Mon May 13, 2013 6:55 am

Author: JohnRickardJR

Posted: Mon May 13, 2013 6:55 am

Hornet's Sting, Derek Robinson.

Second in the author's RFC Quartet, following a fictional RFC squadron during the harsh fighting of 1917. Characters come and go with brutal frequency, while on the ground the Third Battle of Ypres turns into the muddy fiasco of Passchendaele. The focus of the story is Hornet Squadron itself, and the desperate battles forced upon it by the RFC's policy of offensive flying. The result is a harsh but compelling look at life in the RFC during one of its hardest moments.
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No.2 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron, RNZAF

JohnRickardJR — Fri May 10, 2013 7:04 pm

Author: JohnRickardJR

Posted: Fri May 10, 2013 7:04 pm

No.2 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron, RNZAF, flew maritime patrols from Munda during 1944 and took part in the campaign against Rabaul during 1945, flying a mix of reconnaissance missions and bombing raids.

No.1 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron, RNZAF

JohnRickardJR — Fri May 10, 2013 7:04 pm

Author: JohnRickardJR

Posted: Fri May 10, 2013 7:04 pm

No.1 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron, RNZAF, flew a mix of maritime reconnaissance and bombing missions from bases on Guadalcanal, New Georgia, Green Island and Emirau, searching for submarines and attacking the Japanese bases on Bougainville and at Rabaul and Kavieng.

Crisis in the Pacific - The Battles for the Philippine Islan

JohnRickardJR — Tue May 07, 2013 7:38 am

Author: JohnRickardJR

Posted: Tue May 07, 2013 7:38 am

Crisis in the Pacific - The Battles for the Philippine Islands by the Men Who Fought Them, Gerald Astor.

An excellent account of the Second World War in the Philippines, from the pre-war American colony to the disasters of 1941-42, the long struggle of the resistance to MacArthur's eventual return and the costly battles that followed. The excellent text is based around first hand accounts of the fighting from the American point of view, both military and civilian.
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