Böcker av Phil H Listemann

A detailed study of the operations of the Spitfire Mk.V in the Far East.Introduced in the Far East at the end of 1943, the Spitfire played a major role in the following months. With plenty of photographs and first hand material. Includes six colour profiles. Revised November 2015, November 2021.

A detailed study of the Republic Thunderbolt Mk.I, which was used exclusively by the RAF against the Japanese in the Far East in 1944-1945. With plenty of photographs and first hand material. Includes five colour profiles, printable as a poster.

The full history of the first Griffon engined Spitfire variant is told, squadron per squadron, with the list of all claims, losses. The success of this variant paved the way for the subsequent Griffon engined variants. With over 30 photos, and two printable colour profiles. It is an updated and revised edition of the Allied Wings No.1 published in 2008.

During WW2, the RAF, RAAF and the RCAF used numerous American built fighters. Some were used with success, but other not and this, for various reasons. This book is listing the types which were either rejected, either used in small numbers and the reasons why. This book gives the details of the career of the Airacobra in the RAF and the RAAF, the Airacomet, the Kingcobra, the Grumman Goblin in the RCAF, the Lockheed Lightning in the RAF and the RAAF, the Republic Lancer in the RAAF and the Vultee Vanguard. With 44 photos, including four in colour, and three colour profiles in 40 pages.

The North American P-51 is among the most famous fighters of WW2, and the P-51D probably the model the most known. The RAF became a late user of this model as Mustang IV, and they participated to the last weeks of the war over the continent in escorting the British bombers or over the sea escorting off the Norwegian or Danish coasts the Beaufighters or Morquitos of Coastal Command. With close to 40 pages, over 30 photos and five colour profiles.

The Spitfire XVI is one of the Spitfire mark to have been so far little covered in depth. It was actually a Mk. IX engined with an American built Packard engine but otherwise it was very familar to a IX. Used in the fighter-bomber role, from the UK with the Fighter Command or from the Continent with the 2 TAF, one of the main task given to the XVI would be the destruction of the V-2 sites located in Holland. This book gives the details of the operations carried out by the British squadrons, Nos. 66, 74, 127, 229, 602 and 603. This study doesn't continue beyond the summer 1945. Thirty photos and 5 colour profiles.

The Spitfire XIV was the logical development of the Spitfire Mk XII (see SQUADRONS! 5). The Mk.XIV differed from the Mk.XII in that the longer, two-stage supercharged Griffon 65 was mounted further forward. A new five-bladed Rotol propeller was used and was the most obvious visual difference compared to earlier marks. The first batch of aircraft to fly with the Griffon 60 series engines were six converted Mk.VIIIs . The first one of these was flown on 20 January 1943, with production ordered following a series of trials. The first aircraft left the production line in October 1943 following the amendment of existing Spitfire contracts. The XIV was initially seen as an interim design pending the Spitfire Mk.XVIII’s availability. Delays with the XVIII meant the XIV became one of the major Spitfire fighter variants and a valuable asset for the RAF during the final year of the war. The XIV was built as a fighter, but was also developed for fighter-reconnaissance (FR) to replace the effective, but ageing, Mustang in the Tac/R role. The mark remained in service with the RAF and various foreign air forces, including Belgium, well after the war. During the war only a limited number of squadrons were re-equipped with the type and among them, one Belgian squadron (350) and one Dutch squadron (322). This book covers the operational usage of the Spitfire XIV by those two units which were engaged against the V-1 and with the 2 TAF. This book is illustrated with about 35 photos and five colour profiles.

In March 1941 the Lend-Lease agreement was approved by Congress and this breathed new life into the Commonwealth war effort. The RAF was able to study new types and the Martin Marauder was chosen to serve in the Middle East. After a first batch of Marauder Mk Is (see SQUADRONS! 13), a batch of Marauder Mk IIs (B-26C) followed. If the Marauder Mk I was used for anti-shipping ops, the Marauder Mk II would be mainly used as a conventional medium bomber in 1944. Two South African squadrons, 12 and 24, became the major Marauder Mk II operators generating a close link between the SAAF and the type but also with Belgium as some Belgian aircrew served with 12 and 24 Squadrons SAAF in 1944. The operational usage of the Marauder Mk II is here fully described in about 30 pages. Six colour profiles are also included.

Paradoxically, the Mk.V, which ended up being the most numerous variant of the famous fighter built, was not even an intended development of the design. Indeed, it was only considered because of the abandonment of the Spitfire Mk.III. As the Luftwaffe was continually improving its formidable Messerschmitt Bf 109, the latest version of which, the Bf 109F, clearly outclassed the Spitfire Mk.II, the British had no other option but to rapidly find a successor to the latter. At this time, at the end of 1940, the British did not know what the Germans' were planning and expected them to carry on undertaking daylight raids upon the return of nicer weather. The RAF, therefore, wanted to be ready to counter the new German fighter developments. A solution was soon found by mounting a Merlin 45 (former Merlin III), a simplified version of the Merlin XX, on a slightly strengthened Spitfire Mk.I or Mk.II airframe. Several Spitfires were thus modified, with either a Merlin 45 or Merlin 46, during the first weeks of 1941. The resulting feedback was good and the Air Ministry requested that Supermarine modify, as early as possible, Spitfires already on the assembly lines so they could be put into service as rapidly as possible. This is how the Spitfire Mk.V came to be. In 1941, the Spitfire Mk V progressively became the backbone of the Fighter Command while new squadrons were formed that year. Some were called 'Gift' squadrons and named after a country, region or organisation that had donated sufficient funds to equip one or more units. Of these, two were connected to the City of Bombay: No. 122 and No. 132 and the book is made of 34 pages with about 30 photographs and five colour profiles.

The Douglas Boston or Havoc is one major aircraft of WW2. Designed as a light bomber, it proved to be very versatile and was used with success in various roles over all theatre of operations. The introduction of the Boston into the RAAF's inventory was a pure accident, being former Dutch aircraft. The usage was planned to be short but at the end, it lasted over two years and a half. Only one RAAF squadron, No 22, was equipped with the Boston, later completed with A-20s supplied directly by the US. The losses sustained by the 22 were high, but the Boston has the distinction of giving the he RAAF's only Victoria Cross recipient of the Pacific war, Flight Lieutenant W.E. Newton. Thirty pages, close to twenty-five photographs and three colour profiles illustrate this book. Updated January 2018.

The Hawker Hurricane was the first of the modern fighter types to begin re-equipping the RAF in the 1930s. As the RAF was undergoing a massive expansion in the mid-thirties, the Hurricane, which performed well during its trials, was soon ordered in large numbers. In June 1936, the first order was placed for 600 aircraft. In November 1938, just after the Munich Crisis, another order was placed for 1000. When war broke out almost 500 Hurricanes had been delivered to Fighter Command and that number had reached 2300 one year later. The Hurricane remained the backbone of the RAF's fighter force at least until 1942 in Europe, 1943 in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, and 1944 in the Far East, when more modern types were introduced or became more plentiful. It remained in frontline inventory in the Middle and Far East until the very last days of the war. Indeed, while the Hurricane as a pure fighter was easily obsolete by that time, it proved to be a fine fighter-bomber. The Hurricane was involved in most of the first combats against the Luftwaffe over France and then over Britain. The basic model was continually improved and the Mk.II appeared in 1941. Being an impressive aircraft at the end of the thirties, the Hurricane attracted interest from foreign countries and the Dominions. Before the war, and just after the war broke out, the Hurricane was exported including in Canada. This book focuses on the connection between the Hurricane and the Canadians which took various aspects in UK with No. 242 (Canadian) Squadron (up to July 1940), No. 1 Squadron RCAF during the Battle of Britain and after (later No. 401 Squadron) and No. 402 Squadron. The Canadians used also the Hurricane in the Middle East with No. 417 Squadron. The book relates also the little known usage of the Hurricane with the RCAF in Canada (Hurricane Mk X, XI and XII). Illustrated with close to 60 photos and 10 colour profiles.