4th FG book

[Joe Redmond]

I am looking for a good book that is currently in print and available on the 4th Fighter Group. Specifically I am interested in the 1943 to 1944 time period. Good text and lots of photos of aircraft with markings is a plus. I have "Debden Warbirds" by Frank Speer which has good day-to-day text but most of the photos are close ups of the pilots. Can anyone recommend a good one?

Thanks

Bluey

[Juha]

Hello, in Fry´s and Ethel’s history of the4th Fighter Group, Escort to Berlin there are some photos, few of them in colour, on planes. The text is day-to-day chronology. I can give a better count on photos tonight when I get to home if You are interested in.

HTH
Juha

[nick de carteret]

The essential books on the Fourth if you can get hold of them are as follows:

1. 1000 Destroyed - Grover Hall

2. Tumult In the Clouds - Jim Goodson

3. The Look Of Eagles - John Godfrey (probably the best pilot autobiography ever written) but very hard to find...try ABE books on the net.

4. Kidd Hofer : The Last Of The Screwball Aces - Troy White

With these four, you will have everything you want to know about the 4th FG and photos to satisfy much of what you are looking for. Drop in 'Escort to Berlin' and you pretty much have it covered.

[Fairlop]

Yes, there are fourteen booksellers on the Abebooks what have „The Look Of Eagles“ by Godfrey. The price is from 15 to 200 (!) USD.

Michal

[Ruy Horta]

The paperbacks are cheap, the original hardcovers start at US $150,-

It all depends on what you are after!

[John Beaman]

1000 Destroyed will give you a great overview of the 4th, according to their own image. A little ancedotal, as the author was press agent for the group, but it gives a great flavor to the pilots and the spirit of the unit.

Escort To Berlin is essential as it gives lots of details and photos. While the Kid Hoffer book is useful, its more about him than the group.

[nick de carteret]

I forgot that there is a paperback edition of the Godfrey book - the hardback as Ruy has said is hard to find and usually very expensive but definitely worth the trouble if you have a specific interest in the Fourth and want a good copy for your library.

[Joe Redmond]

Thanks to everyone for responding to my question. I will have a look to see what is currently available and within reason price wise.

Cheers,

Bluey

[Dick Powers]

If you are interested in aircraft and merkings, then "THE WARLORDS VOLUME 1: The 4th, 20th & 55th Fighter Groups " by Barry and Ann Moneymight be worth a look. A fairly recent paparbac, supposedly the first in a series. it attempts to document EVERY known aircraft of the Eighth AF fighter groups. EAch aircraft is presented in a 1/72 profile with separate views of the markings where appropriate. Althought the profiiles are "posterized" and the artwork is highly pixallated, it book in an interesting browse.

[drgondog]

I would recommend Ethell/Fry Escort to Berlin as number one on your list...

"1000 Destroyed" by Hall is decent but many more factual errors - for example, Hall claims that the Green pick up of Pierce Mckinnon on 18 March 1945 was first Mustang "Piggyback Recue'. In fact Royce Priest rescued my father Bert Marshall, Jr on 18 August 1944 NE of Paris - exactly 6 months before. 354FS/355FG - both P-51D's.

As an aside Jeff steered me to a similar Combat Diary format for my own book "Angels, Bulldogs and Dragons - History of 355th FG in Word War II"

Regards, Bill Marshall