15th AF book

[John Beaman]

Being an occasional inattentive slob, I may have missed some discussion of this forthcoming book.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/081..._email_1p_0_ti

At 500 pages, is it the sine qua non book on the 15th we've all wanted?

[Frank Olynyk]

John,
It was noted here: http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=32244

I have it on order, for the dead tree version. Amazon can apparently supply the Kindle version; they list the hardback as to be published on April 16, 2013. The publisher's website has moved the publication date to May 2013.

Enjoy!

Frank.

[Frank Olynyk]

John,
I received the book several days ago. It is hardback, but plastic image cover. Pages are 9 by 6 inches, glued binding to a backing strip. Roughly xx plus 483. Four maps showing the targets over a 4-5 month period, covering Nov 43 to May 45. 12 pages of pictures, fairly standard, printed on the same paper as the book, so not high quality reproduction.

The text is quite good, being a daily record from Nov 1, 1943 to May 8, 1945 of all missions flown by the bombers and fighters of 15th AF. For each day the targets hit by each Wing, or Group if the Wing's targets were split up. Description of the results of the bombing. Total aircraft lost by group, and claims by group. Claims and losses are not broken down any further; no squadrons, names or serials. A glossary, chapter source notes, bibliography (heavy use of NARA II and the microfilms from USAFHRA), index to targets, and an index to subjects.

All in all, a very good beginning to the in depth history of the 15th AF. Hopefully the 15th will start to see a greater emphasis, and maybe people can lay off the 8th for a while.

Enjoy!

Frank.

[John Beaman]

Thanks, Frank.

Like you said, a promising start to help document the undereported 15th. Perhaps others will pick up some pieces like a series the way the "Mighty Eighth was done. Too bad Ken Rust retired.

[Jim Oxley]

Ordered it today.

[kaki3152]

I've thought about ordering such a book, but with a EXCEL MACR list, the USAAF Chronology 1941-1945,and other books such as Kenn Rust's 15th AF book, books on all the 15th AF Fighter Groups, two of the B-17 Groups (301/2 BG), one in PDF form and other sundry material, I feel I could almost write a book myself.

I have some interesting bits of info picked up over the years, including a picture of a 4th FG shot down over Hungary on July 2,1944, a letter from a pilot of the 325th FG who was one of the 4 P-51s lost on December 9,1944, and some other stuff

[Dénes Bernád]

I have also ordered it through amazon.ca

[Dénes Bernád]

I received the book yesterday. Well, as others noted, this is only a starter into this vast topic. Many details are missing.
What I would have loved is a statistical summary of victory claims and detailed losses by day, for an easy overview.