Swift to Battle: No 72 Fighter Squadron RAF in Action, 1937–1942

Swift to Battle: No 72 Fighter Squadron RAF in Action, 1937–1942
Author: Tom Docherty
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
Total Pages: 332
Release: 2009-07-19
Genre: History
ISBN: 1783409266

This first of three volumes traces the history of 72 Fighter Squadron, one of the premier squadrons in the Royal Air Force. The aircraft flown, operational personnel and missions flown are fully described with firsthand accounts from pilots and both air and ground crew.Having been first established in 1917 the squadron was disbanded in February 1918. It was re-formed in February 1937 from B Flight of 1 Squadron and was equipped with Gloster Gladiators. In 1939 it was re-equipped with Spitfires which were used in air defense and convoy protection sorties following the start of the war. In 1940 the squadron moved to assist in the evacuation of Dunkirk. During The Battle of Britain, 72 spent the early days at RAF Acklington as part of 13 Group before moving south during September to assist the main defense force. The squadron then flew penetration Circus missions over occupied Europe with the intention of causing havoc to the German forces and also to lure German fighters into combat.

Swift to Battle: 1937-1942

Swift to Battle: 1937-1942
Author: Tom Docherty
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
Total Pages: 257
Release: 2009-01-01
Genre: History
ISBN: 1844158292

This first of three volumes traces the history of 72 Fighter Squadron, one of the premier squadrons in the Royal Air Force. The aircraft flown, operational personnel and missions flown are fully described with firsthand accounts from pilots and both air and ground crew.Having been first established in 1917 the squadron was disbanded in February 1918. It was re-formed in February 1937 from 'B' Flight of 1 Squadron and was equipped with Gloster Gladiators. In 1939 it was re-equipped with Spitfires which were used in air defense and convoy protection sorties following the start of the war. In 1940 the squadron moved to assist in the evacuation of Dunkirk. During The Battle of Britain, 72 spent the early days at RAF Acklington as part of 13 Group before moving south during September to assist the main defense force. The squadron then flew penetration 'Circus' missions over occupied Europe with the intention of causing havoc to the German forces and also to lure German fighters into combat.

Swift to Battle: No. 72 Fighter Squadron RAF in Action

Swift to Battle: No. 72 Fighter Squadron RAF in Action
Author: Tom Docherty
Publisher: Pen and Sword Aviation
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2009
Genre: History
ISBN: 9781848840874

This second of three volumes traces the history of 72 Fighter Squadron, one of the premier squadrons in the Royal Air Force. The aircraft flown, operational personnel and missions flown are fully described with first-hand accounts from pilots and both air and ground crew. Having been operational in the European theater during the early years of World War Two, the squadron moved to North Africa in support of the Tunisian campaign and were re-equipped with the updated Spitfire IX in 1942. They then assisted the Allied 8th Army as it advanced through Italy and France, being based in Malta and Sicily prior to the invasions. When the Germans surrendered they were sent to Austria. It was here that the Squadron disbanded in December 1946.

Swift to Battle: No 72 Fighter Squadron RAF in Action, 1947 to 1961

Swift to Battle: No 72 Fighter Squadron RAF in Action, 1947 to 1961
Author: Tom Docherty
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
Total Pages: 174
Release: 2010-05-19
Genre: History
ISBN: 1783031034

This third of three volumes traces the history of 72 Fighter Squadron, one of the premier squadrons in the Royal Air Force. The aircraft flown, operational personnel and missions flown are fully described with first-hand accounts from pilots and both air and ground crew. Having seen active service in the war years this volume covers the period 1947 to 1961 when the squadron was disbanded. During this period the squadron moved into the jet age at first flying de Havilland Vampires and then the Gloster Meteor F8s in 1952 and finally the Gloster Javalin in 1959 until the squadron was disbanded at Leconfield in June 1961.

Swift to Battle: No. 72 Fighter Squadron RAF in Action

Swift to Battle: No. 72 Fighter Squadron RAF in Action
Author: Tom Docherty
Publisher: Pen and Sword Aviation
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2010-01-30
Genre: World War, 1939-1945
ISBN: 9781848841864

This third volume traces the history of 72 Fighter Squadron, one of the premier squadrons in the Royal Air Force. The aircraft flown, operational personnel, and missions flown are described with accounts from pilots and both air and ground crew. This volume covers the period from 1947 to 1961 when the squadron was disbanded.

To Defeat the Few

To Defeat the Few
Author: Douglas C. Dildy
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 387
Release: 2020-07-09
Genre: History
ISBN: 1472839153

Over the past 80 years, histories of the Battle of Britain have consistently portrayed the feats of 'The Few' (as they were immortalized in Churchill's famous speech) as being responsible for the RAF's victory in the epic battle. However, this is only part of the story. The results of an air campaign cannot be measured in terms of territory captured, cities occupied or armies defeated, routed or annihilated. Successful air campaigns are those that achieve their intended aims or stated objectives. Victory in the Battle of Britain was determined by whether the Luftwaffe achieved its objectives. The Luftwaffe, of course, did not, and this detailed and rigorous study explains why. Analysing the battle in its entirety in the context of what it was – history's first independent offensive counter-air campaign against the world's first integrated air defence system – Douglas C. Dildy and Paul F. Crickmore set out to re-examine this remarkable conflict. Presenting the events of the Battle of Britain in the context of the Luftwaffe's campaign and RAF Fighter Command's battles against it, this title is a new and innovative history of the battle that kept alive the Allies' chances of defeating Nazi Germany.

Swift to Battle

Swift to Battle
Author: Tom Docherty
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2010-05-19
Genre: History
ISBN: 9781783031016

This third of three volumes traces the history of 72 Fighter Squadron, one of the premier squadrons in the Royal Air Force. The aircraft flown, operational personnel and missions flown are fully described with first-hand accounts from pilots and both air and ground crew. Having seen active service in the war years this volume covers the period 1947 to 1961 when the squadron was disbanded. During this period the squadron moved into the jet age at first flying de Havilland Vampires and then the Gloster Meteor F8s in 1952 and finally the Gloster Javalin in 1959 until the squadron was disbanded at Leconfield in June 1961.