Angels Eight - Normandy Air War Diary

Subject: Angels Eight - Normandy Air War Diary
From: "Dave Clark"
Date: 10/10/03 3:07 PM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:

"Angels Eight -- Normandy Air War Diary" by David W Clark

Many are surprised to learn that the fierce battle in the skies over the
Normandy beaches was much like the Battle of Britain -- both in duration,
about 80 days, and in severity, about 3,000 aircraft shot down. Squadron
records of German and Allied units in the Normandy Campaign reveal details
of nearly every aerial encounter that occurred and the pilots who flew them.
In addition, read about the day-to-day lives of the members of one RAF
Commonwealth wing operating from French soil as described from squadron
records and in the words of their pilots' combat reports. This is a book
filled with factual detail written by one whose brother fought and died in
the Normandy Air War.

Read all about it and order it from:

http://www.1stbooks.com/bookview/14969


Well ok if you say so. But I Never saw a single German plane over Omaha beach
as the invasion took place.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

"Dave Clark" wrote in message
...
"Angels Eight -- Normandy Air War Diary" by David W Clark

Many are surprised to learn that the fierce battle in the skies over the
Normandy beaches was much like the Battle of Britain -- both in duration,
about 80 days, and in severity, about 3,000 aircraft shot down. Squadron
records of German and Allied units in the Normandy Campaign reveal details
of nearly every aerial encounter that occurred and the pilots who flew
them.
In addition, read about the day-to-day lives of the members of one RAF
Commonwealth wing operating from French soil as described from squadron
records and in the words of their pilots' combat reports. This is a book
filled with factual detail written by one whose brother fought and died in
the Normandy Air War.

Read all about it and order it from:

http://www.1stbooks.com/bookview/14969


I can believe it readily enough

Between January 1944 and the end of May the Luftwaffe lost
over 6400 day fighters, 80% of them on the western front and
the Reich

Between June and October losses soared to almost 7500 with
6500 being lost to US and Commonwealth forces.

You may also want to look at

The Luftwaffe, 1933-45: Strategy for Defeat
(Brassey's Commemorative Series, Wwii)
by Williamson Murray


Keith


It was
after all part of the allied strategy to draw the Luftwaffe into Battle
and destroy it

Subject: Angels Eight - Normandy Air War Diary
From: "Keith Willshaw"
Date: 10/10/03 1:49 PM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:


"Dave Clark" wrote in message
m...
"Angels Eight -- Normandy Air War Diary" by David W Clark

Many are surprised to learn that the fierce battle in the skies over the
Normandy beaches was much like the Battle of Britain -- both in duration,
about 80 days, and in severity, about 3,000 aircraft shot down. Squadron
records of German and Allied units in the Normandy Campaign reveal details
of nearly every aerial encounter that occurred and the pilots who flew
them.
In addition, read about the day-to-day lives of the members of one RAF
Commonwealth wing operating from French soil as described from squadron
records and in the words of their pilots' combat reports. This is a book
filled with factual detail written by one whose brother fought and died in
the Normandy Air War.

Read all about it and order it from:

http://www.1stbooks.com/bookview/14969


I can believe it readily enough

Between January 1944 and the end of May the Luftwaffe lost
over 6400 day fighters, 80% of them on the western front and
the Reich

Between June and October losses soared to almost 7500 with
6500 being lost to US and Commonwealth forces.

You may also want to look at

The Luftwaffe, 1933-45: Strategy for Defeat
(Brassey's Commemorative Series, Wwii)
by Williamson Murray


Keith


It was
after all part of the allied strategy to draw the Luftwaffe into Battle
and destroy it


All over Normandy???? I seriously doubt it. There was barely a German plane
in sight over Normandy.

Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

Subject: Angels Eight - Normandy Air War Diary
From: "Keith Willshaw"
Date: 10/10/03 1:49 PM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:

Many are surprised to learn that the fierce battle in the skies over the
Normandy beaches was much like the Battle of Britain -- both in duration,

Not just surprised...SHOCKED ! I was over Normandy and there wasn't a German
plane in sight over Omaha Beach from dawn to dusk. We flew two missions that
day and never saw the Luftwaffe anywhere..

Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

"ArtKramr" wrote in message
...
Subject: Angels Eight - Normandy Air War Diary
From: "Keith Willshaw"
Date: 10/10/03 1:49 PM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:


"Dave Clark" wrote in message
m...
"Angels Eight -- Normandy Air War Diary" by David W Clark

Many are surprised to learn that the fierce battle in the skies over
the
Normandy beaches was much like the Battle of Britain -- both in
duration,
about 80 days, and in severity, about 3,000 aircraft shot down.
Squadron
records of German and Allied units in the Normandy Campaign reveal
details
of nearly every aerial encounter that occurred and the pilots who flew
them.
In addition, read about the day-to-day lives of the members of one RAF
Commonwealth wing operating from French soil as described from squadron
records and in the words of their pilots' combat reports. This is a
book
filled with factual detail written by one whose brother fought and died
in
the Normandy Air War.

Read all about it and order it from:

http://www.1stbooks.com/bookview/14969


I can believe it readily enough

Between January 1944 and the end of May the Luftwaffe lost
over 6400 day fighters, 80% of them on the western front and
the Reich

Between June and October losses soared to almost 7500 with
6500 being lost to US and Commonwealth forces.

You may also want to look at

The Luftwaffe, 1933-45: Strategy for Defeat
(Brassey's Commemorative Series, Wwii)
by Williamson Murray


Keith


It was
after all part of the allied strategy to draw the Luftwaffe into Battle
and destroy it


All over Normandy???? I seriously doubt it. There was barely a German
plane
in sight over Normandy.


Art the book is about the Normandy campaign which includes
a 3 month period over the entire western european theatre

The reason there were no fighters overhead on D-Day,
and as an infantryman on the beaches my dad was looking
for em, was the air campaign that lead up to the invasion.

A campaign in which you played a part as I recall

Keith

"Angels Eight -- Normandy Air War Diary" by David W Clark

Many are surprised to learn that the fierce battle in the skies over the
Normandy beaches was much like the Battle of Britain -- both in duration,
about 80 days, and in severity, about 3,000 aircraft shot down. Squadron
records of German and Allied units in the Normandy Campaign reveal details
of nearly every aerial encounter that occurred and the pilots who flew them.
In addition, read about the day-to-day lives of the members of one RAF
Commonwealth wing operating from French soil as described from squadron
records and in the words of their pilots' combat reports. This is a book
filled with factual detail written by one whose brother fought and died in
the Normandy Air War.

Read all about it and order it from:

http://www.1stbooks.com/bookview/14969

During this time, British Navy Grumman Hellcats engaged and shot down several
enemy aircraft. These were the only recorded Hellcat victories in the ETO.
These engagements occurred somewhere south of the Normandy operational areas.
VL

Subject: Angels Eight - Normandy Air War Diary
From: "Keith Willshaw"
Date: 10/10/03 2:17 PM Pacific

Art the book is about the Normandy campaign which includes
a 3 month period over the entire western european theatre


That is what I don't understand. We were awarded little pins called battle
stars to pin on out theatre (ETO) ribbons. We had battle stars for D-Day, The
Po Valley, TheCentral Appennines,Central Europe, and the Bulge. I never heard
of battles going on on all over europe being lumped together and all called
Normandy. If that were the case we would have gotten one star for Normandy and
saved all that other scrap metal. Right?



A campaign in which you played a part as I recall

Keith

Yeah. I sort of remember that one. (:-)

Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

"ArtKramr" wrote in message
...
Subject: Angels Eight - Normandy Air War Diary
From: "Keith Willshaw"
Date: 10/10/03 2:17 PM Pacific

Art the book is about the Normandy campaign which includes
a 3 month period over the entire western european theatre


That is what I don't understand. We were awarded little pins called battle
stars to pin on out theatre (ETO) ribbons. We had battle stars for D-Day,
The
Po Valley, TheCentral Appennines,Central Europe, and the Bulge. I never
heard
of battles going on on all over europe being lumped together and all
called
Normandy. If that were the case we would have gotten one star for Normandy
and
saved all that other scrap metal. Right?


Thats pretty much what happened in the British and Commonwealth
forces , in fact they went further, my father went ashore on D-Day
and slogged his way up through Belgium and Holland ending up
around Hamburg for which he got the France and Germany Star
to add to his Italy and African Stars and Dunqerque medal

Keith

Subject: Angels Eight - Normandy Air War Diary
From: "Keith Willshaw"
Date: 10/11/03 4:19 AM Pacific Daylight Time
Message-id:


"ArtKramr" wrote in message
...
Subject: Angels Eight - Normandy Air War Diary
From: "Keith Willshaw"
Date: 10/10/03 2:17 PM Pacific

Art the book is about the Normandy campaign which includes
a 3 month period over the entire western european theatre


That is what I don't understand. We were awarded little pins called battle
stars to pin on out theatre (ETO) ribbons. We had battle stars for D-Day,
The
Po Valley, TheCentral Appennines,Central Europe, and the Bulge. I never
heard
of battles going on on all over europe being lumped together and all
called
Normandy. If that were the case we would have gotten one star for Normandy
and
saved all that other scrap metal. Right?


Thats pretty much what happened in the British and Commonwealth
forces , in fact they went further, my father went ashore on D-Day
and slogged his way up through Belgium and Holland ending up
around Hamburg for which he got the France and Germany Star
to add to his Italy and African Stars and Dunqerque medal

Keith



Interesting to hear how the Brits did it. Thanks. Is your dad still around. If
so give him my best. Where was he in Belgium? I was up in Florennes surrounded
by Brits. Maybe we met there.Who knows? (grin)

Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer