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The world was consumed by war. Europe was held captive by Nazi aggression, and Japan was testing their ability with the Chinese. America was content to sit and watch although supplying the allied effort. When the Japanese struck the US Naval base at Pearl Harbor, the United States became fully engaged.
The importance of the airplane became apparent entering the war against the seasoned Imperial air forces. A daunting proposition, the American planes (Tomahawk and Wildcats) going up against the Zero and Oscar fighters, were outclassed in almost every way… but not in the determination of the pilots. The majority of the Medal of Honor recipients came early in the war at Guadalcanal. At the Battle of Midway, the Japanese navy lost an insurmountable number of front line pilots and flight crew when American dive bombers sank four enemy carriers.
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In 1943, new U.S. planes began to come online in the theater. The F4U Corsair and F6F Hellcat, with the American flyers also gaining in skill and confidence, and were looking to go on the offensive. Guys like Greg Boyington, looking for a fight, only had a limited amount of time to make their mark on the battlefield (Americans being rotated out of action after 3 six-week tours). These guys were in a hurry to become aces. Many pilots were disappointed to never get much of a chance to mix it up with the Zero, i.e. John Foster, VMF-222 (Hell in the Heavens).
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PTO page samples. Click
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In the end, Japan just ran out. Ran out of fuel, ran out of pilots, ran out of the ability to make war. They probably should have surrendered long before the first atomic bomb was ever dropped. Pride and politics get in the way. On August 14, 1945, America sent 828 B-29 Bombers and 186 mustang fighters over the main land without dropping a single ordinance. Japan surrendered before the last bomber had landed.
It’s a high price for freedom. We have to remember that when watching the world today.
Each book contains 49 pages of aerial artwork depicting
specific action in the conquest for air superiority. Each drawing is accompanied
by a date, fighter group, name and rank of the pilot, as well as a brief
description of the encounter.
Click any of the Coloring Book Art covers below to
learn more and to order securely online.
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