Fighter Group: The 352nd "Blue-Nosed Bastards" in World War II

From a historian, retired fighter pilot, and combat aviation specialist, “the finest book yet written about the air war over Europe during World War II.” (Air & Space, Smithsonian magazine )

As described by award-winning author Jay A. Stout, the 352nd Fighter Group was one of the Eighth Air Force's most successful fighter units and counted history's two top-scoring P-51 aces among its ranks.  This book—the most comprehensive work ever to cover the actions of a single USAAF fighter unit—details the air actions of not only the group's notable aces, but also the rank-and-file fliers who carried the bulk of the load.  It describes the 352nd’s activities from its formation at the close of 1942, its movement to England and its combat operations flying P-47s and P-51s against the Third Reich.

Although the book covers the units actions as a whole, it also follows several pilots in detail.  Rich descriptions of tactics and equipment, personal reflections, letters home, amusing anecdotes and, of course, detailed descriptions of air combat.  Not simply an award-winning historian, Stout draws from his own combat experience as a fighter pilot to make these discussions credible, interesting and real. 

Winner of the San Diego Book Award for History.

“Stout’s crisp, concise writing powers a narrative that highlights a collection of aviators who destroyed more than 700 German aircraft. The book is certain to take its place with other memorable accounts of European combat.” —John F. Wukovits, author of Black Sheep

1111851602
Fighter Group: The 352nd "Blue-Nosed Bastards" in World War II

From a historian, retired fighter pilot, and combat aviation specialist, “the finest book yet written about the air war over Europe during World War II.” (Air & Space, Smithsonian magazine )

As described by award-winning author Jay A. Stout, the 352nd Fighter Group was one of the Eighth Air Force's most successful fighter units and counted history's two top-scoring P-51 aces among its ranks.  This book—the most comprehensive work ever to cover the actions of a single USAAF fighter unit—details the air actions of not only the group's notable aces, but also the rank-and-file fliers who carried the bulk of the load.  It describes the 352nd’s activities from its formation at the close of 1942, its movement to England and its combat operations flying P-47s and P-51s against the Third Reich.

Although the book covers the units actions as a whole, it also follows several pilots in detail.  Rich descriptions of tactics and equipment, personal reflections, letters home, amusing anecdotes and, of course, detailed descriptions of air combat.  Not simply an award-winning historian, Stout draws from his own combat experience as a fighter pilot to make these discussions credible, interesting and real. 

Winner of the San Diego Book Award for History.

“Stout’s crisp, concise writing powers a narrative that highlights a collection of aviators who destroyed more than 700 German aircraft. The book is certain to take its place with other memorable accounts of European combat.” —John F. Wukovits, author of Black Sheep

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Fighter Group: The 352nd

Fighter Group: The 352nd "Blue-Nosed Bastards" in World War II

by Jay A Stout Lt.
Fighter Group: The 352nd

Fighter Group: The 352nd "Blue-Nosed Bastards" in World War II

by Jay A Stout Lt.

eBook

$19.99 

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Overview

From a historian, retired fighter pilot, and combat aviation specialist, “the finest book yet written about the air war over Europe during World War II.” (Air & Space, Smithsonian magazine )

As described by award-winning author Jay A. Stout, the 352nd Fighter Group was one of the Eighth Air Force's most successful fighter units and counted history's two top-scoring P-51 aces among its ranks.  This book—the most comprehensive work ever to cover the actions of a single USAAF fighter unit—details the air actions of not only the group's notable aces, but also the rank-and-file fliers who carried the bulk of the load.  It describes the 352nd’s activities from its formation at the close of 1942, its movement to England and its combat operations flying P-47s and P-51s against the Third Reich.

Although the book covers the units actions as a whole, it also follows several pilots in detail.  Rich descriptions of tactics and equipment, personal reflections, letters home, amusing anecdotes and, of course, detailed descriptions of air combat.  Not simply an award-winning historian, Stout draws from his own combat experience as a fighter pilot to make these discussions credible, interesting and real. 

Winner of the San Diego Book Award for History.

“Stout’s crisp, concise writing powers a narrative that highlights a collection of aviators who destroyed more than 700 German aircraft. The book is certain to take its place with other memorable accounts of European combat.” —John F. Wukovits, author of Black Sheep


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780811748674
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date: 06/14/2023
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 469
File size: 6 MB

About the Author

Jay A. Stout, a retired U.S. Marine Corps fighter pilot, is a senior aviation consultant for a leading defense corporation and has appeared on Fox News as a combat aviation expert. His previous books include Fortress Ploesti (978-1-932033-18-2) and Hammer from Above (978-0-89141-871-9). He lives near San Diego, California.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

Chapter 1 They Were Boys First 1

Chapter 2 Birth of the 352nd Fighter Group 15

Chapter 3 To England 39

Chapter 4 Combat 49

Chapter 5 On the Scoreboard 61

Chapter 6 A New Year 83

Chapter 7 The Missions 99

Chapter 8 Fuel and Nerves 115

Chapter 9 Moral Dilemma 125

Chapter 10 March Madness 133

Chapter 11 Mustangs 143

Chapter 12 The Enemy Fighters 157

Chapter 13 The Gray Enemy 165

Chapter 14 Aces 177

Chapter 15 Victory Claims 187

Chapter 16 The Deadliest Gamble 193

Chapter 17 Failed Guns and Varied Tactics 217

Chapter 18 D-Day 227

Chapter 19 To the Other Side 241

Chapter 20 Longer Legs and Longer Missions 249

Chapter 21 Clearing the Table, Clearing the Sky 255

Chapter 22 Summer with the French 265

Chapter 23 Taking Care of Business 275

Chapter 24 Unheralded Heroics 279

Chapter 25 To the Sound of the Guns 285

Chapter 26 Grinding through the Fall 297

Chapter 27 More Mistaken Identities 317

Chapter 28 To the Continent and Tragedy 325

Chapter 29 Making History 339

Chapter 30 Finishing the Fight 365

Epilogue 389

Author's Note 392

Endnotes 395

Bibliography 408

Acknowledgments 411

Index 413

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