A promising young fighter pilot, René Pomier-Layrargues flew the Dewoitine D.520 during the Battle of France. On 5 June 1940, he encountered the German ace of aces Werner Mölders near Compiègne and shot him down as well as one of his wingmen, before being shot down himself. A promising young fighter pilot, René...
With 33 aerial victories, Pierre Clostermann DFC & Bar is France's ace of aces in World War II. He described his wartime experiences in his best-selling memoirs Le Grand Cirque (The Big Show). After the war, Clostermann devoted himself to his work as engineer, politics and fishing. With 33 aerial victories, Pierre...
With 33 aerial victories, Pierre Clostermann DFC & Bar is France's ace of aces in World War II. He described his wartime experiences in his best-selling memoirs Le Grand Cirque (The Big Show). After the war, Clostermann devoted himself to his work as engineer, politics and fishing. With 33 aerial victories, Pierre...
Operation Obviate was a raid led against the German battleship Tirpitz stationed near Tromsø in Norway on 29 October 1944. The ship only suffered light damage but was eventually destroyed in a follow-up raid two weeks later. Operation Obviate was a raid led...
VP-44 played a major role in the battle of Midway, notably by detecting the Japanese invasion fleet while it was still 700 miles from the American atoll. Ensign Jack Reid and his crew were the first to detect the Japanese ships on 3 June 1942. VP-44 played a major role in the...
With 18 aerial victories, “Ginger” Lacey was the second most succesful British pilot during the Battle of Britain. Having also scored 5 victories during the Battle of France, he was shot down or forced to land 9 times by the end of the Battle of Britain. His final tally was 28 enemy aircraft destroyed, five probables and 9 damaged. With 18 aerial victories, “Ginger”...