Thunderbolts of the Hell Hawks, By Don Barnes, John Crump and Roy Sutherland (Barracuda Graphs)
"Thunderbolts of the Hell Hawks - 365th Fighter-Bomber Group in Words, Pictures and Illustrations" tells the story of this crucial P-47D unit and their operations over Europe from before D-Day until the end of the war.
“Our hope is you will be taken back to the Spring of 1944 and spend a year with the Hell Hawks as they moved with the US 1st Army from Normandy across France, Belgium and, ultimately, Germany…” (Don Barnes, Author)
Ninth Air Force P-47 Units have been long overlooked, despite their significant contribution to victory in WWII. Their war was close to the ground, dive-bombing and strafing in support of the US Army at the Normandy landings, and in the race across France, Belgium and Germany. “Thunderbolts of the Hell Hawks”, by Don Barnes, John Crump and Roy Sutherland (of Barracuda Studios) is a book offering a personal & sentimental view of one of the most decorated and effective P-47 units in the Ninth Air Force. This rich visual account of the 365th Fighter-Bomber Group, the “Hell Hawks”, is presented in 320 pages with over 500 photos, most published for the first time. The book also features 98 thoroughly researched, detailed color profiles of their Thunderbolts, illustrated by Don Barnes. All but three of the aircraft profiled have languished in obscurity for the past 65 years, brought to light for the first time here.
This book is the softcover version.
Featuring:
• 320 full-color pages
• Over 500 never-before-published photos
• 98 full-color P-47 profiles
• Over a hundred stories from surviving members
• Maps of operations and bases
• Photographs of artifacts and memorabilia
The U.S. Ninth Air Force played a major role in the liberation of Europe and specifically the crippling of German transport and military infrastructure in Northern Europe, but its essential contribution has been traditionally under-represented in print and other media. This book fills ideally this historical (and modelling) gap. It tells the story of the 365th Fighter Group so vividly that you get the impression of time travel to the actual battle stations and missions from 6th June 1944 to the end of the War.
Sixty-two (62) pages near the back of the book are dedicated to colour profiles by Don Barnes. These are large, attractive and super detailed. Some 100 profiles are included, some with scrap views of nose art or starboard side profiles where the details differed. Each profile is accompanied by a description of the aircraft, with some including a more detailed account of operations. The profile section would be worthy of a standalone book by itself.
Following a brief summary of its formation, the text is almost a daily chronicle of the operations of the 365th FG in accessible and engaging language.
The images are truly unique. More than 550 mainly wartime photos are included. Most of these have never been published before. Those that have been reproduced to full page size are particularly impressive.
Most spreads feature at least one quote at the top of the page to grab your attention. Hundreds of sidebars and information boxes provide supplementary information to the body text too. Many of these are the personal stories of pilots and crew. Large photos of museum pieces - uniform items and parts from the P-47 - have been scattered through the pages too. Maps and other relevant illustrations are also used.
The story of the “Hell Hawks” is laid out over the following Chapters:
Foreword & Introduction
The Ninth Air Force
The Group & Missions
The Making of the Hell Hawks and Fighter-Bomber Tactics
Invasion of Europe and Move Into France
Mobility to Mud With the US 1st Army
Belgium, Ardennes and the Battle of the Bulge
Shutting Down the German Supply Lines and Counter Attacks
Encirclement and Final Days
A Long Ride Home
The Pilots and Ships
The Records and Reflections
Bibliography
Hell Hawks is one of the most impressive books you can lay your hands on if you have the slightest interest in P-47. Definitely a book - real labor of love, completed with intense passion, that is obviously the result of someone’s obsession. The Authors and their supporters/contributors have poured their hearts and soul into producing it. Combine that with an under published yet charismatic subject— the 9th Air Force, 365th fighter-bomber group—and an incredible collection of photographs, and you are looking at a winner - a ‘must have’ book.
"Thunderbolts of the Hell Hawks - 365th Fighter-Bomber Group in Words, Pictures, and Illustrations” has an exciting visual style, excellent layout, finish and superb graphics. Three different squadron colours of blue – the 388th, yellow – the 387th and red – the 386th - flash out from the title and echo throughout the book.
The graphical style of this publication is more like a pictorial coffee table book than a unit history. The photos are black and white – but they are often in such good quality and detail that they are as large as the whole page, in a quality resolution which is uncommon in a lot of WW2 photography. The quality of these pictures is outstanding for their age – and, let us say it again, many (most for us) have not been published before.
The period photographs are complemented by modern pictures of museum quality aircrew clothing, patches, and equipment that come from personal collections. These items – often side by side of the story of these men and what they did – give a human touch to the story that is quite effective.
To further help you understand the story there are several red boxes with illustrated side panels which let you know a little bit more in-depth about what the pilots were up against, the types of missions they were on and as a general sidebar to the main action in the story.
Needless to say that many photos offer unique ideas for modelling your Thunderbolt -and even a diorama- more realistically, with action, drama & ground service activity: PSP plates, landing gear deep into the mud, NMF not so shiny (tone down your loved sparkling latest tech paint!), snow scenes, anti-aircraft guns just meters away off parked aircraft, armorers loading 500lbs bombs, P-47s pulled-out of the snow or mud, special ground equipment used by mechanics, fueling-up, windshield/canopy rear-view mirrors style/shape variations, etc.
The first three chapters (9th Air Force, The Group/Missions, Making & Tactics of the Group) tell of the roots of the organization and the missions they undertook in Europe. Month by month the breakdown of the early history is discussed. The types of missions, from early escorts of bombers thought to the specializing of air to ground attacks are discussed in detail.
Invasion of Europe and Move Into France is the 4th chapter: From the D-day invasions and the group’s move into the airfields in France the next section goes into great detail to tell you about the period of June 1944 onwards.
The reader is guided day by day, accompanied by pictures of the men and machines involved in the action, through the war in this most important phase. The text and pictures take you through these pilots’ everyday reality. Maps and diagrams are included in this (and indeed all of the chapters in the book) that place you in the battlefields that these aircraft were operating, close to the front line. There are many great personal stories, which help you connect with the action and day to day sorties.
Mobility to Mud with the US 1st Army: The drive towards Germany supporting the allied armies on the ground in northern Europe is discussed in this chapter. Stories of the pilots surviving several missions a day and their aircraft attacks and collisions that really make you a big fan of the Thunderbolt even if you are not!
Belgium, Ardennes and the Battle of the Bulge: The “Battle of the Bulge” saw the Hell Hawks in the conflict for the forested country in northern Belgium. The Germans wanted to break out and separate the Allied armies, finally reaching the sea. The Hell Hawks were tasked in part with helping stem the tide in this difficult time for the Allies. All of the most well-known places in that battle are here: Stavelot, Bastogne and Malmedy. The Thunderbolt pilots were involved with the epicenter of this major point in history. When weather wasn’t preventing them from flying they were in the action always.
The attacks of operation “Bodenplatte”: The Luftwaffe mass attacks on allied airfields – are discussed and also are the heroic attempts by soldiers to save their colleges and their precious aircraft.
Shutting Down the German Supply Lines and Counter Attacks: From their airfields in Mets the Hell hawks moved to the Belgian airfield of Florennes to further capitalize on the refreshed advance of the allies towards Germany in February 1944. Many pictures show the pilots, their aircraft and often their prey. There are several shots as well showing the pilots at play and at close quarters. The facial features and candid shots really put you in touch with your subjects. There are also some coloured pictures in this chapter which are a great bonus and insightful - especially for modellers.
Encirclement and Final Days: The last months of the war saw the 365th Group moving into Aachen and then deep in western Germany in the month of April 1945. As the defence of the German army became more desperate the war for the pilots remained just as tough, and with increased risks from the concentrated German anti-aircraft fire the skies became very dangerous. Even though the war was winding down there was surprisingly much air-to-air combat still going on at that time, and the accounts here are great. Until May of 1945 the Hell Hawks were in the action, and the last mission of the war was flown on the 8th of May 1945.
A Long Ride Home: Once the war had finished several of the pilots were not really interested in flying any hazardous missions. Flying operations were ceased and this chapter tells of the men’s trip home to the USA.
“Pilots and Ships”: In the last major section of the book there are sixty two (62) pages of aircraft profiles. These cover so many aircraft from the group it is hard to pick favourites. Since the release of this book Barracuda Studios have released several decal sheets of these aircraft profiles in 72nd and 1/48th scales. To have this book to use for your research and references is surely the best thing for a modeller of a Thunderbolt.
There are so many profiles here of which haven’t been seen in print before – Indeed the research of some of these aircraft at all has been only made possible by the team of authors and their long process of interviews they have conducted with the veterans of the “Hell Hawks” and their relatives. The photographical and anecdotal evidence that has been unearthed by the team enables finally proof of colours and markings of each of these aircraft.
There are several one-to-a-page profiles illustrated by Don Barnes, these pages also include pictures of the pilots and paragraphs of text used to illustrate some of the histories of the aircraft - the men who flew them and how they got the names they did on their aircraft. In the final pages, there are records and accomplishments held by the group and her pilots. Citations & decorations, what the group destroyed, the bases they operated, etc. Also in this section are the commanders and the dates in which they served, air to air victories and the pilots who lost their lives are all documented here. The last pages of the book have recollections from the pilots, which truly put the whole book in perspective.
In Conclusion…
If you have the slightest interest in the Thunderbolt as a modelling subject, or the operational history of the P-47D, this book is for you. You will certainly read it for several weeks or months (!) before you finish it. Highly recommended!
You can order it here.
Read more about the Hell Hawks on their website:
