V1 Flying Bomb Aces Book Review

By Rachel E. Veres

Review

Osprey's V1 Flying Bomb Aces begins by briefly recapping the development of Nazi Germany's V1 flying bombs (Vergeltungswaffe 1: "Reprisal Weapon 1") in response to Allied strategic bombings.  Popular history calls them "Buzz Bombs".

Now author Andrew Thomas then blends history and personal accounts to focus on Britain's main defensive element against V1s – standing patrols of high-speed, piston-engine fighters like Tempest Vs and Spitfire XIVs.

Action anecdotes season the study.  For example, Tempest pilot and first V1 ace, Wg Cdr (Wing Commander) Beaumont recalls his first encounter:

"I missed completely with my first burst.  Another short burst hit its port outer wing, and then with all the remaining ammunition a long burst hit first on the fuselage, without immediate effect, and finally in the engine, after which it stopped and began to go down…. I called in [wingman] Bob Cole to finish it off, which he did with a well aimed burst, and it rolled over onto its back and dived into a field, exploding with a lot of flame and black smoke."

Mark Postlethwaite's exciting cover art and 76 historic photographs complement Thomas' text.  And 36 color profiles by Chris Davey offer plenty of modeling inspiration.

Appendices listing over 150 V1 aces augment the account.  And a bibliography, index and list of related Osprey titles neatly complete contents.

Highly recommended.

My sincere thanks to Osprey Publishing for this review sample!