Tomahawk and Kittyhawk Aces of the RAF and Commonwealth

Deemed unsuitable for the Channel Front, lend-lease Tomahawks and Kittyhawks instead became the staple fighters of the Desert Air Force in 1941-42, flying with RAF, South African and Australian squadrons in North Africa and the Middle East. Although usually outclassed by the Bf 109, a number of pilots enjoyed some success during the desert campaign – men like Caldwell, Gibbes, Edwards and Drake, all of whom accrued double-figure scores. In the Far East, Australian and New Zealand pilots also saw much action against the Japanese in 1942/43, flying over the jungles of New Guinea in defense of the Australian mainland. This book charts the careers of the men who ‘made ace’ in these often underestimated fighters.