Thread: Allied Air Forces

The Brazilian Air Force – FAB ( Força Aérea Brasileira)


The FAB had a group of pilots and land personel trainned in the United States, the 1º GAvCA (1st Fighter Group), sent to Italy and alocated in the 350th U.S. Army Air Force Fighter Group. The Brazilian pilots actually formed one of the 20 squadrons of the XXII Air Tactic Command, flying the updated P-47D. Their role was very important to the actions of all Allied forces in Italy and the Brazilian pilots were also very praised for their important air-to-ground operations. Many pilots were victims of heavy flack, some were downed , captured by Germans and taken to prisioner camps in Germany...

The best site on the (R)IAF during the war (if the information isn't here then you'll probably won't find it anywhere else on the web):

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/Hi...40s/index.html

Just a couple of the hundreds of pictures on the site - so well worth a visit (and Jagan, the site owner is very knowledgeable and helpful):

8th October 1940: A policeman shakes hands with a group of Indian pilots, MS Pujji is 2nd from Right. The Sikh shaking hands could be 'Chacha' Manmohan Singh

Sgt Sayanapuram Duraiswamy Thyagarajan (Center) with No 263 Squadron, RAF, Whirlwind P7094 HE-T . The CO Flt Lt Geofferey B Warnes is second left and the Adjutant , F/L EC Owens is at first left . Other pilots in the Squadron are Canadian, Austarlian and West Indian.The sqn converted to Typhoons in Feb 44. Later promoted to Pilot Officer (177663 RAF), Thyagarajan was shot down and killed over France on 26th August 1944.

This is another excellent site which covers the NZ fighter-pilot contribution to the war, both in the RNZAF and in the RAF:

http://www.nzfpm.co.nz/

A nice summary of all the RCAF Commands and their contributions:

http://www.junobeach.org/e/4/can-tac-air-e.htm

http://www.defence.gov.au/Raaf/histo...tory/WW2_2.htm

The duration of World War II saw 15,746 RAAF pilots, navigators, wireless operators, gunners and engineers sent to British squadrons and 11,641 to Australian squadrons. These men exemplified themselves in every major campaign front from the Battle of France, Battle of Britain, Normandy invasion, Egypt, the Middle East, Germany, Battle of the Atlantic, the defence of Malta, liberation of Italy, the Battles of the Coral and Bismarck Seas, Defence of Australia, to fighting in India, Burma, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Pacific.

When the armistice with Japan was signed on 15 August 1945, the RAAF in the Pacific had a total strength of 131,662 personnel and 3,187 front line aircraft. First Tactical Air Force, the major operational formation, had grown to 18,894 men in April 1945 and operated 20 operational squadrons. In addition to its execution of numerous air operations, the RAAF had also pioneered the development and operation of radar and operated its own shipping in the South West Pacific Area. The RAAF legacy of the Second World War is a proud one, with it now the world's 4th largest Air Force.

Volume I – Royal Australian Air Force, 1939–1942
http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/chapter.asp?volume=26

Volume II – Air War Against Japan, 1943–1945
http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/chapter.asp?volume=27

Volume III – Air War Against Germany and Italy, 1939–1943
http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/chapter.asp?volume=28

Volume IV – Air Power Over Europe, 1944–1945
http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/chapter.asp?volume=29

http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2AirF.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Rhodesian_Air_Force