Operation Crossbow 1944: Hunting Hitler's V-weapons

by Steven J. Zaloga, Paul Kime (Artist), Bounford.com (Artist), Adam Tooby (Artist), Graham Turner (Illustrator)

Overview

In mid-1943, Allied intelligence began to pick up the signs of unusual German construction in remote locations near the Channel Coast. Several massive fortifications were beginning to take shape, and they appeared to be oriented towards London. Allied intelligence codenamed these sites as "Crossbow" and began plans to attack them before they could bombard Britain's capital city. These "Heavy Crossbow" sites for the V-1 and V-2 missiles were supposed to be bomb-proof, but they soon attracted the attention of RAF heavy bombers with the new Tallboy concrete-penetrating bombs.

Fully illustrated with commissioned artwork and contemporary photographs, Operation Crossbow 1944 examines the dynamics of the world's first missile war. It also describes the parallel American efforts to develop missiles and assault drones to attack the "Heavy Crossbow" sites, including the Air Force's Aphrodite and Navy Anvil projects.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472826138
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	07/26/2018
Series:	Air Campaign , #5
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	96
File size:	40 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Steven J. Zaloga received his BA in History from Union College and his MA from Columbia University. He has worked as an analyst in the aerospace industry for over two decades, covering missile systems and the international arms trade, and has served with the Institute for Defense Analyses, a federal think tank. He is the author of numerous books on military technology and military history, with an accent on the US Army in World War II as well as Russia and the former Soviet Union. He lives in Maryland, USA.
Steven J. Zaloga received his BA in History from Union College and his MA from Columbia University. He has worked as an analyst in the aerospace industry for three decades, covering missile systems and the international arms trade, and has served with the Institute for Defense Analyses, a federal think tank. He is the author of numerous books on military technology and history, including NVG 294 Allied Tanks in Normandy 1944 and NVG 283 American Guided Missiles of World War II. He currently lives in Maryland, USA.
Adam Tooby is an internationally renowned digital artist and illustrator. His work can be found in publications worldwide and as box art for model aircraft kits. He also runs a successful illustration studio and aviation prints business. He is based in Cheshire, UK. To buy artwork, or contact the artist, visit http://www.adamtooby.com/.
Graham Turner is a leading historical artist, specializing in the medieval period. He has illustrated numerous titles for Osprey, covering a wide variety of subjects from the dress of the 10th-century armies of the Caliphates, through the action of bloody medieval battles, to the daily life of the British Redcoat of the late 18th century. The son of the illustrator Michael Turner, Graham lives and works in Buckinghamshire, UK.

Table of Contents

Introduction 4

Chronology 6

Attackers' Capabilities 7

Defenders' Capabilities 20

Campaign Objectives 29

The Campaign 31

Analysis and Conclusion 86

Further Reading 93

Index 95

Editorial Reviews

This excellently detailed book delves deeply into the campaign and highlights ingenious tactics on both sides including the use, by the USAAF, of obsolete B-17 bombers as explosive radio-controlled drones. This book is highly detailed with a superb range of photographs and illustrations.” —Warship World

“This is an absorbing account and is reccomended if you want to discover what actions were taken against the V-weapons.” —Chris May, Battlefield: Volume 24

From the Publisher