This is the incredible history of the dive bomber told from both official records and eyewitness accounts. It tears away the many myths and misrepresentations that surrounded this type of warplane and presents a truly original and detailed history, from the first true combat dive bombing by an RAF pilot in 1917 to the last stirring wartime actions. Interviews with the pilots who flew the combat missions in dive bombing aircraft of all the combatant nations give unique first-hand eyewitness viewpoints on many of the major actions and methods employed. From a detailed description of what it was like to fly the very first dive-bomber missions into Poland on 1st September, 1939; through equally enthralling accounts of British attacks on German warships during the Norwegian campaign; Stuka missions against the French and British forces in May and June, 1940, and on throughout the war. Some well known aircraft types include the Curtiss Helldiver, Aichi D3A1, Blackburn Skua and the infamous Junkers Ju 87 'Stuka'. AUTHOR: Peter C. Smith is well-0known to aviation and maritime history readers with 65 previously published books. Amongstvthese are Skua, Destroyer Leader and Into the Minefields. He has spent years on this book culling obscure files and documents of data that had lain, unread and unheeded since first written. << SELLING POINTS: First-hand accounts from pilots of all nationalities who flew the dive bomber. << What it was like to fly the terrifying Luftwaffe Stuka. >> Covers all theatres of WWII. 36 b/w photos