The 5th Airforce

The 5th US Army Air Force was officially created on 5 February 1942 in the urgency following the Japanese surprise attack at Pearl Harbor. At the outset, with limited means and equipped with obsolete materiel, its various units were tasked with defending Australia. Commanded by the charismatic Major-General George Kenney, it was progressively reinforced by new squadrons arriving from the United States. Better armed, the 5th Air Force fought in the long and ferocious New-Guinea campaign and took part in the allied conquest of various south west Pacific islands. Its tally of kills at the end of the war is indicative of its performance, with notably an un-equalled record of more than 3,400 aerial victories and the presence within its ranks of the two greatest American aces of all time, Majors Bong and McGuire. This massively illustrated book is the first real reference published on the colors and markings of the 5th Airforce.