Kokoda Air Strikes - Anthony Cooper

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Andy in West Oz
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Kokoda Air Strikes - Anthony Cooper

Post by Andy in West Oz »

This is the latest book by the author of Darwin Spitfires and looks at operations over the Coral Sea, Guadalcanal and New Guinea as a single air campaign. A thick paperback of more than 500 pages but will be easy to read as the author has a nice writing style. Due out in Australia in July.

https://www.newsouthbooks.com.au/books/ ... irstrikes/
Andy Wright
Aircrew Book Review
I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library - Jorge Luis Borges

Andy in West Oz
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Re: Kokoda Air Strikes - Anthony Cooper

Post by Andy in West Oz »

A bit of what I wrote in the "what are you reading" thread. Good book. Get it if you can.

A good read and great overview of 1942 air ops. Quite sobering to see the poor results from high altitude bombing (despite the claims) and the generally poor organisation and supply the Allies had to contend with early on. The Japanese were just as hamstrung and very stretched. Indeed, the continuing theme throughout the book is one of the Japanese letting off the pressure on, say, Moresby, as they had to throw their forces at something else (or recover from strafing raids which were certainly the most effective offensive ops flown by the land-based Allied aircraft).

I recommend buying this book from a bookstore if you can as it is a large paperback that is prone to getting damaged in the post if not packaged well enough.
Andy Wright
Aircrew Book Review
I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library - Jorge Luis Borges

peregrine
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Re: Kokoda Air Strikes - Anthony Cooper

Post by peregrine »

[quote="Andy in West Oz"]A bit of what I wrote in the "what are you reading" thread. Good book. Get it if you can.

Andy - have you read Storm over Kokoda by Peter Ewer and, if so, how does it compare? I'm very interested in the air war around PNG at this time and have seen Kokoda Air Strikes in the local book shop but I'm not sure if there is much difference between the two books?
Anyone else have an opinion?

Thanks
Michael

Andy in West Oz
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Re: Kokoda Air Strikes - Anthony Cooper

Post by Andy in West Oz »

Hi Michael

Sorry to take so long to get back to you. Moved back to Victoria etc etc.

I have Storm Over Kokoda on the shelf but I haven't read it. Cooper's Kokoda Air Strikes is a re-analysis of the air battles of 1942 only. I say "re-analysis" as the author doesn't take anything for granted and pulls a lot of accepted 'truths' apart. Some of his analysis borders on the cynical but that's his style and, I think, natural approach which enables him to re-assess everything. I would grab a copy, mate, you'll like it.
Andy Wright
Aircrew Book Review
I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library - Jorge Luis Borges

peregrine
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Re: Kokoda Air Strikes - Anthony Cooper

Post by peregrine »

Ah thanks for this Andy.
I'll see if I can still get it,

Cheers
Michael

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