Brotherhood of the Flying Coffin by Scott McGaugh

Pegasus Archive review: The use of gliders in the US and British militaries was a short-lived phenomenon ultimately rendered obsolete by the introduction of helicopters and the ability to parachute drop vehicles and heavy equipment, but throughout the Second World War they were an absolutely essential component of airborne warfare, transporting additional infantry, at times with pinpoint precision on their objectives, as well as carrying jeeps, artillery and even light tanks, the use of all of which would have been otherwise impossible. This book, slanted more towards the American point of view, uses a variety of primary sources to examine the training and experiences of the men who flew these slow and vulnerable craft, from the first operation in Sicily in 1943 through to the Rhine Crossing in 1945, vividly conveying the difficulties they faced as they ran a gauntlet of anti-aircraft fire before carrying out a landing which was in effect little more than a controlled crash, sometimes at night, on zones which were strewn with lethal obstacles and under enemy fire. Copies may be purchased from Amazon or Osprey Publishing.

United States Airborne Divisions 1942-2018 by Michael Green

Pegasus Archive review: The United States was quick to appreciate the importance of airborne troops, and raised five divisions during the Second World War, forging a reputation as an elite in the truest sense of the word. The 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions endure to this day and have maintained this tradition both in peace and war, serving in Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, both Gulf Wars, and Afghanistan. This rather large and superbly illustrated entry in the Images of War series documents their rich history, and using a large range of carefully selected and mostly colour photographs, it excellently chronicles their evolution from the relatively lightly-armed units of the Second World War, hampered by the limitations of their transport aircraft, to the fantastically equipped and supported formations of the modern era. Price: £12.99. Copies may be purchased from Amazon or Pen and Sword.

Hitler's D-Day Defences by Philip Kaplan

Pegasus Archive review: Feldmarschall Rommel was completely correct in his view that the first 24 hours of the Allied invasion of France would be decisive, and that if they were able to secure a foothold then it was inevitable that his forces would eventually be overwhelmed by their superior strength, supplies and near complete dominance of the skies. His answer was the Atlantic Wall; the vast and impressive chain of fortifications stretching along almost the entirety of the western coastline of occupied Europe, and which he hoped would severely disrupt the invasion forces as they waded ashore and deny them a viable beachhead. This richly illustrated book, which includes many large photographs of the Atlantic Wall at the time and its surviving sections today, describes its elaborate construction, the different types of defensive systems employed, and the plans and experiences of those who both assaulted and defended it. Price: £12.99. Copies may be purchased from Amazon or Pen and Sword.