num_pages: 472
description: During the summer months of 1944 a daily onslaught by V-1 jet-propelled flying bombs heading for London and southern England was countered in the skies of Kent and Sussex. To the pilots British press and bewildered public Hitler's 'secret weapons' became known variously as Divers Buzz Bombs Flying Bombs Doodlebugs Dingbats Robots Jet-Ships P-Planes Witches and even Farting Furies. But they were dangerous with thousands of civilians losing their lives. Launched from the Pas de Calais in France the V-1s came in over the Channel at between 1000 and 2000 feet at speeds approaching 400 mph. They proved a difficult target to intercept much less to bring down. However many fighter pilots did become 'aces' one alone accounting for 60 of them. By March 1945 when the aerial bombardment ended a staggering 10000 V-1s had been launched (including 1500 from the air). However with 42 per cent being destroyed by the defenses half of these alone by the RAF it is clear tens of thousands of people were saved. In this significant work respected historians detail every known success by the defending pilots of over 13 nationalities and where detected record all locations and casualties of V-1 impacts in London and the south east. In doing so they rely heavily not only on official documents and combat reports but also on the vital accounts of the pilots themselves and those on the ground many of which are quoted verbatim. 
language: English
title: Diver! Diver! Diver!: RAF and American Fighter Pilots Battle the V-1 Assault over South-East England, 1944-45
publisher: Grub Street Publishing