POLISH ACES OF WORLD WAR 2 (AIRCRAFT OF THE ACES, 21)

Pilots of the Polish Air Force saw action from the first day of World War 2 until the final victory in Europe. Flying hopelessly outmoded P.11 fighters in defence of their country in September 1939, a handful of aviators inflicted serious losses on the Luftwaffe before being overwhelmed. The survivors escaped to then neutral Hungary and Romania, before being ordered to France by the new C-in-C of exiled Polish Armed Forces, General Sikorski. With the invasion of Western Europe in May 1940, the surviving pilots were once more thrust into desperate action in newly-formed Polish units

Robert Gretzyngier is a co-editor of Poland's most pre-eminent monthly aviation journal, Skrzydlata Polska, and has researched the subject of Polish aces more thoroughly than most other aviation historians in Europe. Indeed, his knowledge of non-Polish RAF aces in general rivals that of many British historians.

Wojtek Matusiak is a co-editor of Poland's most pre-eminent monthly aviation journal, Skrzydlata Polska, and has researched the subject of Polish aces more thoroughly than most other aviation historians in Europe. Indeed, his knowledge of non-Polish RAF aces in general rivals that of many British historians.

Iain Wyllie was one of Britain's leading - and most prolific - aviation cover artists. A native of Northern Ireland, he trained as a naval draughtsman and became a full-time aviation artist in the late 1980s. He has been responsible for creating numerous cover artworks for Osprey Publishing's hugely successful Aircraft of the Aces and Combat Aircraft series since 1994. His artwork is synonymous with originality of subject, intricate detail and technical accuracy.

MIKE CHAPPELL comes from an Aldershot family with British Army connections stretching back several generations. He enlisted as a teenage private in the Royal Hampshire Regiment in 1952 and retired in 1974, as RSM of the 1st Battalion The Wessex Regiment (Rifle Volunteers), after seeing service in Malaya, Cyprus, Swaziland, Libya, Germany, Ulster and home garrisons. He began painting military subjects in 1968 and has gained worldwide popularity as a military illustrator. Mike has written and illustrated many books for Osprey.