An Imperial War Museum book showcases Ted Dearberg’s rare color photographs, which highlight the key role that aerial battles played. From planes and people who flew them for bombing raids to the 320th bombardment group, these images will impress you, so don’t miss them!

Check them out for more information and start to see our world through photos!

Avro Lancasters of the 44 (Rhodesia) squadron in September 1942 from War in the Air: The Second World War in Color, which includes images of planes and people who flew them for bombing raids over Germany, desert warfare, training and squadron celebrations.

RAF pilots in training with the Embry-Riddle Company at Carlstrom Field near Arcadia in Florida in 1941. Ian Carter, author of War in the Air and senior curator at the Imperial War Museum, said: “Color photography was a rarity during the second world war; film was scarcely available and images were expensive to print. Each photograph has been carefully optimized by the museum’s team of expert restorers to bring back the accuracy, color and detail over the years, which have faded from both paper and memory”

Kittyhawk IIIs of the 112 squadron preparing to take off at a desert airstrip in Tunisia in April 1943

Sub-lieutenant Harold Salisbury preparing for a sortie in a Supermarine Seafire Mk of 736 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Yeovilton in September 1943

Hurricane Mk IIDs, known as ‘flying tin openers’ preparing for takeoff from Gabes, Tunisia, in April 1943

Instructors and pupils of No 20 Service Flying Training School posing with their North American Harvard Mk IIAs at Cranborne, Salisbury, in southern Rhodesia in 1943

The Wellington GR Mk XIII of 221 squadron flies over the Aegean in March 1945

Celebrations at Waddington to mark Lancaster R5868 (S-Sugar) reaching 100 missions while serving with 467 squadron in May 1944

Martin B-26 Marauders of the 441st squadron, 320th bombardment group in 1945