Air forces and warfare Books
Helion & Company War in Ukraine Volume 7
Book SynopsisContinues the detailed military history of this ongoing conflict, the largest in Europe since the end of the Second World War in 1945.On 24 February 2022, the Russian Federation launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine. Despite all predictions to the contrary, Ukraine survived the initial blow and repelled Russia?s attempts to seize Kyiv. As the war on the ground expanded from March through to June of 2022, so also it expanded in the air, and Russia?s Aerospace Forces (Vozdushno-kosmicheskiye Sily, VKS) fought the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (Povitriyani syly Zbroiynyh syl Ukrayini, PSZSU).Although largely outclassed in air-to-air combat by more advanced Russian aircraft and missiles, the PSZSU continued to fight an uneven contest using its manned aircraft and ground-based air defences to deny total control of the air to the VKS. Using aircraft from rough forward operating bases and learning to conduct missile engagements using guerilla tactics to avoid Russian suppression of enemy air defence missions, Ukraine inflicted painful losses on the enemy, but not without suffering many downed aircraft, destroyed missile systems, and personnel casualties in return. On the other hand, the VKS was often just as hampered by its own muddled leadership, flawed doctrine, and lack of a clear Russian airpower strategy that rendered it closely tied to the ground war and unable to exert a decisive influence on the conflict.In parallel to the air campaign, a war of rockets and missiles was being waged against tactical, operational and strategic targets on both sides that saw extensive use of artillery rocket systems, and ballistic and cruise missiles launched from the ground, at sea and from the air. While many of these missiles would be defeated by air defence systems, or simply miss their targets, others would inflict heavy damage.Volume 7 of the War in Ukraine strand in the Europe@War series draws on a wide range of sources to provide a detailed examination of the military aspects of the air and missile campaign that developed in the skies above Ukraine between March and June 2022. It includes overviews of the weapons systems employed by both sides, analysis of the tactics, and of the successes and failures of both sides, and a detailed account of the campaign for Snake Island that would see the sinking of Moskva, flagship of the Black Sea Fleet.War in Ukraine, Volume 7: Air and Missile Warfare, March-June 2022 is extensively illustrated throughout with original colour photographs, maps, diagrams and specially commissioned colour artworks illustrating this military campaign in the air.
£17.95
Schiffer Publishing Ltd A Pictorial History of the B2A Spirit Stealth
Book SynopsisThe history and development of Northrop's Flying Wings, from the innovative XB-35A to the B-2A Spirit.
£28.79
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Dassault Mirage
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£43.99
Schiffer Publishing Ltd German Aircraft Landing Gear
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£27.19
Schiffer Publishing Ltd FockeWulf Fw 190 Long Nose An Illustrated History
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£27.19
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Heinkel He 111
Book SynopsisA new pictorial history of one of the most significant aircraft of the Second World War.
£17.09
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Crazyhorse
Book SynopsisA unique and compelling story of an attack helicopter battalion at war in Iraq. Set during the beginning of "the Surge" in 2006-07.
£25.59
Schiffer Publishing Ltd P61 Black Widow
Book SynopsisThe complete history of the P-61 "Black Widow," one of the most advanced and most sinister-looking fighter aircraft of the Second World War.
£17.09
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Tokyo 194445
Book SynopsisThe full history of how the United States targeted and destroyed the Japanese capital from the air, in a ten-month long campaign by the US Army Air Force and the US Navy.In November 1944, the US Army Air Force launched a 111-plane B-29 strike against Tokyo, the first raid since the morale-boosting Doolittle Raid of 1942. From then until August 13, 1945, the United States would attack Tokyo 25 times, 20 from B-29s based in the Marianas and five from US Navy carrier task forces. The campaign included the single deadliest air raid in human history, when around 100,000 people were killed by the firestorm created by the Operation Meetinghouse raid of March 10, 1945.This book, the first to examine the full history of the United States' air campaign against the greatest target in Japan, looks at the USAAF's and US Navy's efforts to use air power to eliminate Tokyo's strategic value to the Empire. It considers how the campaign developed from daylight bombing toTable of Contents(Subject to confirmation) Introduction Chronology Attacker's Capabilities Defender's Capabilities Campaign Objectives The Campaign Aftermath and Analysis Conclusion Bibliography Index
£15.29
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Operation RoGo 1943
Book SynopsisA compelling account of the failure of Imperial Japan''s Operation Ro-Go, intended to take the offensive in the Solomons theater of the Pacific War, but which became Japan''s first line of defense against the Allies'' Rabaul raids and Bougainville landings.By the midpoint of World War II in the Pacific, Japan was on the defensive. At the end of 1943, after a year of tumultuous air combat around Rabaul and the Solomons, 173 Japanese aircraft were sent to Rabaul. The plan was for them to participate in Ro-Go Sakusen (known as Operation Ro, Ro-Go, or B) to strike Allied air power and shipping in the Solomons and to slow the American advance by severing Allied supply chains. However, instead of challenging Allied air and sea power on their own terms, the operation became unexpectedly embroiled in defensive combat and counterattacks, first to defend Rabaul from Allied air raids, and then to challenge the Allied landings at Bougainville. In one fell swoop, OperatiTable of Contents(subject to confirmation) INTRODUCTION CHRONOLOGY ATTACKER'S CAPABILITIES - Airfields - Radar - Torpedoes - Floatplanes - Zero-Sen - Judy - Val DEFENDER'S CAPABILITIES - Logistics and materiel - Strategy - Radar - Airpower CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES THE CAMPAIGN - Defending Torokina - The carrier forces strike – 2 November - The Fifth Air Force strikes – 2 November - First Rabaul attack - 5 November - Japanese resistance - RAAF night attack – 5 November - Notomi lost – 8 November - The Beaufort Push – 8–9 November - The 11 November Rabaul strike - Target Rabaul – again - The Bettys’ attack AFTERMATH BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX
£15.29
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Dornier Do 217
Book SynopsisEntering service in early 1941, the Dornier Do 217 was designed as an improved version of the Flying Pencil', the Do 17 bomber. The Do 217E-1 twin radial-engine bomber first flew in October 1940, the same month that the production of the Do 17 ceased. The Do 217 was initially used for conventional bombing and anti-shipping missions around the United Kingdom, including the infamous Baedeker Blitz against British provincial cities in 1942. The Do 217 was the main German bomber in this theatre until late 1943, when it started to be replaced by the Messerschmitt Me 410 and Junkers Ju 188. During this period, the Do 217E was improved, leading to the introduction of the Do 217K or M, the difference between the two being the engines. The Do 217 would be deployed in all of the Luftwaffe's campaigns and fronts in the Second World War. Curiously, though, the only operational units to use the type on the Eastern Front were the night reconnaissance units, aside from which only occasionally did
£21.25
Schiffer Publishing Ltd B58 Hustler
Book SynopsisChronicles the design, development, and wartime use of the iconic Mach 2 Convair B-58 Hustler.
£17.09
Schiffer Publishing Ltd P51 Mustang Vol. 1
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£18.04
Schiffer Publishing Ltd FA18EF Super Hornet and EA18G Growler
Book Synopsis
£17.09
Schiffer Publishing Ltd P51 Mustang Vol. 2
Book Synopsis
£17.09
Schiffer Publishing Ltd TBFTBM Avenger
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£17.09
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Antonovs Heavy Transports
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£43.99
Anness Publishing Bombers The World Encyclopedia of
Book SynopsisAn illustrated history and A-Z of bombers with 750 photographs, in a newly updated edition.
£13.50
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Crew: The Story of a Lancaster Bomber Crew
Book SynopsisA moving tribute to the sacrifice and bravery of the fliers of RAF Bomber Command. ****************************** The Crew, based on interviews with Ken Cook, the crew's sole surviving member, recounts the wartime exploits of the members of an Avro Lancaster crew between 1942 and the war's end. Gloucestershire-born bomb aimer Ken Cook, hard-bitten Australian pilot Jim Comans, Navigator Don Bowes, Upper Gunner George Widdis, Tail Gunner 'Jock' Bolland, Flight Engineer Ken Randle and Radio Operator Roy Woollford were seven ordinary young men living in extraordinary times, risking their lives in freedom's cause in the dark skies above Hitler's Reich. From their earliest beginnings – in places as far apart as a Cotswold village and the suburbs of Sydney – through the adventure of training in North America and the dread and danger of the forty-five bombing raids they flew with 97 Squadron, David Price describes the crew's wartime experiences with human sympathy allied to a secure technical understanding of one of the RAF's most iconic aircraft. The drama and anxiety of individual missions – to Kassel, Munich and Augsburg as well as Berlin – is evoked with thrilling immediacy; while the military events and strategic decisions that drove the RAF's area bombing campaign against Nazi Germany are interwoven deftly with the narrative of the crew's operational careers. ****************************** Reviews: 'A sensitive account of the bomber's life... Price has given the bomber offensive a human face. This book [...] has a heart and soul' The Times. 'A fascinating and fast-paced account of the exploits of an Avro Lancaster bomber crew from 97 Squadron RAF' The Herald. 'A remarkable insight into the bravery, determination and skill of British Bomber Command crews during WWII' Waterstones.Trade ReviewA sensitive account of the bomber's life... Price has given the bomber offensive a human face. This book [...] has a heart and soul' * The Times *A fascinating and fast-paced account of the exploits of an Avro Lancaster bomber crew from 97 Squadron RAF * Herald *His eyewitness account is frank about the dangers of the role * i newspaper *A remarkable insight into the bravery, determination and skill of British Bomber Command crews during WWII * Waterstones *This book uses [Ken Cook's] story of bravery to shed light on the Second World War bombing campaign * The Times *The story of one Lancaster bomber crew, and of its last surviving member, former bomb-aimer Ken Cook provides the focus for David Price's sobering and poignant book * Mail on Sunday *The drama and anxiety of individual missions is evoked with thrilling immediacy, while the military events and strategic decisions are interwoven deftly with the narrative of the crew's careers * Military History *
£9.49
Atlantic Books Spitfire: The Biography
Book SynopsisUpdated edition to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.It is difficult to overestimate the excitement that accompanied the birth of the Spitfire. An aircraft imbued with balletic grace and extraordinary versatility, it was powered by a piston engine and a propeller, yet came tantalisingly close to breaking the sound barrier. First flown in 1936, the Spitfire soon came to symbolize Britain's defiance of Nazi Germany in the summer of 1940.Spitfire: The Biography is a celebration of a great British invention, of the men and women who flew it and supported its development, and of the industry that manufactured both the aircraft and the Rolls-Royce engines that powered it. It is also about the ways in which the sight, sound and fury of this lithe and legendary fighter continue to stir the public imagination worldwide more than eighty years on.Trade ReviewHugely entertaining -- James HollandAn authoritative and comprehensive tribute to a unique aircraft. -- Adrian Swire * Spectator *A drama that cannot help take wing. The elements still excite the imagination and raise the heart. -- Tom Fort * Sunday Telegraph *Eclectic and entertaining -- Patrick Bishop * Literary Review *A wonderful book -- Rowland WhiteTable of Contents1: Of Monoplanes and Men 2: The Thin Blue Line 3: Survival of the Fittest 4: The Long Goodbye 5: First among Equals 6: The Spitfire Spirit
£8.49
Schiffer Publishing Ltd P8A Poseidon
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£17.09
Schiffer Publishing Ltd B29 Superfortress Vol. 1
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£17.09
Casemate Night Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe 194345
Book SynopsisThe week-long Allied bombing campaign against Hamburg in late July 1943 was not only hugely destructive but also had a significant impact on the German night fighter arm. From now on, the boxes of Kammhuber's Raumnachtjagd would be the starting point from which fighters would be led into the bomber stream as early as possible, a tactic dubbed Zahme Sau. The night fighters had to quickly adopt new freelance procedures, and also found themselves increasingly engaged in daylight operations. These actions resulted in heavy lossesespecially of experienced aceswhich the Nachtjagd could ill afford and struggled to replace.The winter of 1943/44 saw a series of huge raids on Berlin. Although hard pressed, the Nachtjagd aces were still able to score some heavy tactical victories. Over a thousand RAF Viermots were shot downmore than double the expected lossesbefore the campaign was cut short. New night fighter aces emerged, often former transport and reconnaissance pilots, and the upward firing armament of the Bf 110s and Ju 88s could cut swathes through the stream. However, by mid-1944, as the Allies advanced, the night fighter aces were forced into new roles, including ground-strafing armor and troop concentrations, a role for which they were clearly unsuited. A small number of Me 262 jets were deployed in a new NJG 11, but exclusively committed against the rapid twin-engined Mosquitos of the RAF's Light Night Striking Force. Heinkel He 219s were never available in significant numbers and prowling Mosquito intruders were an ever-present danger to Nachtjagd crews.While the surviving night fighter aces continued their defensive actions virtually every night, by March 1945 the Nachtjagd was in terminal decline. Of the 1,100 night fighter pilots and crew who claimed at least one victory, some 669 were lost, a casualty rate of around 74 percent.Fully illustrated and featuring newly translated personal accounts, this is a chronological account of the Luftwaffe night fighters in the second part of the war, covering major campaigns, the biographies of individual aces, and the details of their aircraft.
£22.46
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC SixDay War 1967
Book SynopsisOn one day in June, the balance of air power in the Middle East was turned upside down by perhaps the most ruthlessly effective air superiority campaign in history Operation Moked, or Focus. In 1967, the Israeli Air Force was outnumbered more than two to one by the jets of hostile Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Iraq. Operation Focus was Israel's ingenious strike plan to overturn the balance. At 0745hrs on June 6, Israeli jets hit Egypt's airfields simultaneously, first bombing runways and then strafing aircraft. Another 20 follow-up missions were already in the air, initially scheduled to hit every five minutes. This new history of Operation Focus explains how the concept for Focus was devised and meticulously planned, the astonishing rate of serviceability and turnaround speed it required from ground crews, and how the relentless tempo of strikes shattered one air force after another. It is the story of how Israel's vTable of ContentsIntroduction /Chronology /Attacker's Capabilities /Defender's Capabilities /Campaign Objectives /Order of Battle /The Campaign /Analysis /Conclusion /Bibliography /Index
£15.29
Schiffer Publishing Ltd AD and A1 Skyraider
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£18.04
Helion & Company Bombers at Suez: The RAF Bombing Campaign During
Book Synopsis
£16.10
Schiffer Publishing Ltd B25 Mitchell Vol. 1
Book SynopsisVolume 1 of our two-volume visual history of the North American B-25 Mitchell
£17.09
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Black Lion One
Book SynopsisAn exciting look at what it takes to command a US Navy Fighter Squadron.
£23.79
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Flight Craft Special 3 RAF Fighters Before the
Book SynopsisWhen the First World War ended the then recently established Royal Air Force was awash with aircraft of all descriptions. More surprising, perhaps, was the fact that despite an ongoing cull of obsolescing types, on the last day of 1919, the RAF still possessed 9,122 non-obsolete aircraft , with a further 1,100 more assigned to the Fleet Air Arm. Whilst the famous SE.5A and Sopwith Camel had by this time largely been consigned to history, the RAF possessed no less than 1,860 Sopwith Snipes which, from 1920, would become the RAF's standard single-seat fighter for years to come. Other core types on charge on 31 December 1919 included some 1,650 Bristol F.2B fighters and 1,250 de Havilland DH.9As, which, together with the Snipe, accounted for over fifty per cent of the RAF's inventory at that time. Avro 504 training aircraft accounted for a further 2,700 airframes. In this Flight Craft Special, the authors provide a detailed and informative pictorial history of those scout/fighter airc
£23.27
Amber Books Ltd Military Jet Aircraft
Book SynopsisMilitary Jet Aircraft provides a detailed look at more than 50 of the most important jet-engine aircraft developed between 1945 and the present day. Aircraft profiled include dedicated interceptors, bombers, and reconnaissance platforms, as well as modern multirole warplanes such as the F-22, F-35, and Sukhoi Su-27. Each aircraft is introduced with large-format artwork in full color, showing every detail of the aircraft in action wearing authentic markings. Detailed annotations indicate innovative design features and other points of interest. An in-depth description of each aircraft follows, profiling its design and manufacturing development and active deployment history, alongside action photographs and a comprehensive specifications panel giving information on dimensions, power plant, performance, and armament. Aircraft featured include such famous types as the Avro Vulcan, Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, Northrop B-2A Spirit, and Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21. Accessible and comprehensive, Military Jet Aircraft will appeal to anyone interested in discovering more about modern military aviation.
£21.24
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Convair B-36 Peacemaker: Cold War Nuclear Bomber
Book SynopsisThe story of the Consolidated B-36 is unique in American aviation history. The aircraft was an interesting blend of concepts proven during the Second World War combined with budding 1950s high-tech systems. The program survived near-cancellation on six separate occasions during an extremely protracted development process. It was also the symbol of a bitter inter-service rivalry between the newly-formed US Air Force and the well-established US Navy over which of which of the two organizations would control the delivery of atomic weapons during the early years of the Cold War. Entering service in 1948, the B-36 was a remarkable design. It was the largest mass-produced piston-engine aircraft ever built, having the longest wingspan of any combat aircraft in history. Importantly, in terms of the developing Cold War at least, the B-36 was the first bomber capable of delivering any of the weapons in America's nuclear arsenal without modification. To achieve this part of its role, the Peacemaker had an operational range of 10,000 miles, being capable of intercontinental flight without refuelling. It is difficult to imagine a modern aircraft remaining airborne for two days without refuelling - but such missions were relatively routine for the B-36 crews. Whilst there were, at the time of its service, questions around its flight speed, the Peacemaker flew so high that this was considered of little concern - few fighters of its era could reach the same altitudes, and operational surface-to-air missiles were still in the future. The B-36, despite its seemingly conventional appearance, pushed the state-of-the-art technology further than any other aircraft of its era. Its sheer size brought with it structural challenges, while its high-altitude capabilities led to engine cooling and associated problems. However, all of these were finally overcome, and the B-36 served well as the first Big Stick' of the Cold War.
£35.65
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Blitz 194041
Book SynopsisAn illustrated history of how the Luftwaffe intended ''the Blitz'' to knock Britain out of the war, emphasising the German point of view and detailing how Britain''s defences and civilians responded.The Blitz - the German ''blitzkrieg'' of Britain''s industrial and port cities - was one of the most intensive bombing campaigns of World War II. Cities from London to Glasgow, Belfast to Hull, and Liverpool to Cardiff were targeted in an attempt to destroy Britain''s military-industrial facilities and force it out of the war.Most histories of the Blitz concentrate on the civilian experience of ''life under the bombs'' or the fighter pilots of the RAF but, in military terms, the Blitz was also the Luftwaffe''s biggest and most ambitious strategic bombing campaign. Focusing on both sides, this book places particular emphasis on the hitherto under-represented Luftwaffe view of the campaign and looks at the new technology and Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION CHRONOLOGY ATTACKER'S CAPABILITIES Luftwaffe order of battle, 7 September, 1941 Doctrine The aircraft Equipment and tactics DEFENDER'S CAPABILITIES RAF order of battle, 7 September, 1941 Civil defence The aircraft Commanders CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES THE CAMPAIGN The Blitz begins, 7 September-13 October The night assault The conflict over future strategy The London Blitz renewed Fighter defence The campaign on the Midlands and Southern ports Regenschirm: The Birmingham Blitz 'Crucible': Sheffield The Manchester Blitz The Southampton Blitz London campaign renewed The Anti-Aircraft Contribution Bromide, Domino and Starfish The Battle of the ports The Swansea and Cardiff Blitzes The Clydebank Blitz- Problems over Bristol Hull, Plymouth-Devonport London The Anti-shipping campaign AFTERMATH AND ANALYSIS BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX
£15.29
Pen & Sword Books Ltd F35 In Service
Book SynopsisA fascinating insight into a very topical aircraft design.
£45.00
Crecy Publishing Propeller Twilight: The Last Generation of
Book SynopsisThis book examines the last generation of high-performance British propeller-driven fighters, types such as the Firecrest, late mark Spitfires and Seafires, Spiteful and Seafang, Sea Fury, late mark Tempests, Hornet and Sea Hornet, M.B.5 and Wyvern. From about 1942 onwards these extraordinary and very complex aeroplanes brought British piston fighter development to its zenith, but then in a very short space of time the new jet engine wiped this generation away. Perhaps it would not have been possible to take piston power any further anyway but the turboprop might have been a longer-term alternative, though in the end the only British type with this form of powerplant would be the Westland Wyvern naval strike fighter.Chapters look at the engines involved including the Rolls-Royce Merlin 130 series, Griffon and Eagle, Napier Sabre and Bristol Centaurus, propellor developments (contra-rotating) and then take each fighter type in turn. The coverage described their development and testing and includes quotes and passes from flight test reports.Additional appendices look at some British one-off designs and testbed programmes, then the only fighter types flown abroad powered by these engine types (the Australian CA-15 and Argentine IAe 30) and finally two similiar unbuilt projects proposed by Sweden (the J 27 Mustang lookalike) and Switzerland (the N-6). Illustrated with over 300 photos, many previously unpublished, this is a must for enthusiasts of World War II aviation and the history of the British fighter.
£29.71
Fonthill Media LLc Hermann Goering: Beer Hall Putsch to Nazi Blood
Book SynopsisIn 1919, Hermann Goering went to Denmark as a stunt flyer, then on to Sweden to fly passengers, one of whom introduced the daredevil to his future first wife, a then married Swedish Countess; they scandalized Stockholm. Goering joined the Nazi Party, as commander of the early SA Stormtroopers. In the celebrated Beer Hall Putsch of 1923, Goering was severely wounded, and fled. Thus began a four-year exile in which Goering became a practising morphine addict in Austria, Italy, and Sweden, and was committed to an insane asylum in a straitjacket. Goering returned to Germany under a political amnesty, and blackmailed Hitler into putting him up for election to the Reichstag as a Nazi candidate in 1928. He won, and four years later, was elected its President.He helped convince Germany's power elite to name Hitler Reich Chancellor on 30 January 1933. Taking over Prussia's police force-and during the upheaval of the Reichstag fire and trial-Goering ruthlessly smashed all non-Nazi parties. Then came the inter-Party Blood Purge of the Night of the Long Knives of 30 June 1934 that Goering directed in Berlin.This cemented his position as the Fuhrer's second-in-command, after having been declared insane!
£22.50
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC TSR2
Book SynopsisThe TSR2 is one of the greatest what-if aircraft of the Cold War, whose cancellation still generates anger and controversy among aviation fans. It was a magnificent, cutting-edge aircraft, one of the most striking of the Cold War, but fell victim to cost overruns, overambitious requirements, and politics. Its scrapping marked the point when Britain''s aerospace industry could no longer build world-class aircraft independently. After the demise of TSR2 the RAF''s future jets would be modified US aircraft like the Phantom and pan-European collaborations like Tornado and Typhoon.In this book the eminent air power analyst and ex-Vulcan bomber pilot Andrew Brookes takes a fresh, hard-headed look at the TSR2 project, telling the story of its development, short career, and cancellation, and evaluating how it would have performed in Cold War strike roles as well as in the recent wars in the Middle East.Table of ContentsIntroduction Origins Political Backdrop Project Overview Avionics Flight Test Cancellation What if TSR2 Survived? Comparisons with F-111 and Tornado Further Reading Index
£14.39
Imperial War Museum Squadron Airborne
Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1940, the Battle of Britain rages in the skies over southern England. Nineteen-year-old Pilot Officer Peter Stuyckes arrives at RAF Westhill and is immediately put to the test. Based on the author's own service as an RAF Flight Engineer,Squadron Airborne takes place over one unforgettable week that summer, depicting with intensity and brilliance the work of the many ground-crew and other staff as they support the Few in their fight against the Luftwaffe. The novel is published to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain in September 2020.Trade Review“Fantastically engaging. . . . Fast-paced and atmospheric. . . . This fictional work depicts the responsibilities which rested on such young soldiers in that frenetic summer and the collective strength and courage which was required to ensure victory.” * Militaria & History *"A hidden masterpiece." -- Patrick Bishop, author of Air Force Blue: The RAF in World War Two"Inspirational." -- Frederick Forsyth, author of The Day of the Jackal
£8.54
Pan Macmillan Bomber Command
Book Synopsis'A brilliant tour-de-force' - Times Literary SupplementBomber Command is acclaimed historian Sir Max Hastings' compelling account of one of the most controversial struggles of the Second World War.RAF Bomber Command’s offensive against the cities of Germany was one of the epic campaigns of the Second World War. More than 56,000 British and Commonwealth aircrew and 600,000 Germans died in the course of the RAF’s attempt to win the war by bombing. The struggle began in 1939 with a few primitive Whitleys, Hampdens and Wellingtons, and ended six years later with 1,600 Lancasters, Halifaxes and Mosquitoes razing whole cities in a single night.Max Hastings traced the developments of area bombing using a wealth of documents, letters, diaries and interviews with key surviving witnesses. Bomber Command is, in turn, a fascinating, meticulously-researched, and vivid assessment of the RAF's integral role in the Second World War.Trade ReviewProbably the most brilliant use of anecdotal material that has so far come out of the Second World War . . . A brilliant tour-de-force. * Times Literary Supplement *This is the most critical book yet written about Bomber Command . . . it is also far and away the best * The Economist *Table of ContentsSection - i: List of Illustrations Section - ii: Foreward Section - iii: Prologue: Norfolk and Heligoland Bight, 18 December 1939 Chapter - 1: In the Beginning, Trenchard: British Bomber Policy, 1917-40 Chapter - 2: 82 Squadron, Norfolk, 1940-41 Chapter - 3: 10 Squadron, Yorkshire, 1940-41 Chapter - 4: Crisis of Confidence, 1941-42 Chapter - 5: The Coming of Area Bombing Chapter - 6: 50 Squadron, Lincolnshire, 1942 Chapter - 7: Protests and Policy, 1942-43 Chapter - 8: 76 Squadron, Yorkshire, 1943 Chapter - 9: The Other Side of the Hill: Germany 1940-44 Chapter - 10: Bomber Command Headquarters, Buckinghamshire, 1943-44 Chapter - 11: Conflict and Compromise, 1943-44 Chapter - 12: Pathfinders: 97 Squadron, Lincolnshire, 1944 Chapter - 13: 'A Quiet Trip All Round': Darmstadt, 11/12 September 1944 Chapter - 14: Saturation Chapter - 15: The Balance Sheet Section - iv: Appendix A: Bomber Command sorties dispatched and aircraft missing and written off, 1939-45 Section - v: Appendix B: Specifications and performance of the principal aircraft of Bomber Command and Luftwaffe night-fighters, 1939-45 Section - vi: Appendix C: Letter to Sir Norman Bottomley from Sir Arthur Harris Section - vii: Appendix D: British and German production of selected armanents, 1940-44 Section - viii: Appendix E: Schedule of German Cities subjected to area attack by Bomber Command, 1942-45 Section - ix: Appendix F: Comparative Allied and German aircraft production, 1939-45 Section - x: Bibliography and a note on sources Section - xi: Notes and references Section - xii: Glossary od ranks, abbreviations and codenames Acknowledgements - xiii: Acknowledgements Index - xiv: Index
£14.44
Schiffer Publishing Ltd The Bell AH1 Cobra
Book SynopsisTrade Review"This big book widely illustrated with 226 photos and profiles tells the evolution of the legendary Bell AH-1 Cobra. Author Lüdeke describes in detail the quick and successful development of the sleek Model 209 and how it solved the dramatic lack of an effective CAS on the Vietnam theatre. Notwithstanding the common matrix with the simple UH-1 Huey (the AH-1G and UH-1C had 80 % of parts in common) the Cobra evolved during the years in a very effective and devastating battle tank of the air and the text tells in an authoritative and straightforward style the long way from the AH-1G to the AH-1Z. The other chapters treat all the variants and their combat records, from the Vietnamese jungles to the Iraqi deserts and the Hindukush valleys in Afghanistan. All the Cobras export users are also described, and beautiful and rare shots contribute to a nice book on a true legend of the air." - Marco De Montis, Aerospace Journalist.
£27.19
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Ju 88 Aces of World War 2
Book SynopsisInitially designed as a fast medium bomber, the Junkers Ju 88 was also used as a Zerstörer heavy fighter by the Luftwaffe. It saw its combat debut over Poland in 1939, and heavy fighter variants saw action on every front up to VE Day. The ultimate Ju 88 fighter variant was the G-model of 1944, which boasted a FuG 220 or 227 radar, an astounding array of cannon and machine gun armament and advanced Junkers Jumo or BMW engines. A dedicated nightfighter, the first Ju 88G-1s entered service with the Nachtjagd in the summer of 1944, replacing Ju 88C/Rs as well as some Bf 110Gs. Despite suffering heavy losses in the final months of the war, Ju 88Gs also inflicted serious casualties on Bomber Command throughout the war.From patrolling over the Bay of Biscay, to the Arctic circle opposing Allied convoys and, most successfully, as radar-equipped nightfighters engaging RAF heavy bombers during defence of the Reich operations from late 1941, this is the story of tTable of ContentsChapter One: Early Beginnings Chapter Two: Radarless Nightfighters Chapter Three: Bloody Bay of Biscay Chapter Four: Arctic Operations Chapter Five: Ju 88G – Ultimate Nightfighter Appendices Index
£14.39
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Hawker Hurricane
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£17.09
Schiffer Publishing Ltd B25 Mitchell Vol. 2
Book SynopsisVolume 2 of our two-volume visual history of the North American B-25 Mitchell.
£17.09
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Douglas A1 Skyraider
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£16.14
Schiffer Publishing Ltd De Havilland Mosquito Vol. 2
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£17.09
The History Press Ltd Fighter Pilot
Book SynopsisOriginally published in September 1941, it was the first such account of air combat against the Luftwaffe in France in the Second World War, and it struck an immediate chord with a British public enthralled by the exploits of its young airmen.
£9.99
Princeton University Press Rhetoric and Reality in Air Warfare
Book SynopsisExamines how Anglo-American ideas about "strategic" bombing were formed and implemented. This book argues that ideas about bombing civilian targets rested on - and gained validity from - widespread but substantially erroneous assumptions about the nature of modern industrial societies and their vulnerability to aerial bombardment.Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2002 "Well written, full of nuance and detail, and solidly researched. Biddle has done a thorough job of cutting through the thicket of contradictions and fantasies that surround the strategic bombing debate from 1914 to 1945."--Dominick A. Pisano, Military History "There are books about military ideas and books about military practice. This work by a talented young historian integrates the two forms. In addition to a deft pen and an eye for wry anecdote, Biddle possesses an instinct for the ways in which ideas about new forms of warfare germinate, spread, and are adopted in the absence of good data. The importance of this book therefore not only stems from what it tells the reader about how the two great air powers of the first half of the twentieth century thought about this new instrument of war. It also offers cautionary lessons in an age of radical military change. Sleek and dazzling new technology is one thing; sensible doctrine for its use in war is another."--Foreign Affairs "This is one of the most cogent, in-depth analyses of an important international historical controversy. Biddle's insight into the persistence of cognitive structures and processes serves as a model for future historical inquiry."--Choice "An extremely well-crafted history... [It] can now be recommended as the best treatment of its subject matter in a single volume."--John Gooch, International History Review "Tami Davis Biddle ... has set air power into its widest historical contexts yet and, while many of her arguments are not entirely new, has advanced the field considerably with a well-researched and carefully thought-out book."--Michael S. Neiberg, American Historical Review "By synthesizing so many complex issues, Biddle offers a landmark piece of scholarship that should appeal to both experts and history enthusiasts through its balance, lucidity, and clarity."--Guillaume de Syon, Air Power History "Anyone interested in understanding the United States Air Force's bombing operations in Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Afghanistan over the past decade should begin by reading this book. Today's aircraft and weapons differ dramatically from those used over the western front in World War I, but--as Tami Davis Biddle points out--ideas about strategic bombing from that era have remained remarkably resilient... Biddle's work should be read by anyone interested in understanding the shaping of ideas behind the use of military force and how these ideas ultimately affect political decisions."--Thomas E. Griffith, Jr., American DiplomacyTable of ContentsAcknowledgments vii Introduction 1 Chapter One The Beginning: Strategic Bombing in the First World War 11 Chapter Two Britain in the Interwar Years 69 Chapter Three The United States in the Interwar Years 128 Chapter Four Rhetoric and Reality, 1939-1942 176 Chapter Five The Combined Bomber Offensive, 1943-1945 214 Conclusion 289 Notes 303 Bibliography of Archival Sources 387 Index 391
£38.25
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Boeing 707 Group A History
Book SynopsisAn illustrated history of the iconic Boeing 707.
£25.49
Amber Books Ltd Modern Military Aircraft: Development, Weaponry,
Book SynopsisModern Military Aircraft is a fascinating guide to the most important military aircraft developed since World War II. This highly illustrated book features a wide range of aircraft that served in the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, conflicts in the Middle East and the Falklands. Types of aircraft range from front line fighters to reconnaissance aircraft to bombers to interceptors and helicopters. Spanning such famous planes as the Lockheed Blackbird and the MiG-21, Modern Military Aircraft also includes lesser-known examples such as the South African Atlas Cheetah and the EH101 Merlin helicopter. Arranged by countries, each of the 75 featured aircraft is presented with outstanding fully annotated three-view colour artworks, development and service history, specification tables and colour and black-&-white photographs. With a wealth of information and splendidly presented, this book is a must for aviation enthusiasts.Table of ContentsIntroduction Czech Republic/Slovakia France Italy International Israel Japan South Africa Sweden Taiwan United Kingdom United States USSR/Russia Index
£11.69
