Air forces and warfare Books
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Vought F4U Corsair
Book SynopsisFirst flown in 1940, the prototype Vought F4U Corsair instantly became the fastest fighter in the world and the fastest US aircraft of any description. Powered by a huge 18-cylinder Pratt and Whitney Double Wasp engine driving an enormous 13 feet 4 inch propeller, the first Corsairs were capable of 417mph. This figure would rise to nearly 450mph in later versions. Production began in 1941, not only by Vought but also by Goodyear and Brewster, and the F4U entered service with the US Navy in September 1942. The aircraft subsequently came to be extensively used from land and sea by the US Marines, Royal Navy and Royal New Zealand Air Force. Famous squadrons like VMF-214 'The Black Sheep' and VF-17 'Jolly Rogers', along with many others, maintained total ascendancy over the Japanese for the rest of the war - a remarkable achievement for a single type. After the Second World War the Corsair remained in production and was used with distinction by the French in Indo-China and again by the US Navy in Korea. Since then Corsairs have achieved significant success in air races and more and more are being restored to fly for museums and warbird enthusiasts the world over. This comprehensive new book combines technical information and detailed development history with a fascinating combat history told, in many cases, by the Second World War and Korean War pilots themselves. Well researched, readable and illustrated with scores of rare and previously unpublished photographs, Vought F4U Corsair is the perfect book for any fan of the 'bent wing bird'.
£13.49
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Eyewitness RAF: The Experience of War, 1939-1945
Book SynopsisMuch has been written about the Royal Air Force during the Second World War-memoirs, biographies, histories of Fighter and Bomber commands, technical studies of the aircraft, accounts of individual operations and exploits - but few books have attempted to take the reader on a journey through basic training and active service as air or ground crew and eventual demobilization at the end of the war. That is the aim of James Goulty's Eyewitness RAF. Using a vivid selection of testimony from men and women, he offers a direct insight into every aspect of wartime life in the service. Throughout the book the emphasis is on the individual's experience of the RAF - the preparations for flying, flying itself, the daily routines of an air base, time on leave, and the issues of discipline, morale and motivation. A particularly graphic section describes, in the words of the men themselves, what it felt like to go on operations and the impact of casualties - airmen who were killed, injured or taken prisoner. A fascinating varied inside view of the RAF emerges which is perhaps less heroic and glamorous than the image created by some post-war accounts, but it gives readers today a much more realistic appreciation of the whole gamut of life in the RAF seventy years ago.
£21.25
Fonthill Media Ltd RAF and USAAF Airfields in the UK
Book SynopsisShortly after the end of the Second World War, the United Kingdom was described as one vast aircraft carrier anchored off the coast of Europe. During a seven year period 500 airfields were constructed to serve the needs first of the RAF and later the USAAF as they carried the war to German-occupied Europe. The airfields that were constructed took many different forms from training airfields and Advanced Landing Grounds to grass fighter airstrips and vast complexes used to accommodate heavy bombers. This book charts the history of each Second World War airfield in and around the UK providing a unique insight in to the construction, operational life and post-war history of each airfield. Alongside detailing the history of each airfield, this work comprehensively records the details of each unit that operated from airfields around the UK. The information provided in this meticulously researched book is supported by a wealth of 690 photographs providing an illustration into the life of each wartime station.
£47.50
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Savoia-Marchetti S.79 Sparviero Torpedo-Bomber
Book SynopsisItaly’s most successful wartime bomber, the S.79 saw combat with the Regia Aeronautica in France, Yugoslavia, Greece, North Africa, East Africa and in the Mediterranean. Initially developed as a transport, the aircraft evolved into a dedicated medium bomber during the Spanish Civil War in 1936. The manufacturer then produced the S.79-II torpedo-bomber which entered service in 1939 – which primarily saw service against the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean. Illustrated with 30 full colour profiles of the main units that saw action with either the Regia Aeronautica or the ANR, this title is the first of two volumes to cover the development history and wartime performance of the S.79.Table of Contents1940 /1941 /1942 /1943 /1944-45 /Appendices A) S.79 RA and ANR units B) Awards to notable Italian S.79 torpedo-bomber pilots C) S.79 torpedo-bomber warship victories D) S.79 torpedo-bombers merchant ship victories E) Colour Plates Commentary
£999.99
Crecy Publishing Shady Lady: 1,500 Hours Flying The U-2 Spy Plane
Book SynopsisAt the very edge of the atmosphere, invisible against the deep indigo sky, lurks a spy plane so sophisticated that it replaced the SR-71 Blackbird some 30 years ago. Its flat black shark-like skin deflects and absorbs all but the most advanced radars, leaving it to roam undetected while silently gathering detailed intelligence. Considered a ''National Asset'' the U-2 Dragon Lady, in its various forms, has been in continuous military service for over six decades. Indeed she is deemed so important that she has enjoyed three separate production runs at the super-secret Lockheed ''Skunk Works'', each time emerging with new and highly classified intelligence gathering capabilities.Rick Bishop, a former U-2 pilot, takes the reader deep into the Black World of ''air-breathing'' (non-satellite) reconnaissance, with a revealing and detailed account of the trials and challenges of flying a machine widely acknowledged as ''the most dangerous aircraft in the world'', as well as revealing the personalities and adventures of some of the elite cadre of hand-selected pilots who have the right stuff to tame the Dragon Lady. From the gruelling two-week interview process, through early training flights to many exploits flying top-secret missions around the world, and his eventual rise to Commander, the author sheds new light on a world that is largely unknown outside the tight-knit fraternity of U-2 pilots and support personnel.
£10.76
Key Publishing Ltd Russian Air Power
Book SynopsisRussia has an extensive history of domestic military aircraft manufacture and a vast array of air power at its disposal. Despite comprehensive plans to upgrade, renew and replace ageing aircraft and weaponry, heavy sanctions have exposed the country's reliance on Western technology, and challenged Russia's ability to acquire materials and equipment. Russia's air capability has been tested in its war in Ukraine and the weaknesses of its power exposed. This comprehensive guide details the different types of aircraft that the Russian military has at its disposal including fighters, bombers, surveillance, intelligence and reconnaissance aircraft, helicopters, support vehicles, uncrewed weaponry, and maritime aircraft. Within these categories, each aircraft type is detailed, including its production history, life upgrades, weaponry capability and current use in warfare. A detailed specification provides aircraft dimensions, weight, performance, powerplant and armament where appropriate. Packed with more than 275 photographs, this book also provides an overview of Russia's aerospace forces, with command centres, units and squadrons for the army, navy and air powers all detailed.
£999.99
Key Publishing Ltd Airborne Early Warning Aircraft
Book SynopsisAirborne early warning (AEW) has been used since 1941 but, until the computer revolution of the late 1970s, was restricted in its operation to maritime use. Since the 1980s, AEW aircraft have become the must-have force multiplier of any first-rate armed force and as such are worthy of analysis. From the RAF's Wellington ACI of 1941 and the Elgar operations of 1944 to the Boeing E-7 Wedgetails that will enter service next year, the UK has paved the way in AEW technology, albeit not with the greatest success. The Americans, following Britain's lead and taking a hammering from the kamikaze, modified a snorkel-detection radar to detect aircraft and developed the first operational bespoke AEW aircraft with Project Cadillac. That radar would remain in service on the RAF's Shackleton AEW2 until 1991 when it was replaced by the Boeing E-3D Sentry AEW1 in RAF Service. In the intervening period, many attempts to produce an AEW system for use over land failed, until the E-3 Sentry came on the scene in the late 1970s. This became the benchmark for AEW aircraft and is only now being replaced by Boeings E-7 Wedgetail. On the maritime front, Grumman's E-2 Hawkeye became a popular choice, especially once an overland capability was achieved in the 1980s. The Royal Navy's loss of ships in the South Atlantic prompted the resurrection of earlier work on a helicopter AEW system that became the Sea King ASaC7 and today's Merlin Crowsnest operated from the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. Elsewhere, the Soviets produced the Moss, based on the Tupolev Bear via the Cleat airliner but the subsequent Beriev A-50 Mainstay has become the AEW platform of choice in non-aligned countries such as India. China has taken the bit between its teeth and having bought a few Mainstays, has developed a plethora of AEW aircraft in the last 20 years. Due to the massive power requirements of radars and their associated computers, AEW aircraft were large, generally converted airliners. Since the mid-1990s a new generation of smaller types based on feeder liners and bizjets have appeared and make the role accessible to smaller air forces. In the vanguard of this is SAAB, whose Erieye systems have been applied to a variety of aircraft.
£15.29
Key Publishing Ltd Storms Over Ireland
Book SynopsisIn this book, illustrated with over 120 images, Pete London examines the hisotry of the Irish Air Wars.
£999.99
Key Publishing Ltd US Navy and Marine Corps Airpower Yearbook 2024
Book Synopsis
£9.49
Anness Publishing World Encyclopedia of Fighters and Bombers
Book SynopsisThis authoritative volume is divided into two main sections covering fighters and bombers. Each traces the development of the aircraft from their first appearance, details their role in major conflicts, and analyses how technological improvements have affected their performance. Special feature topics include nightfighters, bombers of the Spanish Civil War, inflight refuelling, the Gulf Wars and fighter pilot equipment in the 21st century. Within each section are comprehensive A-Z directories, together covering a total of 300 aircraft, each accompanied by identification photographs. Detailed specification boxes are featured for every aircraft listed, and a glossary of key aviation terms is included at the back of the book.
£999.99
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Dornier Do 17 the Luftwaffe's 'Flying Pencil':
Book SynopsisFor the first three years of the Second World War, the Dornier Do 17 was the Luftwaffe's principal light bomber. Designed to be fast enough to outrun contemporary fighter aircraft, the Dornier helped to spearhead Germany's Blitzkrieg as Hitler's armies raced through Poland and then France and the Low Countries. Until its withdrawal to secondary duties in 1941, the Dornier Do 17 served in every theatre of war involving German forces. This included the invasion of the Balkans and Greece as well as the battle to capture Crete. After suffering heavy losses at the hands of Fighter Command in the Battle of Britain, the Do 17 was employed in Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. The Do 17 was withdrawn from frontline service later in 1941 but continued to be used by the German Air Force in various roles until the end of the war, including seeing service as a glider tug and in the defence of the Reich in 1944 as a night fighter. In this compilation of unrivalled images collected over many years, and now part of Frontline's new War in the Air series, the widespread deployment of the Dornier Do 17 is portrayed and brought to life.
£999.99
Helion & Company Red Devils Over the Yalu: A Chronicle of Soviet
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£28.00
Helion & Company Operation Allied Force: Air War Over Serbia, 1999
Book SynopsisOn 24 March 1999, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) launched Operation Allied Force against Serbia.Lasting 78 days, this was an unusual conflict fought at several levels. The campaign was fought at the negotiation tables, in the media, and via cyber warfare. In the air, NATO sought to destroy or at least minimize the capability of the Serbian forces, while on the ground the Serbian forces fought the Kosovo-Albanian insurgency. It had an unusual outcome, too: without NATO losing a single soldier in direct action, they still forced the Serbian authorities and armed forces to withdraw from Kosovo, which in 2008 then proclaimed its independence. In turn, the war inflicted serious human and material losses upon the Serbians and the air force was particularly devastated by air strikes on its facilities. Nevertheless, many within NATO subsequently concluded that the skies over Serbia were as dangerous on the last night of this conflict as they were on its first.Largely based on cooperation with the joint commission of the Serbian Air Force and the U.S. Air Force in Europe (USAFE), Operation Allied Force provides a detailed account of NATO?s aerial campaign, including reconstructions of operations by ?stealth? aircraft such as the F-117A and B-2A. This book also offers a detailed reconstruction of the planning and conduct of combat operations by the Serbian Air Force, with special emphasis on the attempts of its sole MiG-29 squadron to challenge enemy strike packages.This volume is illustrated by a rich collection of exclusive photography collected from both sides, and along with custom-drawn artworks provides a set of entirely new and unique insights into what was the last war fought in Europe during the 20th century.
£999.99
The History Press Ltd The Other Battle of Britain
Book SynopsisA gripping account of Bomber Command’s actions during the Battle of Britain, 10 July– 31 October 1940
£23.75
The History Press Ltd Spitfire to Reaper
Book SynopsisThe remarkable evolution of aerial warfare from 1940 to the present day, from Spitfire to Reaper drone
£15.00
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Northrop F89 Scorpion
Book Synopsis
£19.54
Hancock House Publishers Ltd ,Canada Warplanes to Alaska The Story of the WW2 Military
Book SynopsisThis book describes the delivery of 8000 aircraft to Russia over a little known airway that extended from the U.S. through Northwestern Canada to Nome, Alaska. Warplanes to Alaska is a tribute to the hundreds of men and women who toiled in the harshest of climates to help decide the outcome of World War II. The author interviewed scores of Canadian, Russians and American veterans and acquired hundreds of photos in an effort to fully recount this amazing part of history. Details of the Russian portion of the airway and their military operations, long hidden by an impenetrable veil of official secrecy, are revealed here for the first time. Warplanes to Alaska will engage anyone interested in WWII, aviation or northern history. Could a subarctic wilderness airway traversing northwestern North America and the breadth of Russia be used to deliver thousands of warplanes? The needs of the beleaguered WW II ally demanded the attempt, despite the brutal climate, primitive facilities and wild te
£34.84
Oratia Media Seek and Destroy
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£52.79
Massey University Press Fearless
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£36.89
Cambridge University Press When Men Fell from the Sky
Book SynopsisBetween 1940 and 1945, more than 100,000 airmen were shot down over Europe, a few thousand of whom survived and avoided being arrested. When Men Fell from the Sky is a comparative history of the treatment of these airmen by civilians in France, Germany and Britain. By studying the situation on the ground, Claire Andrieu shows how these encounters reshaped societies at a local level. She reveals how the fall of France in 1940 may have concealed an insurrection nipped in the bud, that the ''People''s War'' in Britain was not merely a myth, and that in Germany, the ''racial community of the people'' had in fact become a social reality with Allied airmen increasingly subjected to lynching from 1943 onwards. By considering why the treatment of these airmen contrasted so strongly in these countries, Andrieu sheds new light on how civilians reacted when confronted with the war ''at home''.Trade Review'This masterful book challenges us to rethink our assumptions about civilian action in France, Germany and Britain during the Second World War. Andrieu mobilises rich sources to craft a penetrating and innovative analysis. Burgeoning with fascinating detail, the book is an inspirational must-read for all those interested in the period.' Hanna Diamond, author of Fleeing Hitler: France 1940'A comparison of the treatment of fallen airmen in Britain, France, and Germany during the Second World War, this prodigiously researched study is a micro-social history of the air war from below, viewing civilians as active participants rather than as victims. It also presents a bold argument about the macro-political and cultural reasons for the different national responses in this 'civilians' war.' All in all, a provocative, and compelling account.' Carol Gluck, Columbia University'Claire Andrieu's magisterial book examines how local civilian populations in the Second World War reacted to the unexpected presence amongst them of pilots who had been shot down: Luftwaffe pilots shot down in France in May-June 1940; RAF pilots in Germany; Luftwaffe pilots in Britain; RAF pilots in Occupied France. Using an impressive range of sources, her book, taking us into the fields and cities of three countries, tells many poignant and moving stories. Written with exemplary clarity, it offers insights into the forms of civilian participation in the war effort; into the relations between the Resistance and the wider population in France; and into the respective political cultures of the three societies. This is comparative history at its best.' Julian Jackson, author of A Certain Idea of France'In answering one of the last unsolved questions of World War 2 - how were downed Allied and German airmen treated when they parachuted into territory controlled by the enemy? - Claire Andrieu has drawn on massive archival research in four countries to give us a magisterial, closely-argued - and moving - work of comparative history.' Andrew Knapp, author of Charles de Gaulle'How do civilians treat downed aviators in wartime? National political culture makes all the difference, argues Claire Andrieu in this pioneering, well-researched, and inspiring book.' Philip Nord, author of After the Deportation: Memory Battles in Postwar France'Claire Andrieu reverses the normal scenario of bombing wars and focusses on those moments after airmen crashed to earth and found themselves isolated and facing angry civilians. In this powerful, probing and engaged analysis, she shows how fundamental the contrasting ideologies of wartime France, Britain and Germany were to what happened next. Vivid and compelling, this is history-writing that puts the politics back into the face-to-face encounters between civilians and airmen, making us ask again who were victims and who were perpetrators.' Nicholas Stargardt, author of The German War: A Nation under Arms, 1939–45Table of ContentsIntroduction: the international in the village; Part I. Blitz-Invasion in France, or Resistance Crushed: 1. Finding the volunteers of the Year 40; 2. The repression of the Republic's 'francs-tireurs'; Part II. 'Imminent invasion!': a very civil war in the United Kingdom: 3. Britain into battle: a people at war; 4. 'British humor' as an agent of civility; Part III. The Origins of the Resistance: Hiding Allies in France: 5. The resistance as mass local dynamic; 6. The Sequences of aid: between family and repression; 7. A civil society against two states; Part IV. Lynching in Germany, 1943–1945: defending the Nazi state: 8. The lynching of Allied airmen, an ordinary practice; 9. A revolutionary dynamic; 10. Lynch mobs: pre-constructed anger and Nazism in action; 11. Race at heart; Conclusion: an archeology of the moment.
£29.99
Cambridge University Press Bombing the City
Book SynopsisWorld War II is enshrined in our collective memory as the good war - a victory of good over evil. However, the bombing war has always troubled this narrative as total war transformed civilians into legitimate targets and raised unsettling questions such as whether it was possible for Allies and Axis alike to be victims of aggression. In Bombing the City, an unprecedented comparative history of how ordinary Britons and Japanese experienced bombing, Aaron William Moore offers a major new contribution to these debates. Utilising hundreds of diaries, letters, and memoirs, he recovers the voices of ordinary people on both sides - from builders, doctors and factory-workers to housewives, students and policemen - and reveals the shared experiences shaped by gender, class, race, and age. He reveals how it was that the British and Japanese public continued to support bombing elsewhere even as they experienced firsthand its terrible impact at home.Trade Review'An intimate and thoroughly original breakthrough in comparative history that skillfully interweaves the diaries and recollections of ordinary British and Japanese civilians to bring alive the horrors of German and American terror bombing in World War II.' John Dower, author of Cultures of War: Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima, 9-11, Iraq'Bombing the City is an important book that reminds us, through a focus on the second World War, that 'total war' transforms civilians into targets in new and devastating ways. Drawing on archival sources from Britain and Japan, Moore tells the story of aerial bombardment in the words of those below the bombs.' Lucy Noakes, author of War and the British: Gender and National Identity, 1939–1991'Much ink has been spilled on the rise of air power in World War II. Aaron William Moore's extraordinary new book manages to bring fresh perspective to this story, focusing on the experience of the bombed in England and Japan. In evocative detail, he shows us how the transformation in battle tactics also transformed cities and urban life. Social history at its best.' Louise Young, author of Japan's Total Empire: Manchuria and the Culture of Wartime Imperialism'The reading of Bombing the City is enthralling … recommended for anyone interested in the history of aerial bombardment and civilian experiences of total war.' Jean-Michel Turcotte, Canadian Military History'… this is a richly informative and thought-provoking book that will be enjoyed not only by scholars of Japanese and British history, but also by anyone with an interest in the horrors of indiscriminate bombing campaigns.' Simon Partner, The Journal of Japanese StudiesTable of ContentsList of figures; Acknowledgements; Note to the reader; Featured diarists; Introduction: attacking the people: democracy, populism, and modern war; 1. Give unto Moloch: family and nation in WWII; 2. The muses of war: terror, anger, and faith; 3. Romancing stone: human sacrifice and system collapse in the city; 4. Defending our way of life: gender, class, age, and other oppressions; Conclusion: victory for the people: pacifism and the ashes of the post-war era; Notes; Bibliography; Index.
£71.65
Thomas Nelson Publishers Beyond Valor
Book Synopsis
£14.24
Pen & Sword Books Ltd American Airlines Secret War in China Project
Book SynopsisOperation Seven Alpha was a daring yet little-known operation that took place during the early days of the Burma Campaign. This is the story of the men and the aircraft that took part.
£11.24
Nova Science Publishers Inc Air Force KC-46A Aerial Refueling Tanker:
Book SynopsisOn 24 February 2011, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced the Boeing Company as the winner of a competition to build 179 new KC-46A aerial refuelling tankers for the Air Force, a contract valued at roughly $35 billion. Prior to the announcement, the program had been known as KC-X. This book examines the KC-46A acquisition program which is a subject of intense interest because of the dollar value of the contract, the number of jobs it would create, the importance of tanker aircraft to U.S. military operations, and because DOD''s previous attempts to acquire a new tanker since 2001 had ultimately failed.
£126.74
Nova Science Publishers Inc Civil Reserve Air Fleet: Background & Analyses
Book SynopsisThis book provides background and analyses on the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) which was created by executive order in 1951. As a result, the Departments of Commerce (DOC) and Defense (DOD) formulated a contingency plan to meet the nation''s airlift needs in times of crisis. When the Department of Transportation (DOT) was created, it assumed DOC''s role in the CRAF program, and today, DOD and DOT work together to manage the CRAF program. The CRAF supports DOD airlift requirements in emergencies when the need for airlift exceeds the capability of the military aircraft fleet. All CRAF participants must be U.S. carriers fully certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, and meet the stringent standards of Federal Aviation Regulations pertaining to commercial airlines. The CRAF has three main segments: international, national, and aeromedical evacuation. The international segment is further divided into the long-range and short-range sections and the national segment into the domestic and Alaskan sections. Assignment of aircraft to a segment depends on the nature of the requirement and the performance characteristics needed.
£119.99
Nova Science Publishers Inc U.S. Air Force Bombers: Sustainment &
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£55.99
Arcturus Publishing Ltd The Battle of Britain
Book SynopsisNigel Cawthorne studied at University College, London, where he gained an Honours degree in Physics, before turning to writing as a career. He has written, contributed to and edited more than sixty books, including Fighting Them On The Beaches: D-Day, 6 June 1944, The Battle of Britain, Vietnam: A War Lost and Won, Stalin, and The Story of the SS.
£14.99
Amber Books Ltd German Luftwaffe in World War II
Book SynopsisThe Luftwaffe – the German Air Force – played a crucial role in the Wehrmacht’s blitzkrieg tactics, providing both air cover and air artillery for Germany’s panzer troops on the ground. Germany’s successful invasions of France, the Low Countries, the Balkans and the Soviet Union are due in no small part to the professionalism, dedication and skill of the Luftwaffe. Broken down by campaign and key battles within each theatre of war, German Luftwaffe in World War II illustrates the strengths and organizational structures of the Third Reich’s Air Force, building into a detailed compendium of information. Full-colour order of battle tree diagrams at Luftflotte, Gruppe and Geschwader level help the reader understand how and where the fighters and bombers of the German Air Force were employed at any given time between 1939–45. Reference tables provide squadron strengths while organizational diagrams show the types and numbers of aircraft employed in specific operations, such as in the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940 and the opening stages of Operation Zitadelle in July 1943. With extensive organizational diagrams and full-colour operations maps, German Luftwaffe in World War II is an easy-to-use guide to the German Air Force. The book is an essential reference for any serious enthusiast of air warfare in World War II.Table of ContentsThe Pre-War Luftwaffe Invasion of Poland: 1939 Denmark and Norway: 1940 France and the Low Countries: 1940 Battle of Britain and the Blitz: 1940–41 North Africa and the Mediterranean: 1941–45 The Balkans and Greece: 1941–45 Eastern Front: 1941–45 Northwest Europe: 1942–45 Maritime Operations: 1939–45 End of the Reich: 1945 Glossary of Key Abbreviations Acknowledgements Index
£999.99
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Hurricane Over the Jungle: 120 Days Fighting the Japanese Onslaught in 1942
Book SynopsisThis is the author's personal account of how the 22 pilots of No 258 Squadron RAF left Scotland in late October 1941 until 120 days later when all those who had not been killed became prisoners of the Japanese. The story takes us to the final defence of Singapore and then on to Sumatra and Java where the author recaptures the atmosphere of the bitter aerial engagements with the Japanese enemy and the hostile jungle terrain over which they fought.
£12.34
Dalton Watson Fine Books The Tuskegee Airmen & Beyond: The Road to
Book SynopsisIt follows the earliest struggle for liberty from slavery,when some 200,000 African American slaves and freemen fought on both sides in return for the promise of freedom. Some, but pitifully few, did achieve their freedom, though most returned to the lot that had been dealt to them by their owners and the abolition of slavery did not give them equality. The Spanish American War was followed twenty years later by the "GreatWar" - the war to endall wars, where over three hundred African American soldiers were awarded the Croix deGuerre, France's highest award for valor, yet only one was awarded the Medal of Honor by the United States - seventy-three years after his death on the battlefield. World War II brought the first-ever all-black-crewed fighter squadron, the 99th, followed by the 332nd Fighter Group, the most highly decorated group of men in their theaters of war. These men were also the catalyst of political action to bring desegregation to the Armed Forces, by means of President Harry Truman's Executive Order 9981, which preceded the Civil Rights Act by twenty years. Since President Lyndon Johnson's signing of the Civil Rights Act into law, we have seen sometimes great, but faltering, steps forward. African Americans have finally risen to the top in their chosen careers - four-star generals, astronauts and ultimatelyan African American President. This book is that story.
£26.10
Danann Media Publishing Limited Voices Of The Battle Of Britain: 80th Anniversary
Book SynopsisIt was a crucial moment of WW2. 1940. The Royal Air Force, virtually alone, defended the skies of Britain against massed formations of German bombers. They put up such a ferocious defence that Hitler gave up ideas of invading Britain and turned his attention to an assault on the Soviet Union. Of those pilots who courageously flew their Spitfires and Hurricanes against the Luftwaffe barely a handful remain. However the authors have interviewed no less than eighteen survivors and it is their memories and anecdotes that make this book unique. Highly illustrated throughout with rarely seen images, Battle of Britain is packed with great stories of aerial combat and being shot down, of the classic fighters that they flew and fought in and against, of making and losing friends and colleagues; of a strained social life in the midst of battle; and, most of all, of standing steadfast in the face of overwhelming odds. It is coupled with an authoritative and lively narrative.
£18.00
Key Publishing Ltd Air Forces of Latin America: Argentina
Book SynopsisMilitary aviation in Argentina has a long history and for many years it was the most powerful in Latin America, achieving worldwide fame in 1982 when it confronted British forces over the South Atlantic. Sadly, as a result of Argentina's more recent economic woes and a lack of political commitment over more three decades, it is now struggling to maintain its capabilities and replace old aircraft. Ironically, this situation makes for a varied and interesting aviation scene, with Argentine military aviation flying many classic types that are not easy to see in operation today with a military force, as well as some less-common indigenous aircraft. Illustrated with more than 140 photographs, this book shines a spotlight on the Argentine Air Force, Naval Aviation and Army Aviation, as well as the paramilitary forces of the Coast Guard, Gendarmerie and Presidential Flight. Author Santiago Rivas gives a fascinating insight into their histories, comprehensive details of their current organisation, their missions and the aircraft they operate, and full 'orders of battle' for each air arm. AUTHOR: Santiago Rivas was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1977 and graduated in journalism. Since 1997 he has worked in aviation and defence journalism, travelling all across Latin America to research for articles and books. In 2007 he published his first book, about the Malvinas/Falklands War for a Brazilian publisher and since then, another eighteen titles have published in Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Austria and the United Kingdom, with others still to be released. He has also published articles in more than fifty magazines in twenty countries and currently works for more than twenty of them. He has three children and lives in Buenos Aires, travelling extensively within Latin America to fulfil his research work. 160 illustrationsTrade Review"...an excellent compilation by a knowledgeable writer."-- "Historical Miniatures Gaming Society"
£999.99
ibidem-Verlag, Jessica Haunschild u Christian Schon The Imperial Aircraft Flotilla: The Worldwide
Book SynopsisA great wave of fundraising patriotic associations followed in the wake of Great Britains declaration of war on Germany on 4 August 1914, at home but also right across the empire. The most successful public campaign of all was launched in London at the beginning of 1915. Known as the Imperial Aircraft Flotilla, the scheme aimed to attract contributions towards aircraft production costs from throughout the British Empire. Any country, locality, or community that provided sufficient funds for an entire aeroplane could have it named after them. It was promised that when the machine crashed or was shot down, the name would be transferred to a new one of the same type.Margaret Hall examines the Imperial Aircraft Flotilla as a facet of imperial history. She analyzes the fundraising efforts in Canada and Newfoundland; the Zanzibar Protectorate; Fiji, Mauritius, and the Caribbean; Hong Kong; the Malay states and Straits Settlements; West Africa, especially Gold Coast; Southern Rhodesia; Basutoland; Swaziland and the Union of South Africa; the Indian empire and Burma; (British subjects in) independent Abyssinia and Siam; in the Shanghai International Settlement, and the British community of Argentina; Australia; and New Zealand. This remarkable and detailed book discusses the propaganda and counter-subversion usages of the Imperial Aircraft Flotilla -- and what the support for the imperial war effort reveals about contemporary national and regional identities and aspirations.
£999.99
Knowledge World International Defence from the Skies: Indian Air Force Through
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£999.99
IBN Lockheed FT F104G Starfighter Aviolibri Special
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£15.15
IBN North American Fiat F86 K 3 Aviolibri Records
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£17.06
IBN Ali Sulla Steppa Laregia Aeronautica Nella
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£17.06
IBN Soviet Airwomen
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£19.76
IBN Behind the Enemy Lines
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£14.20
IBN Giuseppe De Marco: Pioneer of Aviation in Sicily
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£12.30
IBN Macchi MC202 Folgore: 1
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£15.15
IBN Bellp-39 Aircobra in Italian Service
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£15.15
IBN Fockewulf FW190: 1
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£15.15
Manohar Publishers and Distributors Operation Pawan: Role of Airpower with IPKF
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£39.89
Aspekt B.V., Uitgeverij Holland Drop Zone: The Crash of an American
Book SynopsisOn 18 September 1944, Day Two of Operation Market Garden, a thunder in the sky alarmed the Dutch town of Heinkenszand. The citizens ran outside their homes, to see a burning bomber flying toward them and parachutes floating down. The American B-24 Liberator skimmed over the buildings and crashed in a polder. Two airmen lost their lives, German soldiers arrested six, and two managed to escape. Local resistance fighters came to the aid of the escaped airmen. This book, written by a grandson of one of the resistance fighters, describes the missions of the crew, the circumstances of the fatal crash and the grim faith of these airmen. This is also the story of the local resistance group that helped the two evaders to hide. We follow the trail of arrested radio operator Elton Southwell, as he takes us on a horrific journey through army bases and concentration camps to a final, cruel welcome at a POW camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. He tells how he barely survived the infamous Black March and escaped from the German guards.
£999.99
HarperCollins Publishers STORM COMMAND A Personal Account of the Gulf War
Trade Review‘More gripping than fiction; take the graphic account of an SAS corporal’s harrowing 200-mile escape through western Iraq, for instance - a tale almost too incredible for a thriller… An important and enjoyable book.’Christopher Bellamy, Independent ‘Fascinating… Deserves a place even in the glorious annals of British soldiering.’James Buchan, Spectator ‘This excellent and moving book builds up to a most exciting climax.’Sunday Times ‘A commander who made men do almost impossible things by doing them himself first… A soldier who from the most undisciplined and unpromising beginnings achieved complete mastery of himself and hte men who fought under him.’Daily Telegraph
£14.24
HarperCollins Publishers Inc WWINGS LIKE EAGLES The Untold Story of the Battle
Book Synopsis
£14.30
HarperCollins The Hunter Killers
£19.94
