Air forces and warfare Books
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
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Plane Spotter’s Guide
Book SynopsisAviation has revolutionised warfare over the last 100 years, and this new pocket guide gives the reader the essential details of 70 iconic aircraft, including the Sopwith Camel, the Spitfire, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-51 Mustang and the F-4 Phantom. Drawing on Osprey’s comprehensive aviation archive, the Plane Spotter’s Guide uses detailed profile artwork to illustrate and aid recognition, as well as specification boxes to provide all the technical details.Table of ContentsSopwith Pup /Albatros D III /Nieuport 17 /SPAD VII /Sopwith Camel /RAF SE 5/5a /Fokker Dr I /Fokker D VII /Polikarpov 1-16 /Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress /Bristol Blenheim /Consolidated PBY Catalina /Messerschmitt Bf 109 /Gloster Gladiator /Hawker Hurricane /Junkers Ju 87 /Supermarine Spitfire /Short Sunderland /Messerschmitt Bf 110 /Fiat CR.42 Falco /Junkers Ju 88 /Mitsubishi A6M Zero-sen /Curtiss P-40 Warhawk /North American B-25 Mitchell /Grumman F4F Wildcat /Douglas SBD Dauntless /Bristol Beaufighter /de Havilland Mosquito /Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik /Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa /Martin B-26 Marauder /Lockheed P-38 Lightning /Focke-Wulf Fw 190 /Hawker Typhoon /Consolidated B-24 Liberator /Republic P-47 Thunderbolt /Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien /Macchi C.202 Folgore /North American P-51 Mustang /Curtiss SB2C Helldiver /Grumman TBF/TBM Avenger /Vought F4U Corsair /Avro Lancaster /Lavochkin La-5/7 /Boeing B-29 Superfortress /Grumman F6F Hellcat /Messerschmitt Me 262 /Yakovlev Yak-3 /Mikoyan MiG-15 /North American F-86 Sabre /Grumman F9F Panther /Martin B-57 Canberra /North American F-100 Super Sabre /Boeing B-52 Stratofortress /Douglas A-4 Skyhawk /Handley Page Victor /Avro Vulcan /Vought F-8 Crusader /Republic F-105 Thunderchief /Mikoyan MiG-21 /McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II /Dassault Mirage III /Lockheed SR-71 /Grumman F-14 Tomcat /McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle/Strike Eagle /General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon /McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet /Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk /McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II /Rockwell B-1B Lancer
£7.59
Simon & Schuster Ltd The Secret History of the Blitz
Book SynopsisThe Blitz of 1940-41 is one of the most iconic periods in modern British history - and one of the most misunderstood. The ''Blitz spirit'' is celebrated by some, whereas others dismiss it as a myth. Joshua Levine''s thrilling biography rejects the tired arguments and reveals the human truth: the Blitz was a time of extremes of experience and behaviour. People werepulling together and helping strangers, but they were also breaking rules and exploiting each other. Life during wartime, the author reveals, was complex and messy and real. From the first page readers will discover a different story to the one they thought they knew - from the sacrifices made by ordinary people to a sudden surge in the popularity of nightclubs; from secret criminal trials at the Old Bailey to a Columbine-style murder in an Oxford college. There were new working opportunities for women and the appearance of unfamiliar cultures: whilst prayers were offered up in a south London mosque, Jamaican sailors w
£10.44
Schiffer Publishing Ltd The Doolittle Raid
Book SynopsisThe complete account of one of the biggest gambles and most harrowing stories of courage to come out of World War II.
£23.79
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Martin B26 Marauder
Book SynopsisTrade Review"This substantial book of over 600 large-format pages, replete with many photographs and other illustrations, holds out great promise of living up to its title." Aerospace, July 2015
£58.39
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Project Gemini
Book SynopsisVolume 2 is a detailed, illustrated look at NASA's Gemini space program in the 1960s.Trade Review... these are the most detailed accounts I know of these pioneering programmes, bringing back memories of long ago for those of us old enough, providing inspiration for those not. -- Ray Ward, Popular Astronomy, December 2016
£17.09
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Lockheed P2V Neptune An Illustrated History
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£36.79
Fonthill Media Ltd Focke Wulf Jet Fighters
Book SynopsisThe biggest success of the Focke Wulf company during the Second World War was the choice of a radial engine for the Fw 190 fighter, in this way avoiding to compete against Messerschmitt for the in line engines. The decision of the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe to assign the few turbojets available to the Messerschmitt and Arado firms and the discovery of the terrible aerodynamic effect known as compressibility buffeting by mid-1942, made the life of fighter designers of the time very interesting. The Kurt Tank team proposed to install a centrifugal turbojet of his design in the nose of an Fw 190 A/3 with the intention of replacing it with a Jumo 004 B when available in 1943. Several designs followed that were able to use all turbojets, turboprops, ramjets and rocket engines, either projected or at their disposal. They constitute the documental foundation of this book. After failing in the TL Jagdfleugzeug contests in March 1943, Volksflugzeug in September 1944 and Hochleitungs Nachtjäger in January 1945, Focke Wulf could finally overcome its competitors with the great Jägernotprogramm design Ta 183. Although it was too late to intervene in the Second World War, it served as inspiration for numerous designs of other countries during the first years of the Cold War.
£24.00
Books Express Publishing Bombing the European Axis Powers: A Historical Digest of the Combined Bomber Offensive, 1939 -1945
£34.95
Schiffer Publishing Ltd The Douglas A20 Havoc
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£58.39
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Project Mercury
Book SynopsisA detailed, illustrated look at NASA's Mercury space program in the 1960s.Trade Reviewthese are the most detailed accounts I know of these pioneering programmes, bringing back memories of long ago for those of us old enough, providing inspiration for those not. - Ray Ward, Popular Astronomy, Dec 2016
£17.09
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Battle Colors Insignia and Aircraft Markings of
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£34.84
Orion Publishing Co Journeys End
Book SynopsisThe final, climactic volume of Wilson's acclaimed bomber war trilogy.Trade ReviewA brilliant insight into life in the air and on the ground, and considers why a force that took the war into the heart of Germany on a nightly basis was ignored when the fighting stopped ... a long way to answering why there will be a memorial to these brave airmen in a London park * Observer *Despite their enormous courage and huge sacrifice, Britain has never formally acknowledged the bravery of the men who fought through the Second World War in Bomber Command. The men's valour was betrayed by politicians and they have been denied a medal honouring their campaign * Sunday Express *A sobering, deeply moving and historically fascinating account ... Kevin Wilson has brought some striking new research to bear in this brilliant work ... As is made painfully clear through anecdotes, many veterans of Bomber Command are left with terrible memories of what they endured in the struggle for national survivalMasterly approach ... it makes fascinating reading and will be of huge interest to all who remember the dying days of the last war * Church of England Newspaper *
£12.34
Schiffer Publishing Ltd HansJoachim Marseille
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£36.79
Little, Brown & Company Boyd
Book SynopsisA detailed portrait of American fighter pilot John Boyd examines his distinguished military career during the Korean War and his postwar efforts as a military theorist who took on the entrenched Pentagon bureaucracy to transform the art of modern warfare and the American military with his revolution
£14.54
Simon & Schuster Masters of the Air Mti: America's Bomber Boys Who
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£20.70
Penguin Publishing Group Big Week
Book SynopsisIn just six days, the United States Strategic Air Forces changed the course of military offense in World War II. During those six days, they launched the largest bombing campaign of the war, dropping roughly ten thousand tons of bombs in a rain of destruction that would take the skies back from the Nazis . . . The Allies knew that if they were to invade Hitler’s Fortress Europe, they would have to wrest air superiority from the mighty Luftwaffe.The plan of the Unites States Strategic Air Forces was extremely risky. During the week of February 20, 1944—and joined by the RAF Bomber Command—the USAAF Eighth and Fifteenth Air Force bombers took on this vital mission. They ran the gauntlet of the most heavily defended air space in the world to deal a death blow to Germany’s aircraft industry and made them pay with the planes already in the air. In the coming months, this Big Week would prove a deciding factor in the war.Both side
£14.45
Amber Books Ltd Modern Military Aircraft
Book SynopsisModern Military Aircraft features 52 of the most important military aircraft, from fighters to bombers, transports, reconnaissance aircraft and more. Packed with over 200 illustrations, each entry includes a description of the model's development and history, a profile view, key features and specifications.
£21.24
Bloomsbury USA New Guinea 194243
£15.29
The History Press Ltd Brawdy
Book SynopsisCompleted in 1944 as a satellite airfield to nearby St David''s, Brawdy soon supplanted its parent for meteorological reasons. Used initially by RAF Coastal Command, it passed to the Royal Navy in 1946, becoming HMS Goldcrest. The base was used by the Navy up to 1974, when the RAF resumed control once again. Used as an advanced training facility, Hunters and later Hawks were based there, as was a secret US Navy Oceanographic Research unit. Since 1996, Brawdy has been used by the Army. For many, Brawdy was also synonymous with the air displays held there for many years and for its search and rescue role, making it a widely known location.
£16.20
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Junkers Ju 287
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£36.79
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Flying Dragons
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£36.79
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Debrief
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£36.79
Schiffer Publishing Ltd The Imperial German Eagles in World War I Vol 2
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£51.19
Schiffer Publishing Ltd North American B25 Mitchell
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£51.19
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Soviet Airmen in the Spanish Civil War 19361939
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£36.79
Schiffer Publishing Ltd The Fifth Fighter Command in World War II
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£51.19
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Kampfgeschwader 51 Edelweiss
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£29.59
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Aircraft of the Chaco War 19281935 Schiffer
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£34.84
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Kawasaki Ki61 HIEN in Japanese Army Air Force
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£12.59
Schiffer Publishing Ltd USAAF Aircraft Markings and Camouflage 19411947
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£58.39
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Lockheed T33 A Photo Chronicle Schiffer Military
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£19.54
McFarland and Company, Inc. The Speed of Heat
Book Synopsis With its fleet of large transport aircraft, the United States military can put personnel and equipment anywhere on the globe within hours. In the Iraq and Afghanistan wars in particular, virtually every soldier, every bullet, every pint of blood, and every bite of food have arrived in the war zone by airlift. This book tells the story of one Air National Guard airlift wing as related by its members. The 167th Airlift Wing of the West Virginia Air National Guard consisted of a squadron of 12 C-130 cargo planes, their crews, and all the supporting sections--in all, more than 1,200 people. The author, a former Associated Press reporter turned aviator, flew as an active member of that unit and interviewed nearly 70 servicemen and women for this book. They include aircrews who dodged heat-seeking missiles, mechanics who made combat repairs, flight nurses who treated and transported the wounded, even two motor pool truck drivers struck by a roadside bomb.
£14.24
McFarland & Company Pucker Factor 10 Memoir of a US Army Helicopter
Book SynopsisThe author was drawn into the United States Army through ROTC and went through training to fly helicopters in combat over Vietnam. His experiences are charted in this memoir, as he relives his and other pilots' day-to-day lives flying and fighting.
£14.24
IBN Macchi MC200MC202MC205 V Glares of War
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£36.12
Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc Top Gun
Book SynopsisAhead of the release of the Top Gun movie sequel, Top Gun: 50 Years of Naval Air Superiority is the definitive source on the Navy's most revered fighter pilot unit.Trade Review"Fifty years of the Topgun fighter unit that inspired the Eighties hit movie are celebrated in stunning new book" * DailyMail.com *"This attractively bound coffee table book with excellent graphics is sure to be a pleasurable read for any aviation enthusiast – particularly those whose pedigree includes fighter pilot!" * Frontline Magazine *
£21.25
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Avro Lancaster
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£18.04
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Consolidated B24 Vol.1
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£17.09
