Aircraft and aviation Books
The Crowood Press Ltd Sixty Years of Airfix Models
Book SynopsisThe best-known and most important manufacturer of plastic model kits in the UK, Airfix has been at the forefront of the industry since 1955 when the first Airfix aircraft kit appeared in UK branches of Woolworth's. The kits were made to a constant scale and covered a wide variety of subjects, from aircraft to birds and from tanks to dinosaurs. In 1981 the famous London-based company closed down and only the kits survived intact. For the next twenty-five years Airfix was run by Palitoy and later Humbrol, but suffered from a lack of investment. In 2006, Hornby Hobbies Ltd, the train and Scalextric manufacturer, bought the ailing company and transformed it. Money and resources were ploughed into the range, and today Airfix releases around twenty new kits per year, designed to an incredibly high standard. The old kits of the 1950s and 1960s are gradually being replaced by new state-of-the-art tooling, all bearing that most prestigious name - Airfix. Published to coincide with the sixtieth anniversary of the first Airfix aircraft kit, Sixty Years of Airfix Models, tells the full story, year by year, of the company and its products.
£27.00
McFarland and Company, Inc. The Helio Courier Ultra Cstol Aircraft An
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsTable of ContentsAcknowledgments viiPreface xi1. Chasing the Sun 1Helio Progenitors2. Dawn of the “Tennis Court Airplane” 27Early Helio Prototypes3. Geared for Success 49Main Production Models and Variants, 1954–19744. Litterbugs and Black Ops 86Military Versions of the Helio Courier5. Above and Beyond 106Turbo-Charged Helios and Concept Aircraft6. Twilight of the Courier 147The Last Production Helio Courier Modelsand Concept Aircraft, 1983–19857. Couriers of the Word 160JAARS Helio Operations8. Epilogue 171Plans for Future Helio ProductionAppendix 1: Data Specification Sheets 173Appendix 2: Helio Aircraft Models and Production Totals 215Notes 217Bibliography 221Index 225
£23.74
Bloomsbury USA B52 Stratofortress Units in Combat 19922025
Book SynopsisAn illustrated study of the ongoing career of the iconic B-52, chronicling its frontline service after Operation Desert Storm in 1991.First flown in 1955, the B-52 has become an icon of deterrence and the long reach of American air power. The aircraft was conceived as a long-range nuclear bomber, but its versatility saw it used as a heavy-weight bomb truck' in Vietnam and a launcher of stand-off air-to-ground missiles during Operation Desert Storm. Following the First Gulf War, B-52s have continued to see combat, undertaking close air support missions during patrols above Al-Qaeda insurgents and Taliban forces in Afghanistan from 200103 for example, and have upheld their reputation as America's Big Stick' by acting as a deterrent in situations such as the Chinese friction with Taiwan in 2023.In this illustrated volume, combat aircraft expert Peter E Davies draws on fresh research and first-hand accounts to tell the story of the later career of this iconic and enduring aircraft, examining its service from Operation Desert Storm onwards. Twenty-two newly commissioned profile artworks complement a variety of photographs from both official and private collections, demonstrating the colour schemes, nose art and new weapons that have become features of late-20th and 21st-century B-52 units.
£15.29
Mortons Media Group Shaping the Vulcan
Book SynopsisThe Avro Vulcan is one of the most striking aircraft ever made its enormous wing stretching back from an improbably thick leading edge marked by cavernous wing root engine intakes. Perhaps even more incredible, its first flight was made just over ten years after the introduction of the piston-engined Lancaster during the Second World War. Within a decade, technology had taken a giant leap from straight-winged slow-moving conventional bombers to this vast delta designed to carry a nuclear payload. But what led to such a radical configuration and what was the technology that enabled such an ambitious design? What possessed Avro to offer the Air Ministry such a futuristic aircraft and what prompted the Ministry to approve its development and entry into service? Formula 1 racing team aerodynamicist and Vulcan to the Sky trustee Stephen Liddle presents a full history of the Vulcan's development and assesses the technological and engineering breakthroughs which underpinned the construction of this unparalleled aircraft.
£28.00
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Tupolev Tu160 Soviet Strike Force Spearhead
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£43.99
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Tupolev Tuâ144
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£43.99
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Zeppelin The Story of the Zeppelin Airships
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£25.59
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Last of the Flying Clippers
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£39.09
McFarland and Company, Inc. Piedmont Airlines A Complete History 19481989
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewEller has documented the birth, life, and demise of Piedmont Airlines--The North Carolina Historical Review; ""very detailed""--Journal of Southern History.
£20.89
John Murray Press Spitfire Portrait of a Legend
Book SynopsisIn June 1940, the German Army had brought the rest of Europe to its knees. ''Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world will move forward into broad, sunlit uplands,'' said Churchill. The future of Europe depended on Britain. A self-confident Herman Göring thought that it would be only a matter of weeks before his planes had forced Britain to surrender. The courage, resourcefulness and brilliant organisation of the RAF were to prove him wrong. By late September 1940, the RAF had proved invincible, thanks to the Vickers Supermarine Spitfire. It exceeded anything that any other air force possessed. RJ Mitchell, a shy and almost painfully modest engineer, was the genius behind the Spitfire. On the 5th March 1936, following its successful maiden flight, a legend was born. Prize-winning historian Leo McKinstry''s vivid history of the Spitfire brings together a rich Trade ReviewPraise for ROSEBERY: * . *Stunning ... As well as being meticulously researched, it is beautifully written and has tremendous pace * Literary Review *Absorbing ... McKinstry has here proved himself to be a first-class historical biographer * Mail on Sunday *With masterly skill and sympathy, Leo McKinstry resurrects him as the Hamlet of late Victorian England * Daily Mail *An authoritative and original biography which is also a riveting read' * Spectator *Superbly well-researched and well-written ... A truly first-class addition to the genre of Prime Ministerial biography * Sunday Telegraph *'An absolutely wonderful biography ... gripping and entertaining' * Evening Standard *'A first class biography, scholarly, judicious and always interesting' * Glasgow Herald *'Remarkable' * Country Life *'Judicious, well-researched and engrossing' * Sunday Times *'This is undoubtably the definitive biography of Rosebery. Written with elegance, clarity and well-judged colour' * Jonathan Parry, Times Literary Supplement *'It does a wonderful job of conjuring up the lost world of late Victorian politics' * Dominic Sandbrook, Daily Telegraph *'Admirable biography of a paradoxical figure whose tenure at No 10 was a disaster' * Jeremy Lewis, Sunday Times *
£11.04
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Consolidated B24 Vol.1
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£17.09
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Those Legendary Piper Cubs
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£34.84
Weldon Owen Flight: 100 Greatest Aircraft
Book SynopsisA comprehensive look at the world''s great aircraft from the experts at Flying magazine, featuring spectacular full-color photographs, fascinating and informative text, and detailed specifications that will delight die-hard data fans.Of all humanity’s dazzling innovations, perhaps none capture our imaginations or fuel our inventive spirits as much as flight. In our quest to soar higher, faster, and farther, we’ve dreamed up airborne wonders that are a sight to behold—like the supersonic F-22 Raptor, stealthily soaring above the clouds, or the Boeing-Stearman PT-17 Biplane, the beautiful starter model that helped a generation earn their wings. That’s not even to mention the deluxe Concorde—the first passenger jet to cruise at the speed of sound. These iconic aircraft—and 97 more stunning feats of aeronautical engineering—make up the world’s most groundbreaking contributions to flight, all curated and collected here by the experts at Flying magazine. In Flight: 100 Greatest Aircraft, there’s something for every aviation aficionado—from brazen stunt planes to far-from-pedestrian commercial jets, from military marvels to spacecraft that reached dazzling new heights. With its spectacular full-color photographs, fascinating and informative text, and detailed specifications section that will delight die-hard data fans, Flight is the essential book for pilots and plane-lovers everywhere.
£27.20
Ivy Kids On the Train Activity Book 1 Activity Books
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£8.99
Fonthill Media Ltd Fighters of the Dying Sun: The Most Advanced
Book SynopsisThe first B-29 flew over Tokyo on 1 November 1944. It was a photographic reconnaissance aircraft ironically named ‘Tokyo Rose’. The Ki.44 fighters of the 47th Sentai took off to intercept it but as it turned out the Superfortress flew at such an altitude and speed that they could not reach it. The Ki-44-II-Otsu had been specifically designed for this type of interception and could reach the astonishing rate of climb of 5,000 m in four minutes; however it was not good enough. During the following ten months, a devastating bombing campaign of thousands of Superfortress destroyed 67 Japanese cities and half of Tokyo. The cultural shock and the political consequences were huge, when it was realised that the Japanese industry was not able to produce the specially heat and stress-resistant metallic alloys that were required to manufacture the turbo superchargers needed by the fighters in charge of defending the Japanese mainland. They lacked the essential chromium and molybdenum metals to harden the steel. This fact thwarted the manufacturing of numerous advanced projects of both conventional fighters and those derived from the transfer of German technology fitted with turbojets and rocket engines. They are thoroughly described in this book.Table of ContentsThe Japanese Aggressor (28 January 1932 to 15 August 1945); Imperial Japanese Army Aircraft and Projects; Nakajima Ki.44 Shoki; Kawasaki Ki.45 Toryu; Mitsubishi Ki.46 Shin Shitei; Kawasaki Ki.60/Ki.61/Ki.100 Hien; Nakajima Ki.62, Ki.63, Ki.84, Ki.106, Ki.113, Ki.116 and Ki.117 Hayate; Kawasaki Ki.64, Ki.78 (Ken-3) and Ki.88; High-altitude interceptors Nakajima Ki.87 and Tachikawa Ki.94; Manshu Ki.65 and Ki.98; Rikugun Kogiken Heavy Fighter; Nakajima Ki.201 Karyu; Imperial Japanese Navy Aircraft and Projects; Mitsubishi A6M Zero; Mitsubishi J2M Raiden; Kawanishi N1K1-J Shiden; The IJN “20-shi-Ko” specification; Mitsubishi J4M Senden; Kyushu J7W1 Shinden; Nakajima Kikka; Yokosuka R2Y2 Keiun; Mizuno Shinryu II; Kakukyoku Rammer; Kayaba Katsuodori; Rocket Fighters; Night Fighters; Nakajima J1N1 Gekko; Kawasaki Ki.45 Toryu; Mitsubishi Ki.46 Shin Shitei (Dinah); Nakajima Ki.84 Hayate; Yokosuka D4Y Suisei; Nakajima C6N Saiun; Yokosuka Ginga, Kawanishi Kyokko, Nakajima Byakko and Kugisho Tenga; Aichi S1A Denko; Kawasaki Ki.102; Mitsubishi Ki.109; Mitsubishi A6M2, A6M3, A6M5 and A6M5-S Zero Sen; Mitsubishi J2M3 and J2M4 Raiden; Schräge Musik; Radar Warfare; Operation Downfall; Bibliography.
£24.00
Mortons Media Group French Combat Jets in Profile
Book SynopsisThe Armée de l'Air has stood at the forefront of jet fighter technology for more than 70 years operating cutting edge types such as the Mystère, the Mirage III and most recently the Rafale. Throughout the cold war period, French fighters and fighter-bombers saw action in conflicts across the world and today both the Mirage 2000 and Rafale continue that tradition. French Combat Jets features more than 150 profiles created by renowned aviation artist JP Vieira, including the following types: MD 450 Ouragan, MD 454 Mystère IV, Super Mystère, Vautour, Étendard IV, Super Étendard, Mirage III, Mirage 5, Mirage IV, Mirage F1, Jaguar, Mirage 2000 and Rafale.
£9.99
Skyhorse Publishing Build a Drone: A Step-by-Step Guide to Designing,
Book SynopsisWhether you plan on using drones for recreation or a more serious purpose (from search and rescue through farming to scanning construction work on a high-rise apartment buildings), Build a Drone will make sure that you not only understand how to construct a drone, but the proper and safe ways to maintain and handle them.Within the last couple of years, the usage of drones in both the public and private (military) sector has exploded. People are talking about drones, building drones, and something most people didn’t know of a few years ago is now a household name.Build a Drone will not only teach you how to build your very own drone, but will explain their history in the military and the impact they will have—and are starting to have—on our everyday lives. Chapters include: Ready Made or Build Skills and Understanding the Drone Build Drone Assembly Setup and Calibration Safety and Flying Your Drone Designing Your Own Drone And more! Author Barry Davies has built drones for DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) and AAI (one of America’s largest drone manufacturers), as well as six experimental ones for MIT. He not only understands their use in the world, but knows the ins-and-outs of how they can be created and handled.
£16.34
Key Publishing Ltd De Havilland Comet
Book SynopsisIn the latter half of World War Two, the War Cabinet sanctioned the formation of a committee to consider a post-war world of air transport. Appointed to chair the group, which included politicians, engineers, businessmen and aircraft builders, was John Theodore Cuthbert Moore-Brabazon (later Lord Brabazon of Tara). This was an inspired choice, as Brabazon was the first man in Britain to hold a Private Pilot's Licence. He had advocated and promoted aviation in Britain from the earliest days. The Brabazon Committee also had the foresight to embrace an emerging method of propulsion: gas-turbine or jet engine technology. They, rightly, placed piston-engines - which were quite advanced at the time - at the forefront but made a case for the gas-turbine. This enabled Geoffrey de Havilland and Ronald Bishop to begin building a pure-jet airliner to be powered by engines designed by Frank Halford. A very brave move from de Havilland and one that gave Britain the lead over the rest of the world. The de Havilland DH 106 Comet aircraft made history as the first jet airliner to fly and also as the first to off er a scheduled jet passenger service. Even though more than sixty years have elapsed since that first flight, the story of the Comet continues to excite and inspire.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Piper Cherokee
Book SynopsisAfter the Cessna 172, the Piper Cherokee is one of the most popular aircraft for the owner/pilot.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing British Airways Colouring Book
Book SynopsisA beautiful colouring book with fascinating images from the history of this iconic company.
£11.69
The Crowood Press Ltd Combat Legend: F-4 Phantom
Book SynopsisThe Phantom was developed for the US Navy as a long range all-weather fighter and first flew in May 1958. Phantoms have been used in combat in many conflicts throughout its long service history. This text provides a history of this craft.
£9.49
Random House USA Inc A Week at the Airport
Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of The Art of Travel comes a wittily intriguing exploration of the strange non-place that he believes is the imaginative center of our civilization.Given unprecedented access to one of the world’s busiest airports as a “writer-in-residence,” Alain de Botton found it to be a showcase for many of the major crosscurrents of the modern world—from our faith in technology to our destruction of nature, from our global interconnectedness to our romanticizing of the exotic. He met travelers from all over and spoke with everyone from baggage handlers to pilots to the airport chaplain. Weaving together these conversations and his own observations—of everything from the poetry of room service menus to the eerie silence in the middle of the runway at midnight—de Botton has produced an extraordinary meditation on a place that most of us never slow down enough to see clearly. Lavishly illustrated in color by renowned photo
£15.16
Hikoki Publications Yakolev Aircraft of World War Two
Book SynopsisFounded in 1927, the design bureau headed by Aleksandr S. Yakovlev started out with light aircraft but soon became a "fighter maker" when the prospect of war loomed large. Originally designated I-26, Yakovlev''s first simple but rugged fighter, first flew in 1940 and entered production at the end of the year as the Yak-1. The Yak-9 followed in 1942 and brought a greater proportion of metal to the airframe design leading to the development of the long-range Yak-9D, the up-gunned tank buster versions (Yak-9-37, Yak-9T, Yak-9K etc.) and the Yak-9B light bomber. Later flown by the French pilots of the Normandie-Niemen squadron of the Soviet Air Force the Yak-3 introduced in 1943 came to be recognized as one of the best fighters of WW II. This detailed history is richly illustrated with unit badges, nose art, scale drawings, colour side views and three-views. Previously unreleased photos and personal stories from pilots in the Great Patriotic War ensure Yakolev Aircraft of World War II is a detailed reference source for modelers, enthusiasts and historians alike.
£29.71
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Bell 47H13 Sioux Helicopter
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis book is a must for anybody who is interested in machines that have changed the world of aviation and have been instrumental in the development of other iconic aircraft. It could also be used as reference for plastic modellers who may find it useful for some of the finer detail they require. The author has delivered another excellent volume and this will be a very welcome addition to any discerning aviation enthusiast. Anyone with a general interest in aviation will enjoy this book. Sven Atkin
£18.04
Haynes Publishing Group Grumman F-14 Tomcat Manual: All models 1970–2006
Book SynopsisAll models 1970-2006, Probably best-known for its starring role in the Hollywood movie Top Gun, the variable geometry two-seat carrier-based Grumman F-14 Tomcat was the US Navy's primary maritime air superiority fighter and fleet defence interceptor between 1974 and 2006., Tony Holmes reviews the design, construction and use of the Tomcat, as well as its combat career in Operation Desert Storm (1991), Deliberate Force (Bosnia-Hertzegovina, 1995), and Allied Force (Bosnia and Kosovo, 1999). In 2001, F-14s led some of the first strikes into Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom), and in Iraq in 2003 (Operation Iraqi Freedom)., Author: Tony Holmes is a publishing professional and author with a specialist interest in aviation. He established Osprey Publishing's critically acclaimed 'Aircraft of the Aces' series. Tony is widely published in the book and magazine worlds. He lives in Kent.
£19.54
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Legacy Hornets
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£18.04
Scribner Book Company The Spirit of St Louis
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£19.80
Schiffer Publishing Ltd War Hawgs
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£36.79
Schiffer Publishing Ltd I Could Never Be So Lucky Again
Book SynopsisThe complete autobiography of an American hero, Jimmy Doolittle.
£23.79
Schiffer Publishing Ltd United States Combat Aircrew Survival Equipment
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£23.79
Graphic Arts Center Publishing Co Seaplanes along the Inside Passage The Highs and
Book Synopsis"Having accrued nearly twenty-four thousand hours of experience as a commercial pilot, author Gerry Bruder shares the highlights (and darkest moments) of his career. From abrupt engine failure while airborne, to ferrying a diverse array of passengers, to surviving flights in dangerous weather conditions, is a tell-it-like-it-is inside story of aviation life. Highly recommended." -James A. Cox, Midwest Book Review-The Aviation ShelfWhat is it about Alaska that can make a young journalist from the East Coast abandon his career and become a bush pilot? Bruder''s fascinating first-person account answers that question and lets the reader share his experiences as he becomes seasoned as a seaplane pilot flying the rugged terrain of Western Washington, British Columbia, and Southeast Alaska.The life of a bush pilot in southeast Alaska is filled with the exhilaration of having unique access to one of our last great spans of wilderness, balanced with phTable of ContentsPreface Chapter 1: NO WOLVES IN THE NEWSROOM Chapter 2: THE COCKPIT BECKONS Chapter 3: APPRENTICESHIP Chapter 4: OF PASSENGERS AND PLACES Chapter 5: BURNING OUT Chapter 6: WINTER Chapter 7: ESCAPE ATTEMPT Chapter 8: PRESSURE POINTS Chapter 9: RELIEF VALVE Chapter 10: BAREFOOT HERO Chapter 11: OVERNIGHTING Chapter 12: MECHANICALS Chapter 13: ICE CAP BLUES Chapter 14: URBAN SEAPLANE PILOT Chapter 15: DEBATES AND DECISIONS Chapter 16: N90422 Chapter 17: SEAPLANES IN THE MUD Chapter 18: CHASING RAINBOWS About the Author
£12.34
Haynes Publishing Group Convair B-36 Peacemaker: 1949–59
Book SynopsisUnofficially named the 'Peacemaker', the Convair B-36 is a legend of the Cold War. With six powerful radial engines and four turbojets paired in pods, the B-36 was America's 'Big Stick' that could subdue would-be aggressors with unrestrained nuclear retribution at a level unmatched by any other aircraft or air force of the time., Built initially from a requirement to bomb Nazi-occupied Europe from the United States, the B-36 entered service with the US Air Force in 1948 as the world's first operational nuclear bomber with hemispheric range, while at the same time becoming the largest American aircraft to enter volume production. It was later adapted as a long-range reconnaissance aircraft equipped with the most powerful cameras ever carried in the air., Author: David Baker offers an unrivalled insight into this behemoth that held the line against the growing Soviet threat during the opening decade of the Cold War. He lifts the lid on the 'Peacemaker', bringing together several decades of research and investigation into an aircraft that bridges the piston-engine era and the age of the all-jet bomber. With the aid of more than 300 photographs and detailed performance charts, he describes the design, development, structure and systems of the B-36 and its service with the US Air Force's Strategic Air Command at a crucial point in post-war history.Table of ContentsContents INTRODUCTION CHAPTER ONE: THE ORIGIN OF THE B-36 CHAPTER TWO: DEVELOPING THE B-36 CHAPTER THREE: TYPE EVOLUTION AND PRODUCTION CHAPTER FOUR: VARIANTS AND DERIVATIVES CHAPTER FIVE: ANATOMY OF THE B-36 CHAPTER SIX: SERVICE LIFE CHAPTER SEVEN: FLYING THE B-36 CHAPTER EIGHT: REMINISCENCES APPENDIX
£21.25
Mortons Media Group Boeing B-47 Stratojet and B-52 Stra
Book SynopsisThe famous B-52 Stratofortress has been in service with the USAF for more than 65 years and its iconic shape is known and recognised all over the world. Yet the B-52 and its predecessor, the B-47 Stratojet, started out looking very different indeed. Each aircraft was the end product of a lengthy design process which saw numerous configurations studied with plenty of diversions taken and missteps made along the way. In Boeing B-47 Stratojet and B-52 Stratofortress: Origins and Evolution, aerospace engineer Scott Lowther reviews and explains the many different projects put forward for these two iconic aircraft, including a wide variety of rare and forgotten designs. Providing full-page diagrams, a wealth of new artwork and accurate data, the book will be useful for model makers interested in new and unique projects, aerospace engineers curious about the process of design evolution and those interested in these fascinating aircraft.
£29.75
Schiffer Publishing Ltd B52 Stratofortress
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£17.09
Amber Books Ltd Aircraft of the Cold War 1945–1991:
Book SynopsisFor over 40 years NATO and Warsaw Pact aircraft faced each other across the Iron Curtain, or fought in proxy wars around the world. Illustrated with detailed artworks of combat aircraft and their markings, Aircraft of the Cold War 1945–1991: Identification Guide is a comprehensive study of the planes in service with NATO and the Warsaw Pact and their respective units from the end of World War II until the reunification of Germany. Arranged chronologically by theatre, the book gives a complete organizational breakdown of the units of both sides, including the units and aircraft used in the proxy wars fought in Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East and elsewhere as well as the ‘frontline’ in Germany. Packed with 250 colour profiles of every major type of combat aircraft from the era, Aircraft of the Cold War 1945–1991 is an essential reference guide for modellers, military historians and aircraft enthusiasts.Table of ContentsChapter 1 Europe Chapter 2 Air Power at Sea Chapter 3 Strategic Bombers and Air Defence Chapter 4 Strategic Reconnaissance Chapter 5 The Middle East Chapter 6 Africa Chapter 7 Southern Asia Chapter 8 The Far East Chapter 9 Latin America Appendices Index
£16.99
Fonthill Media Ltd Macchi C.202 Folgore: Italy's Best Fighter of the
Book SynopsisThe Macchi C.202 was probably the most successful Italian fighter during the Second World War. It is generally agreed that the performance of the Macchi was superior to both the Hawker Hurricane and the Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk and on a par with the Supermarine Spitfire Mk. V. It is not by chance that virtually all the Italian top scoring aces flew this plane either with the Regia Aeronautica or the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana. At the same time, the Mc.202 is the symbol of the dysfunctions in the Italian military-industrial complex: the lack of sound industrial planning resulting in orders from the Regia Aeronautica for an exaggerated number of different aircraft; the lack of the development of adequate engines limiting aircraft performance and reducing capacity to house weapons with a proper punch; the corruption of politics and the culpable connivance of the high military spheres. The Mc.202 was therefore produced in limited numbers, while there is consensus that air war, especially in the African theatre, would have been different had the aircraft been adopted before.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements; List of abbreviations; Introduction; 1 Historical Context; 2 The Schneider Trophy and Agello's record; 3 Mario Castoldi; 4 The Macchi MC200 Saetta; 5 The MC202 in combat, 1941-45. Construction and variants; 6 The MC202 in combat, 1941-45. Training and organisation; 7 The MC202 in combat, 1941-45. Combat; Epilogue.
£24.00
McFarland & Co Inc Electric Airplanes and Drones
Book Synopsis Attempts at electric powered flight date to well before the 19th century. Battery weight and low energy output made it impractical until the 1990s, when the advent of lightweight materials, more efficient solar power, improved engines and the Li-Po (lithium polymer) battery opened the skies to a wide variety of electric aircraft. The author describes the diverse designs of modern electric flying machines--from tiny insect-styled drones to stratospheric airships--and explores developing trends, including flying cars and passenger airliners.Trade Reviewa monumental effort describing the whole of the field in ways I have never seen documented." - ByDanJohnson.com
£32.39
Hikoki Publications Close Call: RAF Close Air Support in the
Book SynopsisClose support for the Army by the Royal Air Force evolved during WWII from being virtually non-existent to a fully developed part of the battle plan. Nowhere was co-operation more refined and developed than in the Mediterranean theatre. The first volume of this two-part series traced the evolution of close air support through the inter-war years to disaster in France and the first attempts at immediate on-call cover in East Africa provided by the South African Air Force. This led to a much improved system from el Alamein onwards. Volume II takes the story on from the assault on Sicily through a succession of battles in Italy and southern France where the Allied armies could depend on an immediate air cover, made possible by Allied air forces having total air supremacy. The war in Italy saw much innovation in terms of weapons and also in the role of the air observation post squadrons, both of which are fully discussed. These volumes include references to official sources and documents, including squadron operational record books, as well as to logbooks, diaries, and autobiographies of many who participated.
£25.46
Avion Ventures Bv. 80 Years, a Tribute to the Pby Catalina: The
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£42.46
Amberley Publishing British Airways
Book SynopsisLavishly illustrated full-colour history of this iconic company, in association with British Airways and full of fascinating images from the British Airways archive.
£18.00
Mortons Media Group F-16 Fighting Falcon
Book SynopsisSleek, futuristic and deadly the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon was born from the crucible of the air war over Vietnam and the need for cheaper, simpler and more manoeuvrable fighter aircraft with which to combat the many thousands of Soviet-bloc supplied aircraft sold around the world. Back in the early 1970s the F-16 was the pinnacle of modern design, integrating a powerful turbofan engine and offering unrivalled manoeuvrability thanks to its relaxed static stability and fly-by-wire system with computer control. Today's F-16 Viper is light years away from the simple, lightweight pointdefence fighter first envisaged, but it has evolved and matured into the finest and most exported fourth-generation combat aircraft around the world. This is its story.
£22.50
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Jet Man: The Making and Breaking of Frank
Book SynopsisThe story of Frank Whittle – RAF pilot, mathematician of genius, inventor of the jet engine and British hero. 'Wonderful' David Edgerton, TLS 'A fascinating account' Aeroplane Monthly 'Casts new light on the intense, heroic character of Frank Whittle' Leo McKinstry '[A] thorough dissection of the evolution of the jet engine... I recommend this mighty tome unreservedly' Journal of Aeronautical History 'A long overdue corrective of an extraordinary man' James Hamilton-Paterson 'A fine, deeply researched book' Military History Monthly In 1938, a thirty-one-year-old RAF pilot and engineer named Frank Whittle – given special leave to pursue his own startlingly original concept of flight – presented the Air Ministry with a written proposal for a revolutionary jet-powered fighter aircraft. A ready response might have changed the course of history, but Whittle got no reply. In this gripping and insightful biography, Duncan Campbell-Smith charts Whittle's success at building a pre-war jet engine against all the odds – and tracks his desperate struggle to have it launched into active service against Hitler's Luftwaffe. It arrived too late – but nonetheless transformed the future of aviation.Trade ReviewWonderful at evoking Whittle's extraordinary creative ideas, his mathematical ability, his charm, the support he received, his lack of political nous, as well as the sometimes appalling treatment he received -- David Edgerton, TLSA fascinating account * Aeroplane Monthly *A long overdue corrective account of an extraordinary man -- James Hamilton-PatersonCasts new light on the intense, heroic character of Frank Whittle and his revolutionary invention -- Leo McKinstryThere's much to ponder in this biography of a stoic and overlooked British hero * Choice Magazine *A fine, deeply researched book... [It] does great credit to a true aviation pioneer' * Military History *The author has done a first rate job in illuminating the struggles of this engineering icon in such a gripping manner. That he has made such good use of Whittle's notes and diaries is evident and adds so much to the book. As such, I expect it will become an historical document of some importance... This book is highly commended to all those with an interest in aviation, be they aircraft or engineering enthusiasts' * Pennant *An important and stimulating addition to the literature and highly recommended -- The Aviation Historian[A] thorough dissection of the evolution of the jet engine. Campbell-Smith has climbed every mountain of paper records unearthing the numerous political and technical hurdles from primary sources... I recommend this mighty tome unreservedly * Journal of Aeronautical History *
£28.50
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Aircraft and Aviation Stamps
Book SynopsisThe author has combined his two greatest interests: Transport and Stamp Collecting and brought them together in this series of books looking at the way postage stamps have led him to increase his knowledge of our world via his interest in all forms of tra
£15.29
The Crowood Press Ltd Flight Of The Mew Gull: Record-breaking flying in
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£17.09
Little, Brown Book Group The Mammoth Book of Air Disasters and Near Misses
Book SynopsisAn incredible 30,000 flights – at least – arrive safely at their destinations every day. But a handful don’t, while some come terrifyingly close to crashing. When even the smallest thing does go wrong at 35,000 feet, the result is nearly always a fast-unfolding tragedy. This extensive collection of compelling real-life accounts of air disasters and near-disasters provides a sobering, alternative history of the just over 105 years that passengers have been travelling by air, from the very earliest fatality to recent calamities.But there are incredible stories of heroism against the odds, too, such as that of Captain Chesley Sullenberger who successfully landed his aircraft with both engines gone on the Hudson River in New York, saving the lives of everyone aboard, and of the American Airlines crew who prevented terrorist Richard Reid from exploding a bomb hidden in his shoe three months after 9/11.The book also details the often ingenious, always painstaking work done by air-accident investigators, while a glossary helps to clarify the occasional, inevitable bits of jargon.
£12.34
Amber Books Ltd American Fighter Aircraft of World War II
Book SynopsisThe United States Army Air Force (USAAF) came into its own during World War II, building some of the premier fighters of the era. American Fighter Aircraft of World War II is a detailed guide to all the fighter aircraft types deployed by the USAAF and US Navy from 1941 to 1945. Organised chronologically, this book includes all-time greats, such as the highly- adaptable P-51 Mustang bomber escort, the carrier-based F6F Hellcat – which outperformed the legendary Japanese A6M Zero fighter – and the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, with its distinctive twin-boom design; as well as lesser-known types, such as the Boeing P-26 Peashooter, the high-altitude Republic P-43 Lancer, and the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, the USAAF’s only operational jet fighter during the war. The entries are accompanied by exhaustive captions and specifications. The guide is illustrated with profile artworks and three-views, as well as two-page dynamic artworks of some of the more famous aircraft in service, such as the P-40 Warhawk ground-attack variant, the twin-engined P-61 Black Widow night-fighter, and the robust P-47 Thunderbolt fighter-bomber. Illustrated with more than 100 authentic artworks with accurate markings and camouflage, American Fighter Aircraft of World War II is an essential reference guide for modellers and military aviation enthusiasts.Table of ContentsContents:IntroductionEarly-War Fighters • Curtiss Hawk III • Curtiss-Wright CW-21 Demon • Boeing P-26 Peashooter • Seversky P-35 • Curtiss P-36 & Hawk Model 75 • Republic P-43 Lancer • Bell P-39 Airacobra • Curtiss P-40 WarhawkLate-War Fighters • Vultee P-66 Vanguard • North American P-51 Mustang • Republic P-47 Thunderbolt • Supermarine Spitfire • Bell P-63 KingcobraHeavy Fighters • Bell YFM-1 Airacuda • Bristol Beaufighter • de Havilland Mosquito • Douglas P-70 Havoc • Lockheed P-38 Lightning • Northrop P-61 Black WidowNaval Types • Brewster F2A Buffalo • Grumman F4F Wildcat • Grumman F6F Hellcat • Grumman F7F Tigercat • Grumman F8F Bearcat • Vought F4U CorsairJet Aircraft • Bell P-59 Airacomet • Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star • Ryan FR-1 FireballIndex
£16.19
Schiffer Publishing Ltd Douglas DC4 DC6 and DC7
Book SynopsisAn illustrated guide to three of the most important piston-engined airliners of the postwar era.
£23.79
Key Publishing Ltd Lockheed Constellation
Book SynopsisWhile many airliners from the Second World War have either disappeared completely or only survived as remnants in a museum, approximately 55 Constellations out of the 856 built still survive today, and two of them, both C-121s, are airworthy. A real head turner, the Connie' raised the bar in both performance, economy and passenger comfort and can arguably be described as one of the most beautiful airliners ever built. The Lockheed Constellation was an aircraft that broke the mould when it came to early airliner design. The standard approach of a straight, tubular fuselage and a conventional tail and wing arrangement is still the tried and tested configuration of all airliners to this day. The US military's enthusiasm also helped to advance the development of the Constellation which, in turn, benefitted civilian airlines with the arrival of the Super Constellation and the definitive variant, the Starliner, which sadly came too late to make a huge impression as, from the mid-1950s onwards, the trend swung rapidly towards jet power. With the arrival of the jet, Constellations were replaced by the major operators although a number remained in passenger service into the late 1960s, and the last passenger-carrying flight did not take place until 1978 in the Dominican Republic. Delve into the story of this beautiful aircraft with this fully illustrated history.
£14.39
