Military vehicles Books

Book SynopsisTACAMO, an unusual moniker meaning 'Take Charge and Move Out', is the Navy's well-known and respected leg of the nation's national strategic communications, a key element of the US nuclear deterrence posture. But TACAMO has not always been so recognized. For the junior officers in the early days of the 1960s and 1970s, TACAMO was a career-killing backwater, likely to put an end to their careers before they even got started. But in the 1970s, inspired by their commanding officer Bill Coyne, a handful of junior officers made the leap of faith to take a second tour in TACAMO, betting their careers that they could bring this community into existence. This is the story of eleven of those 'True Believers', told in their own words, how each came to make that leap of faith to bring the TACAMO community into existence against all odds, moulding it into what it is today. Out of this pioneering cadre came eleven future commanding officers and three commodores of a Wing yet twenty years in the future. And the 'True Believers' went on beyond TACAMO to make major contributions to all aspects of national strategic communications, some at the level of the White House.This is their story.Trade Review[C]ontains a wealth of information on a mission which is essential to the well-being of the US. McIntyre fulfils his aim of telling the story the development of the Navy’s strategic communications mission through the eyes of the 'Fathers of TACAMO.' * The Journal of the Air Force Historical Foundation *McIntyre’s writing is accessible and he is to be commended for expanding the history of Naval aviation. * The National Maritime Historical Society *

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Book SynopsisThe Second World War saw the apex of piston-engine aircraft design, and ushered the world into the jet age. Anybody who studies aviation will know the names: Spitfire, Mustang, Zero, Messerschmitt, Shturmovik. But there were many more aircraft to take to the skies before and during the war, and frequently their stories remain unknown. This book seeks to tell those stories, to bring to the fore the forgotten warbirds. From the valiant Poles fighting the might of the Luftwaffe in their obsolescent craft, to the varied and excellent craft of the French Armee De l'Air, to the graceful craft of Italy's Regia Aeronautica. With stops around the globe, this book seeks to tell the tales of the forgotten or the doomed or the never-quites. The stories of these aircraft, drawn from Allies and Axis nations alike, bring forth a fuller picture of aviation during the greatest airborne conflict in world history. Telling these stories will give readers an interesting, and informative, look into the past-with personal reflections and a call to arms for the study of history itself.

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Book SynopsisThe German army faced tanks of superior size, armor and firepower from the outset of World War II. Although their Panzerwaffen handled the Polish campaign, war with France meant confronting superior heavy and medium tanks like the Char B and Somua, with 47 mm high velocity cannon that penetrated German tank armor with ease. French infantry disposed of effective antitank weapons and a portion of their 75 mm field guns were detailed as antitank guns. Even greater challenges emerged with the Russo-German War, for the Germans had no initial answer to the KV-1 heavy tank and T-34 medium. The successive technical shocks of superior tanks introduced by each side produced a gun-armor race that continued in some manner even after the war’s end. The Germans placed a premium on technological quality and superiority over mass production, for which their industry (and, arguably, their regime) remained rather unsuited. Not satisfied with the advantage they obtained with the Tiger and Panther series tanks, the army leadership and Adolf Hitler himself pushed for larger and more powerful tanks than had ever been built.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements; Introduction; 1 German Tank Development, 1918–1939; 2 War and the Heavy Tank Programs, 1939–1945; 3 Tiger I; 4 The Successor Tiger II Tank; 5 Inspecting a Tiger II; 6 Dr Porsche’s Tank to the Battlefield—The Ferdinand-Elefant Experience; 7 Superheavy Tanks—Maus and E-100; 8 Jagdtiger; 9 Sturmmörser Tiger; 10 German Heavy Tank Units in World War II; Conclusions—Quality vs. Quantity?; Appendix I Schilling, History of German Tank Development; Appendix II Interrogation of Dr Stiele v Heydekampf; Appendix III Interrogation of Dr Ernest Kniepkamp [Tank Engines]; Appendix IV Chobham Preliminary Report—Tiger B Turret Armor [for Porsche Tiger]; Appendix V German Heavy Tank Cannon 1942–1945; Select Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisSoon after entering the war in April 1917 American propaganda promised that she would `Darken the skies over Europe’ by sending over `the Greatest Aerial Armada ever seen’. Encouraged by the French Government America promised to build no less than 22,000 aeroplanes within a year and to field, and to maintain, a force of 4,000 machines, all of the latest type, over the Western Front during 1918, not only to provide adequate air support for her own troops, but because she saw this as a way to use her industrial strength to bypass the squalor of the war in the trenches, and so bring an end to the stalemate of attrition into which the war had descended. However, by the time of the Armistice more than 18 months later just a few hundred American built aeroplanes had reached the war fronts and several investigations into the causes of the failure of the project were already in progress.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements; Author’s Note; Introduction; 1 Aviation in America before the War; 2 America Enters the War; 3 The US Standardised Aero Engine; 4 Preliminary Proposals; 5 The Mission to Europe; 6 Financing the Plan; 7 The Orders are Placed; 8 Curtiss JN-4; 9 Standard J-1; 10 Royal Aircraft Factory SE5a; 11 SPAD SVII and SXIII; 12 Curtiss R-4 and R-6; 13 Bristol F.2B Fighter; 14 Caproni Bombers; 15 Handley Page O/400; 16 Martin MB-1; 17 De Havilland DH.4; 18 USD-9; 19 LUSAC-11; 20 Growing Dissatisfaction; 21 The Air Service `Over There’; 22 The Situation at the End of the War; Conclusion; Appendix I The Liberty Engine; Appendix II DH.4 Statistics; Appendix III Aircraft Production Facts; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisFor a time, the flying boat was seen as the way of the future. These aircraft, so strange and foreign to the modern mind, once criss-crossed the world and fulfilled essential military roles. In his latest book for Fonthill, Charles Bain looks at the golden age of the flying boat, when these sometimes strange and often beautiful vessels spanned the globe. These vessels-a combination of ship and airplane-found themselves working as patrol aircraft, passenger aircraft, transports, and even as combat aircraft. This volume contains their stories, from memorable aircraft such as the Short Sunderland and Boeing 314 Clipper, to the craft that roamed the Pacific Theatre of the Second World War, to forgotten giants from Saunders-Roe and even strange jet fighters that once landed like ducks. It even includes the flying boat that has not let time get in the way of doing its job-the Martin Mars. Each of these aircraft has a story worthy of the telling, and often a memorable role to play in the history of aviation. `High Hulls' delves deeply into a long-vanished part of aviation's golden age.

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Book SynopsisThe United Kingdom and the United States governments made a series of signed agreements in the early part of 1941 which allowed for the American Naval, Army and Air force to design and build campaigns against Nazi Germany. Today the United Kingdom and the United States Air Force still have a selection of operational bases but only three used for flying operations. RAF Mildenhall, The host unit at Mildenhall is the 100th Air Refuelling Wing operating the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, which deploys aircraft for and manages the European Tanker Task Force, Also housing the 352 SOW is the Air Force component for Special Operations Command Europe who operate the C130J series and the CV-22 Osprey and the 95th Reconnaissance Squadron which conducts RC-135 Rivet Joint flight operations in Europe and Mediterranean theatres. RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk being the other Airbase host the 48th Fighter Wing (48 FW), also known as the Liberty Wing, assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe--Air Forces Africa. The 48th Fighter Wing aircraft is the McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15 Eagle and here they house 3 Squadrons plus as part of the wing the 56th Rescue Squadron (56 RQS) who are a combat-ready search and rescue squadron of HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters. RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire is currently a standby airfield and therefore not in everyday use. Its most prominent use in recent years has been as an airfield for United States Air Force B-52s during the 2003 Iraq War, Operation Allied Force in 1999, and the first Gulf War in 1991. It is the US Air Force's only European airfield for heavy bombers. In this book Darren Willmin looks back on the history of USAFE in Britain and how it's developed to the present day. Darren Willmin's superb photographs capture the operational aircraft both from the ground and in the air from inside and outside of the bases.

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Book SynopsisThe untold story of the hitherto secret projects that lead to the development of inertial navigation in the UK, and the many missiles that were designed for the RAF's bomber force. The result was the Blue Steel missile, which was deployed in 1963. These were cruise type missiles, and in 1959 the RAF decided to participate in the American Skybolt air launched ballistic missile. But Skybolt was cancelled by the American Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, which brought about a crisis in Anglo-American relations, only resolved when the UK obtained Polaris on acceptable terms. The cancellation brought about another crisis: Polaris would not be available until 1969, and so short-term stop gaps were needed to tide over the British deterrent until then. Many potential projects are examined in the book. But what if the UK had not been able to obtain Polaris on acceptable terms? The final chapters examine what options would have been open to Britain: ground based missiles or air launched missiles? What part could the TSR 2 have played in this? The book is the result of much archival research, and there are extensive quotes from contemporary documents to illustrate the thinking of the time.Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1 Background; 2 Britain's First Stand-Off Missile: Blue Steel; 3 The Rise and Fall of Blue Streak; 4 Setting the scene for Skybolt; 5 The Origins of Skybolt; 6 The warhead; 7 No fight more bitter; 8 The VC 10 Airliner as a Skybolt Carrier; 9 An Insurance Policy-OR 1182, the last attempt at an all British deterrent; 10 Skybolt-The Test Firings; 11 Skybolt and the V bombers; 12 The Doubts Grow; 13 The Nassau Agreement: Kennedy and Macmillan Meet; 14 The Stop Gaps; 15 What If ... ?; 16 Tidying Up; 17 So what went wrong?; Appendix: The Memorandum of Understanding; Brief History of Skybolt from the British Perspective; Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisSoviet bombers were a varied lot during the Second World War, ranging from single-engined biplanes such as the 1920's era Polikarpov U-2 to the excellent and modern twin-engined Tu-2 medium bomber. Although the use of four-engined strategic bombers was mostly limited to use of the huge Pe-8 bomber, the Soviets used many other aircraft for both strategic and tactical bombing. As the bombers of the Red Air Force were mainly tasked with supporting the Red Army, most of the bombers were used for tactical bombing, attacking tanks, troop convoys, trains, and airfields. This book will deal with both strategic bombers and tactical bombers, but will concentrate on the smaller tactical bombers, as this is where the Red Air Force's emphasis lay. Such types as the Il-4, the Su-2, the aforementioned Tu-2, and the most important bomber of all, the Il-2 Shturmovik attack bomber, will be described in great detail, including not only details on the aircraft themselves, but how they were deployed in combat. The one truly strategic bomber, the Pe-8, will not be forgotten, and neither will the comparatively tiny U-2 biplane, which was so effective in its use as a night-time "nuisance" raider that the Germans copied the tactic wholesale. Accurate colour profiles in some number will accompany the text in this comprehensive work on Soviet bombers.

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Book SynopsisThis book presents a little-known aspect of America's aircraft development of World War II in emphasizing unique and non-production aircraft or modifications for the purpose of research and experimentation in support of aircraft development, advancing technology, or meeting narrow combat needs. It describes some important areas of American aviation weapons maturation under the pressure of war with emphasis on advanced technology and experimental aircraft configurations. The great value of the work is illumination of little known or minimally documented projects that significantly advanced the science of aeronautics, propulsion, aircraft systems, and ordnance, but did not go into production. Each chapter introduces another topic by examining the state-of-the-art at the beginning of the war, advantages pursued, and results achieved during the conflict. This last is the vehicle to examine the secret modifications or experiments that are little known. Consequently, this is an important single-source for a fascinating and diverse collection of wartime efforts never before brought together under a single cover. The "war stories" are those of military staffs, engineering teams, and test pilots struggling against short schedules and tight resource constraints to push the bounds of technology. These epic and sometimes life-threatening endeavors were as vital as actual combat operations.Table of ContentsForeword; Acknowledgements; Glossary; Acronyms and Abbreviations; 1 Foundation; 2 Aeronautical Achievements; 3 Propulsion Challenges; 4 Rocket Promise; 5 Sonic Reach; 6 Undercarriage Variations; 7 Range Extension; 8 Piloting Diversions; 9 Mission Support; 10 Special Missions; 11 Shipboard Duties; 12 Miscellaneous Projects; 13 Foreign Influence; 14 A Step Along; Endnotes; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe ancient Norwich firm of Boulton & Paul were brought into aircraft construction in 1915, and quickly became one of the great innovators. They pioneered metal construction and built the frame of the largest aircraft ever built in Britain, the R.101 airship. The Overstrand, the last of their superlative medium bombers, was the first aircraft in the world to feature a power-operated gun turret, and after their move to Wolverhampton in 1936 and change of name to Boulton Paul Aircraft their gun turrets became a vital component of the war effort, not least in their own Defiant, which fought in the Battle of Britain and was the most successful night fighter in the dark nights of the Blitz. Their post-war Balliol trainer was the World’s first single-engine turboprop and their last production aircraft, because the technology of their gun turrets was translated into their world lead as manufacturers of power operated control units, and then fly-by-wire. Becoming part of the Dowty Group and later GE Aviation, their advanced aerospace product line is now invested in the firm of Moog, still in Wolverhampton, still innovating.Table of Contents1 Company History: The Days before the Aeroplane; 2 The First World War; 3 The Aftermath of the War; 4 The P.71A Feederliner; 5 The Sale of the Aircraft Division; 6 The P.75 Overstrand; 7 The Electro-Hydraulic Gun Turret; 8 The Move to Wolverhampton; 9 The P.82 Defiant; 10 Turret Development; 11 Remote-Control and Radar-Guided Guns; 12 Norwich Resumes Production; 13 Further Fighter Projects; 14 Naval Aircraft; 15 The Balliol; 16 Further Trainer Projects; 17 Experimental Aircraft; 18 Sub-Contract Work; 19 Powered Flying Control Units; 20 The Merger with Dowty; 21 The Sidestrand in No. 101 Squadron Service; 22 Sidestrand Development; 23 The Overstrand in RAF Service; 24 Production Build-up; 25 The Battle of Britain; 26 New Tactics; 27 Radar Warfare and Air-Sea Rescue; 28 Target Towing; 29 Training on Defiants; 30 Experimental Flying; Appendix I: Aircraft Built Under Licence; Appendix II: Surviving Boulton Paul-built Aircraft; Appendix III: Boulton Paul Annual Production; Appendix IV: Boulton Paul Gun Turrets; Appendix V: Canberra and Lightning Conversions; Appendix VI: Powered Flying Control Units and Other Equipment P-Series Numbers.

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Book SynopsisThis book takes a carefully considered look at the history of many lesser known but nevertheless advanced British flying wing, delta and tailless aircraft that stretch across much of the last century. The emphasis is on classified projects considered for research or military purposes, but also includes those aircraft that were built, flown and entered service. The first commercially successful British flying wing biplane was designed by John Dunne and undertook limited military duties during the First World War. Soon, the early flying wing designs gave way to sleeker boomerangs that looked impressive, but often suffered with aerodynamic shortcomings. These were followed by the arrival of advanced wartime German jet powered delta projects initiated by Dr Alexander Lippisch. They were massively influential, with most post-war scientists and engineers immediately recognised the potential for a new generation of high performance warplanes. By the late 1940s, the UK required advanced jet powered bombers capable of carrying atomic bombs over long distances. This created many unusual, often German influenced designs that finally resulted in the V-Bombers. They were followed by short lived concepts for even larger aircraft that were not only capable of delivering nuclear weapons, but powered by nuclear propulsion. At the same time, interest in variable geometry wings gathered momentum, leading to the supersonic Swallow with its impressive science-fiction appearance. Sadly this Barnes Wallace concept was too far ahead of its time to overcome a number of technical issues, but the influence on American combat aircraft was considerable. The British also pushed ahead with ideas for vertical take-off fighters and the delta wing was often the first choice for many proposals. By the 1960s, Britain was attempting to gain a foothold in the space race. Plans were drawn up for rocket launching sites within the UK and the development of exotic delta winged space fighters. The ideas were impressive, although the technology was well beyond the UK's ability to fund and develop. These were glorious times for British aircraft designers who often pushed their ideas to the boundaries of what was possible, with design studies that remain influential today.Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1 Early Flying Wings; 2 Jet Bomber Projects; 3 Post-war Fighters; 4 Pushing the Design Envelope; 5 Rocket Powered Interceptors; 6 VTO/VTOL/STOL Projects; 7 Space Ambitions; 8 Some Final Thoughts; Select Bibliography; Glossary; Index.

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Book SynopsisEvery week the TV news highlights the routine use of drones and guided missiles against terrorist enemies and the recreational use of drones has become commonplace. The Nazi WWII development of guided missiles and bombs is often given credit for America's Cold War success in this realm. However, it was during that war that America, and the Air Force, in particular, also began the development of systems and weapons that laid the foundation for today's technology. 'Off Target' relates in detail the then "Secret" research, development, and combat employment of these early guided bombs, missiles, and drones from 1917 to 1948. Using formerly Secret/Confidential manuals, reports, microfilm print outs, and photos, collected over 40 years, author Wolf, gives the air war historian and enthusiast a detailed look at this unknown topic that progressed from biplane drones to sophisticated post-WWII guided missiles. Among the subjects discussed are Sperry's aerial torpedo and the Kettering "Bug" of WWI to WWII's early rudimentary GB Series Glide Bombs to the more sophisticated VB Series that evolved from radio, heat, light, or television guidance. The Aphrodite/Joseph Kennedy B-17, BQ, TDR, and target drones are discussed as are the SWOD, GLOMB, GORGON, and JB Jet bomb series.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments; Foreword; Chapter 1: Pilotless Weapons: Early Development 1917-Pearl Harbor; Fathers of Remote Control; Nicola Tesla; Archibald Lowe; Sperry Aerial Torpedo/Flying Bomb, Kettering Aerial Torpedo 'Bug'; The British Queen Controlled Aircraft Influence the American Aerial Torpedo; Aerial Torpedo Resurrected Using Commercial Aircraft; General Motors A-1 (GMA-1); Chapter 2: Guided Bombs; AAF GB Series Glide Bomb; AAF VB Series Vertical Bombs; Chapter 3: Guided Missiles; 'Dragon'; 'EMR'; US Navy Development of Television Controlled Missiles; 'Robin'; SWOD (Special Weapons Ordnance Device) Series; 'Pelican'; 'Falcon'; 'Moth'; 'PMB' 'Bat'/SWOD Mk 9; 'Kingfisher'; 'Gorgon' Series; 'Gargoyle' Series; JB: Jet Bomb Series; JB-1; JB-2; JB-3; JB-4 through -9; JB-10; 'Project Bumblebee': The First SAM Missiles; 'Lark'; 'Little Joe'; 'Project Bumblebee' Ramjet Development; 'Talos' and 'Terrier'; Chapter 4: Drones Before Drones: 1935-1950; Target Drones; GL-1/2/3; Radioplane; Radioplane Models; Structure, Equipment, and Systems; A-1 through 8; PQ series; 'Katydid' Assault Drones; 'Aphrodite'; 'Anvil'; 'Castor'; 'Willie Orphan'; XBQ-1/XBQ-2/XBQ-3 ; Post-War Surplus Aircraft Drones; 'Crossroads'; Post-War QB-17 Drones; Post-War F6F Hellcat Drones; Chapter 5: US Navy Drone Program Development; History; TDNs and TDRs Described; Interstate XBDR-1; Chapter 6: 'GLOMB' (Glider Bomb) Series; XLNT and XLRN; LBE/LBP/LBT ; BDR; AAF 'GLOMB' Projects; Chapter 7: Conclusions on the American Guided Missile Program: 1917-1950; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis volume focuses on the influence of America’s Second World War aviation development and experience, subsequent aviation technological advances, and world events, in shaping American choices in military aircraft and associated weapons’ development during the few years following the war. It shows how air warfare weapons from the last conflict were carried forward and altered, how new systems evolved from these, and how the choices fared in the next war—Korea. The period was one of remarkable progress in a short span of time via a great many aircraft and weapons programs, and associated technological progress. These systems were of immense importance influencing and growing the engineering, production, and operational capabilities to be exploited for the next generation of weapons that soon followed. Emphasized is the innovative features or new technology and how these contributed to advancing American military aviation, influencing the evolution of follow-on models or types. Included are military prototype, experimental, and research aircraft that are equally important in understanding the history of American aircraft development. Combat employment, progress, and equipment adaptation during the Korean Conflict is then highlighted. Tabulated characteristics are provided of those aircraft that entered production or represented significant technological advances influencing others that follow.Table of ContentsForeword; Acknowledgements; Glossary; Acronyms and Abbreviations; 1 Altered Landscape; 2 Flight Research; 3 Mission Imperatives; 4 Fighters Evolve; 5 Second Generation Fighters; 6 Deviant Fighters; 7 Bombers Transform; 8 Transport and Assault; 9 Helicopters Ascend; 10 Sea Missions; 11 Special Types; 12 Aerial Weapons; 13 The Test-Korea; 14 Precipitous; Endnotes; Bibliography; Index; Author.

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Book SynopsisIn late 1944, the Second World War in the Pacific was going badly for Japan. The U.S. Pacific fleet had moved to the Mariana Islands in support of General MacArthur’s army, which had landed on the east coast of Leyte in October. The U.S. 7th Fleet was near the Surigao Strait off Leyte. The Japanese strategy was to entrap the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet by its naval forces from the north in the Sibuyan Sea, and with assault from the south from Surigao Strait. On the afternoon of 24 October, 7th Fleet torpedo-boats moved through Leyte Gulf and Surigao Strait into the Mindanao Sea south of Leyte, and by dusk were in position on their patrol-lines. Covering the northern part of the strait, were posted the destroyer squadrons, cruisers, and battleships to form the horizontal bar to a "T" of vast fire power which the enemy would be forced to approach vertically as he moved forward. With overwhelming force, the impenetrable gauntlet defeated the Japanese at Surigao Strait and played a significant in winning the Battle of Leyte Gulf and in so helping to secure the beachheads of the U.S. Sixth Army on Leyte against Japanese attack from the sea.Table of ContentsPreface; Abbreviations and Definitions; Introduction; Notable Battles in which Warships Crossed the ‘T’; The Strategic Setting in the Pacific in 1944; US Naval Doctrine in Confronting the Japanese Fleet; The US Invasion of the Philippines; Japanese Naval Doctrine; The Japanese Philippines Defensive Plan; The Battle of Leyte Gulf; The Last Crossing of the ‘T’ at Surigao Strait; Action Reports at Surigao Strait; Battle Analysis; Epilogue; Appendix I: American Fleet at the Surigao Strait; Appendix II: Allied Naval Weapons at the Surigao Strait; Appendix III: Japanese Fleet at the Surigao Strait; Appendix IV: Japanese Naval Weapons at the Surigao Strait; Appendix V: Admiral Jesse Barrett Oldendorf Biography; Appendix VI: Vice Admiral Shoji Nishimura Biography; Appendix VII: Vice Admiral Kiyohide Shima Biography; Appendix VIII: US Ship Readiness and Material Conditions; References.

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Book SynopsisR. J. Mitchell at Supermarine is the definitive account of the life of Britain’s best-known aeronautical engineer. Shelton calls upon unpublished letters, extensive press accounts, and updated material from his previous publications, concentrating particularly on the harsh conditions of Mitchell’s apprentice years, the precarious state of the aircraft firm he joined, and moments of good fortune of which he took advantage. He was a ‘chancer’ as well as a methodical developer of, mainly, slow flying seaplanes. Mitchell’s progress from draughtsman, with no formal training in aeronautical design, to internationally known chief designer is charted through a chronological study of his designs, revealing a formidable work ethic with a complex personality that combined ‘dreams and common sense’. It will also be shown how the success of his high-speed Schneider Trophy designs propelled him reluctantly into public attention and how his anxiety for his pilots’ safety matched an equal concern that his designs should not let down an expectant nation. Later expectations on him to produce a ‘killer fighter’ were equally daunting, and the outcome was often uncertain, but details of colleagues’ accounts highlight the essential and unique contribution of R.J.’s experience and drive to the eventual appearance of the iconic Spitfire.Table of ContentsIntroduction – No Ordinary Engineer; Normacot to Woolston; Establishing Himself; Early Designs and the Schneider Trophy; Early Military Designs and a Racer; Mixed Fortunes; Large, Medium, and Small Designs; A Turning Point; Becoming ‘R.J.’; Consolidation and International Success; Schneider Trophy Domination; A Gamble with Rolls-Royce; The Air Yacht and the Giant; Winning the Schneider Trophy Outright; His Last Flying Boats; His First Spitfire; The Real Spitfire Emerges; K5054; ‘It’s All Over’; After Mitchell.

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Book SynopsisAfter surviving three years flying the mighty Phantom, the RAF's greatest and most terrifying fighter (for those in the cockpit), Tug Wilson was sent to RAF Brawdy in Pembrokeshire and then to RAF Valley on the Isle of Anglesey to teach the flying skills he probably should have known when posted on the Cold War front line. At Valley, Wilson quickly discovered that being an instructor was much more than just teaching: it was falling out of the sky after a stall at just 300 feet, inches from pulling the ejection-seat handle; it was zooming into cloud at low level knowing there's a hill somewhere straight ahead; it was suffering the horror of nearly killing your student by chasing him too hard in air combat; it was being a mentor, a father figure, a best friend and a worst enemy if needs be; and it was the joy of guiding the struggling but hard-working ones away from the brink of being 'chopped' and towards their dream of becoming confident aviators, ready to join an operational squadron. Confessions of a Flying Instructor is a gritty, unvarnished, highly entertaining account of what it was like to be a tactics and flying instructor on an RAF squadron in the early 1990s-the banter, the egos, the insecurities, the cock-ups, the tragedies, the friendships, the triumphs, and the pure, unadulterated exhilaration of raging around the sky in a Hawk T1A day after day. Have you ever wondered what a fast-jet pilot needs to go through to learn how to win in air combat? Or how to cheat in dogfighting, for that matter? This book is an intimate, revelatory memoir of an often overlooked but intrinsic aspect of the RAF.Table of ContentsRAF Valley - June 1994 - in the back of a Hawk T1; RAF Brawdy - May 1992; RAF Valley, Isle of Anglesey.

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Book SynopsisThe Second World War campaigns in North Africa, on the Eastern Front and in northwest Europe were dominated by armoured warfare, but the battles in Italy were not. The mountainous topography of the Italian peninsula ensured that it was foremost an infantry war, so it could be said that tanks played a supporting role. Yet, as Anthony Tucker-Jones demonstrates, in the battles fought from the Allied landings in Sicily in 1943 to the German surrender after the crossing of the Po in 1945, tanks, self-propelled guns and armoured cars were essential elements in the operations of both sides. His selection of rare wartime photographs shows armour in battle at Salerno, Anzio and Monte Cassino, during the struggle for the Gustav Line, the advance on Rome and the liberation of northern Italy. And they reveal the full array of Axis and Allied armoured vehicles that was deployed - most famous among them were the German Mk IVs, Panthers, and Tigers and Allied Stuarts, Chafees, Shermans and Churchills. This volume in Anthony Tucker-Jones's series of books on armoured warfare in the Second World War gives readers a vivid impression of the Italian landscapes over which the campaign was fought, the wide range of military vehicles that were used, and the gruelling conditions endured by the men who fought in them.

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Book SynopsisThere is no more illustrious warship name in British naval history than HMS Victory, which is inextricably linked with Admiral Lord Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar. In 1805 the most famous Victory was the scene of Nelson's greatest triumph and also his death. She is today preserved at Portsmouth as the oldest commissioned warship in the world. Less well known is that six previous warships also carried the name. The first Victory was Sir John Hawkins' flagship during the Battle of the Armada in 1588 while the loss of the sixth in 1744 was considered a national tragedy. All manner of maritime life is included in this book, from piracy in the Azores to gentlemanly encounters between fleets and the battle of annihilation that was Trafalgar. The full horror, majesty and thunder of naval strategy and warfare in the age of fighting sail are all revealed via first-hand accounts of the action and key events. The post-Trafalgar career of Victory is also studied, including her part in destroying Napoleon's hopes of conquering Russia. We also learn how HMS Victory was saved for the British nation and the world. Researched and written by leading maritime experts Iain Ballantyne and Jonathan Eastland, 'Victory' will be enjoyed by all those interested in naval heritage and the proud fighting record of the Royal Navy.

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Book SynopsisOne of the most dangerous and thrilling secret missions of World War II was ordered personally by Churchill after Hitler unleashed the Tiger tank against Allied troops in Europe and North Africa in 1942. Churchill desperately needed to discover the secret technology used in the Tiger’s manufacture. As his special agent he chose a brilliant young army engineer, Major Doug Lidderdale. In a late night briefing in the subterranean War Rooms under Whitehall he ordered him: `Go catch me a tiger.’

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Book SynopsisThe 'ShipCraft' series provides in-depth information about building and modifying model kits of famous warship types. Lavishly illustrated, each book takes the modeller through a brief history of the subject class, highlighting differences between sister-ships and changes in their appearance over their careers. This includes paint schemes and camouflage, featuring colour profiles and highly detailed line drawings and scale plans. The modelling section reviews the strengths and weaknesses of available kits, lists commercial accessory sets for super-detailing of the ships, and provides hints on modifying and improving the basic kit. This is followed by an extensive photographic survey of selected high-quality models in a variety of scales, and the book concludes with a section on research references - books, monographs, large-scale plans and websites.The subject of this volume is the largest and most sophisticated German cruiser class of WW2. The five ships suffered very different fates. Blucher was sunk during the invasion of Norway in 1940, whereas Admiral Hipper fought right through the war. The most famous, Prinz Eugen, escaped when Bismarck was sunk and survived to be expended in a postwar Atomic bomb test. Seydlitz was intended to be converted to an aircraft carrier, but never finished, while Lutzow was sold to Russia and sunk by her erstwhile owners.STEVE BACKER is the editor of steelnavy.com, the best warship modelling site on the web, for which he writes extensively on warship kits and accessories. He is also the author of four previous titles, Japanese Heavy Cruisers, British Battlecruisers, Essex Class Carriers and Bismarck and Tirpitz in this ShipCraft series.

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Book SynopsisThe 'ShipCraft' series provides in-depth information about building and modifying model kits of famous warship types. Lavishly illustrated, each book takes the modeller through a brief history of the subject class, highlighting differences between sister-ships and changes in their appearance over their careers. This includes paint schemes and camouflage, featuring colour profiles and highly-detailed line drawings and scale plans. The modelling section reviews the strengths and weaknesses of available kits, lists commercial accessory sets for super-detailing of the ships, and provides hints on modifying and improving the basic kit. This is followed by an extensive photographic gallery of selected high-quality models in a variety of scales, and the book concludes with a section on research references - books, monographs, large-scale plans and relevant websites.rnrnThis volume follows the format of the highly successful Flower Class where the extent has been doubled to include far more illustrations of the many different designs, from the Invincible of 1906 to the Renowns of 1915, and including the hybrid 'large light cruisers' Courageous, Glorious and Furious.Trade ReviewThis excellent book is one of the 'Ship Craft' series aimed principally at model makers. It contains a wealth of information about the origins, operational employment and appearance of the Royal Navy's battle - cruisers between 1914 and 1919, however, which makes it into a more general reference work on the subject. About half the book is devoted to a survey of the model products available and there are colour photographs pf component parts and finished models. Models of all the Grand Fleet battlecruisers are available, many of them in a variety of different scales. Whilst this section gives modellers examples and encouragement to achieve excellent results, it also gives more general readers an insight into the construction and detailed appearance of these ships that is simply not available in any other published work the reviewer is aware of. Aircraft operating arrangements in all the ships that had them and especially those in HMS Furious up to 1919 are included in this section. Lastly, the constant scale plans and side elevations by George Richardson give an excellent idea of the growing size and complexity of these remarkable warships. In summary this is an excellent source book for anyone interested in making a model of a Grand Fleet battlecrusier to any scale and is highly recommened for that purpose. - (Warship - Naval Books of the Year)

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Book SynopsisConsidered to be the best known German bomber of the Second Wold War, the Heinkel He 111 served in every military front in the European theatre, having first being deployed in the Spanish Civil War in 1936. It then saw extensive service in the invasion of Poland, the Norweigan campaign and the invasion of the Low Countries and France in 1940. When the Luftwaffe was tasked with destroying Britain's ability to resist invasion in 1940, the He 111 formed almost half of the Gruppen employed by Luftflotte 2 and Luftflotte 3. When the Luftwaffe switched to attacking cities and industrial sites the Heinkel 111 was widely employed, with raids against targets such as London, Coventry, Bristol, Birmingham and Liverpool. In this selection of unrivalled images collected over many years, the operations of this famous aircraft in the early years of the war - particularly the invasion of Poland, the Blitzkrieg in the West, the Battle of Britain and the very early stages of the Blitz - are portrayed and brought to life.

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Book SynopsisOriginally built as an airliner that could carry passengers across the Atlantic for Deutsche Lufthansa, the Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor developed into the Luftwaffe's principal long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft. It was used in the North Sea and in the Atlantic, searching for Allied convoys and warships, passing on information to waiting U-boats. The Fw 200 was also capable of carrying a bomb load of up to 2,000kg, and it was claimed that Condors sank more than 300,000 tons of Allied shipping. By September 1940, one unit, KG 40 based at Bordeaux-Merignac in Occupied France, had sunk over 90,000 tons of Allied shipping. For the next three years the C-series Condors were described by Winston Churchill as 'the scourge of the Atlantic', eventually being overcome by the introduction of long-range Coastal Command aircraft, escort carriers and the deployment of Catapult-Armed Merchantman vessels. The Fw 200 also used as a troop transport, capable of carrying thirty fully-armed soldiers. one Fw 200 was even converted into a luxury, two-cabin airliner for use as Hitler's personal aeroplane.In this selection of unrivalled images collected over many years, and now part of Frontline's new War in the Air series, the operations of this famous aircraft are portrayed and brought to life through the first-hand accounts of the pilots who flew them and those that fought against them.

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Book SynopsisThe Merkava, or Chariot, was the first tank entirely designed and built by the Israeli Army. The IDF had previously been using a variety of vehicles, acquired from various sources, including in particular the Sherman and Centurion. The Merkava was designed specifically for the type of warfare and opponents that Israel faced. The resulting tank was heavily armoured and packed a powerful 105mm main gun backed up with a digital fire control system and laser range-finder. This title examines the development and deployment of the Merkava, investigating the changing technical aspects of the various marks, creating a useful and comprehensive study of Israel's most formidable tank.Table of ContentsIntroduction · Background · The Chariot Programme · The Blue and White Merkava · Baptism of Fire in the Lebanon · The Mk II and III's · Mk IV and Beyond

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Book SynopsisFirst published to accompany the exhibition at Piano Nobile, John Armstrong: Paintings 1938-1958; An Enchanted Distance is a fully illustrated catalogue re-establishing John Armstrong A.R.A. as a pre-eminent Surrealist. Propelled to the forefront of British Modernism as a member of Unit One, Armstrong later rejected the confinement of artistic groups yet was at the heart of inter-war and post-war British art. Consistently producing prophetic, dreamlike paintings of emotional and political insight, Armstrong’s works speak of the universal through his own individual language. The most significant exhibition of Armstrong's works in over thirty years, the catalogue focuses on two decades of immense productivity, creativity and innovation.

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Book SynopsisOriginally intended as a trainer, the Anglo-French Sepecat jet, equipped with the very latest in weapon-aiming and navigational equipment, eventually became the backbone of the RAF's tactical strike-attack and recce forces for a decade from the mid-1970s.

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Book SynopsisThanks to a broken leg during flight school, Arthur Stanley Gould Lee gained valuable additional time flying trainers before he was posted to France during World War I. In November 1917 during low-level bombing and strafing attacks, he was shot down three times by ground fire. He spent eight months at the front and accumulated 222 hours of flight time in Sopwith Pups and Camels during a staggering 118 patrols; being engaged in combat fifty-six times. He lived to retire from the RAF as an air vice-marshal in 1946. Author of three books, this is by far his best. Lee puts you in the cockpit in a riveting account of life as a fighter pilot at the front. At turns humorous and dramatic, this thoughtful, enlightening, true account is a classic to be ranked with Winged Victory by V. M. Yeates, also published by Grub Street.Trade Review`Open Cockpit is a great read, and generously illustrated with a mix of well-known images, and the author's own album snaps to add a personal touch. For a gripping first-hand account of what flying and fighting in WWI was all about, this one has few peers and it is good to see a new edition available for a fresh generation of enthusiasts..' WINDSOCK; `Most enjoyable book... A welcome reprint.' The Aviation Historian; `Without a doubt, this is a classic account of the air war over the Western Front.' Britain at War; `There are some books which deserve a place on the shelves of anyone with an interest in WWI aviation and this is one of them.' Cross & Cockade International; `A superb account. 10/10' The Great War; `Grub Street has really done the bookshelves of WWI aviation enthusiasts a favour here. This is a must-own book. I would encourage anyone to get this very readable book while they can. You won't be disappointed with the purchase and I can promise you that you will read it more than once.' WWI Aero

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Book SynopsisNimrod Boys is a complementary book to Nimrod Rise and Fall from acclaimed author Tony Blackman. It is a collection of over twenty first-hand accounts of operating the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod – an aircraft which served at the forefront of the Cold War. As the first jet-powered maritime aircraft, it could reach critical points for rescues or for operational requirements in rapid time. Its outstanding navigation and electronics systems also allowed the Nimrod to be a first-class machine in anti-submarine warfare. The book focuses on the Nimrod’s UK-based and worldwide operations. With detailed accounts of the Nimrod’s role during the Falklands Campaign and in later conflicts such as the First Gulf War to modern-day anti-drug smuggling operations in the Caribbean. There are also descriptions of the Nimrod’s achievements in the International Fincastle Competition – where RAF squadrons competed against counterparts from Australia, Canada and New Zealand. With a variety of perspectives on Nimrod crew life, including from a female air electronic operator, readers will find dramatic, engaging and occasionally humorous stories. One flight test observer also reflects on the cancelled Nimrod MR4 project. Nimrod Boys written by Tony Blackman with Joe Kennedy and with a foreword by AVM Andrew Roberts is more than worthy addition to the celebrated Boys series.

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Book SynopsisRAF Second World War Fighters in Profile features more than 280 highly detailed profiles of 15 different aircraft types flown by the Royal Air Force between 1939 and 1945. Full specifications and histories are included for British and Commonwealth fighters operated on all fronts during the conflict, from the iconic Supermarine Spitfire to US lend-lease types such as the Bell P-39 Airacobra and Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, and everything in between.Written and illustrated throughout by renowned aviation artist Chris Sandham-Bailey, this book offers exquisitely drawn profile views and scale plans of aircraft such as Hawker''s Hurricane, Typhoon and Tempest, plus the Westland Whirlwind, Boulton Paul Defiant and more. Covering all of the RAF''s high-performance wartime machines, this is indispensable reading for enthusiasts and modellers alike.

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Book SynopsisThe fifty planes which make up this book all marked the Second World War in one way or another. They have been photographed at the air shows were they still fly, maintained in flying condition by associations or by wealthy amateurs at great expense and at the price of constant effort. The pilots who take to the air in these planes today are experienced people and it mustn't be forgotten that the pilots were only on average 22 or 23 years old at the time. The author has therefore become attached as much to the men as to the machines.Among the famous planes in the book there are the SupermarineSpitfire', Junkers Ju 52, Polikarpov I-16, Hawker Hurricane', Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Bell P-39 Airacobra', Grumann F6F Hellcat, Republic P-47 Thunderbolt', Focke Wulf FW 190, Yakovlev Yak 3, Curtiss P-40B Tomahawk', North American P-51 Mustang' and Mistubishi A6M Zero', etc.

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Book SynopsisIn May 1940, during the Battle of France, the British Expeditionary Force in France aiding the French, was cut off from the rest of the French Army by the German advance. Encircled by the Germans they retreated to the area around the port of Dunkirk. The German land forces could have easily destroyed the British Expeditionary Force, especially when many of the British troops, in their haste to withdraw, had left behind their heavy equipment. This lull in the action gave the British a few days to evacuate by sea. Winston Churchill ordered any ship or boat available, large or small, to pick up the stranded soldiers, and 338,226 men (including 123,000 French soldiers) were evacuated– the miracle of Dunkirk, as Churchill called it. It took over 900 vessels to evacuate the Allied forces. More than 40,000 vehicles as well as massive amounts of other military equipment and supplies were left behind; their value being less than that of trained fighting men. After the success of Corridor des Panzers and Zur Kuste, this new volume takes us directly into the Dunkirk arena, and concludes the suite of works on this dramatic period of history. Jean-Yves Mary has also provided modern photos of the battlefields, in comparison with the original images, allowing us to locate the areas where the events took place.Trade Reviewa highly detailed record of the daily events during the German invasion of France in 1940, and illustrated with so many photos from the period which provide an invaluable reference source for modellers and historians alike. * Military Model Scene 02/12/2015 *

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Book SynopsisThese are stories that are not openly discussed by combat veterans and are usually only whispered between individuals at military reunions. The tales range from sad to hilarious, from surprising to horrible, but they are real. These are not the creations of a screenwriter or some novelist's pipe dreams, they are actual events, that had a lifelong impact on the soldiers who experienced them. Such a collection could only have resulted from 35 years of researcher on the 101st Airborne Division, which entailed interviews with almost 1000 veterans who wore the "screaming eagle" patch in WW2. This book is widely illustrated with photos of the time, but also places, objects, and equipment of the paratroopers of the 101st.

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Book SynopsisConstruit à plus de 12 000 exemplaires dans six versions principales, utilisé par certaines forces aériennes jusque dans les années 1970, mais surtout avion emblématique de la guerre du Pacifique et véritable vedette du petit écran, le Chance Vought F4U Corsair est assurément l’un des avions les plus célèbres de l’histoire de l’Aviation. Immédiatement reconnaissable à sa voilure en « ailes de mouette », configuration imposée par son hélice de très grand diamètre, le Corsair, après des débuts difficiles, fut l’un des artisans du succès de l’aéronavale américaine pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, y gagnant au passage son surnom de « mort sifflante », en raison du bruit engendré par son moteur et sa voilure lors des attaques. Faute d’un successeur disponible et efficace, il reprit aillamment du service lors de la guerre de Corée au cours de laquelle il effectua près de 80% des missions d’attaque au sol. Si les États Unis furent les principaux utilisateurs du F4U, la Fleet Air Arm britannique l’utilisa dès le Second Conflit mondial, y compris sur le théâtre d’opérations européen, tandis que la France, pour laquelle une version spécifique fut fabriquée par Vought, ne retira du service ses derniers Corsair qu’au début des années 1960, après les avoir utilisés au combat en Algérie et à Suez.Trade ReviewThose like me who do not read or speak French need not worry as the book is almost entirely pictorial with the only text being captions and some text introducing each section. But if you like the Corsair, especially if you are a scale modeller and have the funds, then this book might prove irresistible! * The Catalina News *

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Book SynopsisThanks to albums belonging to one of the sailors aboard U-30 and then U-110, the author has been able to reconstruct the path taken by Kapitänleutnant Fritz Lemp and his crew, including the sailor Willi Brohm, and the fate of these submarines, with texts and also pictures. We begin the story with the sailor’s enrolment in 1936 at Cuxhaven, then aboard U-30. Then we take a look at a little-known page of history : the engagement of U-Boots in the Spanish Civil War, after 1937, with photos taken at Cadiz, Seville, Ceuta, Tetuan and the Canary Islands. It was then the beginning of the war with a good report on the U-30 under Captain Lemp. Aboard this submarine, Lemp carried off a series of successes (17 kills) which earned him the Ritterkreuz which he received on 14 August 1940, one of the first awarded to the U-Boot arm. His first engagement and success however were marred by a tragic mistake when he sank the liner Athena causing the death of civilians, including 22 Americans. He was then transferred aboard U-110 whose second patrol ended in tragedy. The submarine was attacked on 9 May 1941 in the North Atlantic. The U-boot was damaged and surfaced; most of the crew evacuated it including the sailor Willi Brohm. Captain Lemp remained aboard, probably intending to scuttle U-110, but British sailors from HMS Bulldog had time to get hold of the Enigma machine the submarine used, which had a considerable effect on the outcome of the war. Fritz Lemp disappeared with his submarine in the waters of the Atlantic. As for Willi Brohm, we follow him into captivity to Canada, with very rare and exceptional photos. A fantastic, historic album gathering together more than 200 photos and documents of which 160 photos from our own archives ; various documents are unpublished. Text in French.

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Book SynopsisAlthough less famous and less mediatised than the fighter units, the bomber and transport units, together with the training units, make up just as important a section of the Armée de l’Air. The various units (squadrons, groups and flights) are reviewed in this volume in chronological order, showing a variety of bomber types, transport, liaison and training aircraft used by French military aviation from 1945 to the present day, from the unavoidable Mirage IVs of the Strategic Air Forces and their Boeing C-135 tankers to the official Airbus transports.

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Book SynopsisColonel de l’armée française en retraite, Paul Malmassari avait déjà publié, au début des années 1990, aux éditions Heimdal, un ouvrage de référence sur le sujet des trains blindés, en général peu traité. Spécialiste indiscutable en la matière, l’auteur propose cette fois-ci une approche nouvelle, très différente, de l’histoire de ces géants d’acier dépendants des chemins de fer. Des origines à nos jours, les trains blindés de plus de soixante États sont expliqués. Ceux de la Russie, où ils ont joué un rôle important, entre autre dans la guerre civile de 1917- 1922; ceux de l’Allemagne - les Panzerzüge - et de la France durant les deux guerres mondiales, sont aussi décrits. Mais les trains blindés ont une histoire sur les quatre continents, y compris dans des pays dont on ne soupçonnerait pas qu’ils aient pu en être dotés. Le travail colossal, encyclopédique, de plus de 520 pages, fait de cet ouvrage un outil indispensable pour tout lecteur amateur ou néophyte, intéressé ou passionné, par ce domaine militaire très spécifique. Il est richement illustré de photographies, de gravures, de schémas descriptifs. Sa particularité est d’allier une précision technique incontestable à des explications des temps historiques dans lesquels ces «monstres du rail» sont intervenus.

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Book SynopsisThis lavishly illustrated and very personal book covers the history of the battleship USS Arizona from her launch to her loss on December 7, 1941 when she was sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Learn about the ship’s enduring legacy firsthand as told by survivors, historians, enemies, sons of admirals, and people who have a personal connection to the Arizona. Moreover, this book provides a detailed examination of the Arizona’s wreck by archaeologists of the National Parks Service looking for ways to preserve her for the future. Learn about the tribute given by presidents and foreign dignitaries in order to honor Arizona’s fallen crew. The book includes a download video with oral histories Arizona survivors as well as narrated underwater footage of the wreck.Trade Review'Going from my first reaction to seeing this book, it is a stunner….Throughout this first half of the book there are some superb archive photos of the Arizona, showing her life before that fatal day in 1941. An amazing collection of images and memories... It even includes three QR codes which you can scan with your phone to view video footage of veterans memories and video from the sunken hull today. As I said at the outset, stunning.' * Military Model Scene *A splendid pictorial review of an iconic battleship… This book, with its superb collection of photographs provides a magnificent tribute to the USS Arizona. * Scuttlebutt 12/06/2020 *

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Book SynopsisThe new format of the book - A4 80 pages archive photos color profiles mate coated paper soft cover bindingTrade ReviewThe big plus of this work are computer generated isometric cutaways and internal views in a very large format which makes it ideal for the researcher and rivet counting model-maker. As these views are in colour, this will make completion of the interior of your model a piece of cake! * Scale Military Modelling International Magazine 05/07/2015 *For anyone fitting the interior to a model of a Hetzer, the detail and colour guidance you can get from this is excellent. * Military Model Scene 12/01/2014 *The crowning glory of this work is in the last pages which give us computer generated isometric cutaways and internal views in a very large format which makes it ideal for the researcher and detail obsessed modeller! Paul Middleton * Scale Military Modeller International 19/01/2015 *

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Book SynopsisThe sixteenth issue of the Topdrawings series is dedicated to the bomber variants of the Junkers Ju 88. It contains scale drawings of all subvariants of the A-variant. Also included are colour profiles of 4 aircraft.

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Book SynopsisThe next book in the Rainbow Series covers Finnish Bombers used during WWII. Camouflage and markings of the fighters obtained from USA, Netherland, Germany, UK and the USSR are described in unparalleled detail by the well-known Finnish author Kari Stenman. Many unpublished photos, and exclusive color profiles.Described aircraft:DB-3M/DB-3FLysanderAviationSBBlenheimDo 17ZJu 88APe 2Fokker C.XDC 2

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Book Synopsis40+ color profiles of Phantom II versions showing variety of the camouflage and markings in different countriesAlso plan views showing camouflage and markings

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Book SynopsisThis book - the third in a new series called INSIDE - features detailed colour illustrations of the instrument panels from the most famous Polish aircraft from 1939 in very great detail. Additionally, every single instrument is shown in a separate large-scale drawing. The book illustrates and documents the instrument panels of the following aircraft in service at the outbreak of World War II: 1. PZL P.11c; 2. PZL.37 Los; 3. PZL.23 Karas; 4. Lublin R-XIII ter; 5. RWD-14 Czapla; 6. PWS-26.

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Book Synopsis15 accurate, authentic renderings of weapon used during Operation Dynamo in 1940. You can color them.Also captions with technical data and plans.• Universal Carrier• Souma 35• Sdkfz 251• Panzer I• Panzer II• Panzer III• Briths truck• Hawker Hurricane Mk I• Messerschmitt Bf 109 E• Supermarine Spitfire Mk I• Junkers Ju 87 B• Char B1 Bis• Light Tank Mark I• Cruiser Mk I• Evacuating soldiers

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Book SynopsisThis book continues the story of the T-34-85, in postwar service this time. Information is included about postwar production in the USSR, and licensed versions made in Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Poland. A brief summary of the T-34's involvement in conflicts and active service up to 2016 is given.The most important part of the book describes the camouflage and markings of T-34-85s in service around the world. There are more than 40 especially commissioned color profiles, and 150+ B&W and color photos, many not previously published.

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