Product Description
The Handley Page Victor was the longest serving V-Bomber to serve with the RAF. It was conceived in 1945 and after much research and development the Mk 1 entered service in the 1950s to become part of the UK's deterrent force. Its claim was that it could fly faster, higher and further than any comparable aircraft of that era. It boasted a unique crescent wing shape and was the most handsome of the three types of V bomber. It was later extensively modified to become the RAF's main tanker aircraft for in-flight refueling purposes and served in that role until 1993.

Commencing with the first design trials and test flights, each chapter includes personnel recollections from pilots and design staff, and is solidly based on official government and company reports, many of which are included. The text explains the introduction and operation once it was in RAF service and explains the nuclear weapons role and the many experiments that took place to perfect the weapon systems. The Mk 2 was a much improved model and many were adapted for tanker duties. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great planes
This was a surprise. The detail may be a little more than I wanted, but the book was wonderful and answered the questions I had about the plane. The design was so 1950. It looked like a design off a comic book. I love the look. I love the detailed history of the plane and the early pictures. There were a few more detail drawings than I needed, but still a lovely book about a great plane with a longer history than most of that era.

A first-class reference for serious aircraft and aviation history buffs.
Royal Air Force veteran Roger R. Brooks presents The Handley Page Victor Volume 1, an in-depth reference, resource, and historical archive of the longest serving V-Bomber aircraft in the RAF, used from 1965 to 1993. Volume One covers the HP 80 Protype and the Mark 1 Series of the Handley Page Victor, and trace all aspects of their creation from concept to flight. At times highly technical in its language, The Handley Page Victor Volume 1 includes numerous reports reprinted in their original typeface, vintage black-and-white photographs, diagrams, insights into unique problems besetting the Handley Page Victor, and much more. A first-class reference for serious aircraft and aviation history buffs. ... Read more

Product Description
In the immediate post-World War II period, Army aviation began to evolve from an observatory role to a mobility role. Helicopter air mobility began to develop in the Army from 1949 onwards. The outbreak of the Korean war assisted and accelerated the acceptance of greater helicopter air mobility within the Army. The Eisenhower period was a golden age for Army aviation, with rapid and extensive developments in air mobility doctrine and tactics. There was also a strong research and development effort to overcome the initial technological lag. These developments allowed the formation of the first air mobile division in 1965 to meet the growing demands of the Vietnam war. This work gives a new understanding of the process of military innovation. Moreover, this case study has important general implications for future military policy-making. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (6)

Great book about turbine engines.
If anyone wants to know more about a turbine engines this is a great book. It is not a dull like a textbook but has an interesting narrative with good pictures/diagrams. It breaks down each section of the turbo-prop, turbo-fan, turbo-jet, etc and also provides history as well as what the modern GE stuff looks like. If this type of book not your cup of tea and you need help sleeping, this would put the non-interested person to sleep in about 2 seconds.

An Excellent Read
Another winner from the prolific Bill Gunston. This compact volume is packed with info for the turbine aero engine enthusiast. The black and white production is superb, with excellent pictures and/or diagrams on almost every page. Only wish would be a hardback version!

Great Book
Topically speaking this excellent book is probably closer to a college text than it is an introduction to jet engines, yet the material is put forth in a way which is uniquely entertaining from a historical point of view, without heavy mathematical formulas. For someone who has a substantive head start in understaning how a jet engine works, the technical and historical discussions will blend beautifully and provide a type of perspective that a formal classroom often does not have time for.I also find the illustrations to be quite nice.Overall, a great book for those who already have some technical knowledge of the subject.

A most excellent book!
David Taylor, another reviewer, is way off base. This book is one of the finest books I have read describing the functioning, history and development, as well as current trends of gas turbine and jet technology.The author has obviously been around the business for many years, andexplores areas that some of us in this business consider leading edge.

This book is OK at best.
This book is somewhat well written for a technical book.It is not well written by any other measure.It is hard to follow and sometimes confusing especially if you are trying to learn the basics about turbine engines fromground zero.Almost all of the illustrations are crummy stock materialfrom the engine manufacturers.I learned twice as much from the Pratt andWhitney web site in 1/10 the time. ... Read more

Product Description
Examines the development of military night aviation from its origins through the 1st World War. Places emphasis on the evolution of night flying in those countries which fought on the Western Front, namely France, Germany, Great Britain, and the United States.
... Read more

Product Description
In the years following World War II, many nations made use of captured German technology, and given the pressures of the incipient Cold War, Soviet engineers often had very little time to produce an "answer to the West." As a result, the MiG-15's designers made use of German technologies and a British powerplant, which served to accelerate the fighter's development.

The MiG-15 had a long service career and was built in huge numbers both within and outside the Soviet Union. The main factors in the MiG-15's success were a turbojet rated at over 2,000 kg (4,409 lbs) of thrust, a new configuration with swept wings and empennage, and new pilot survival aids including an ejection seat. These, together with heavy armament and ease of manufacture and operation, made the MiG-15 a superb fighter jet. In fact, it paved the way for Soviet fighter design for the next decade.

This book covers the MiG-15's design, development, structural detail, international production, a comparison between the MiG-15 and the F-86 Sabre, and an account of the MiG-15's involvement in China and Korea. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

MiG-15 - Soviet World-Beater
Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-15 Fagot
Warbird Tech Series, Volume 40
By Yefim Gordon and Peter Davison
Reviewed by Ned Barnett


The MiG-15 was, by any measure, a revolutionary aircraft.In a single standing-start leap, the MiG-15 took Soviet technology out of the piston-era dark ages and into the forefront of transonic technology.Faster, higher flying and more maneuverable than it's chief Korean War protagonist, the F-86, the MiG-15 was handicapped in Korea primarily by the relative skill of it's pilots, when compared to USAF fighter jocks, many of whom had fought in combat in the Second World War.In the proper hands, the MiG-15 was a world-beater - heavily-armed, sleek and remarkably reliable.

There are many books on the MiG-15 on the market - I've read many of them - but if you want a solid one-volume assessment of this ground-breaking fighter aircraft, Specialty Press's new book is the one you want to buy and read.In 104 pages - 8 in color - this book takes you from concept to combat, and beyond.Every variant of the MiG-15 is covered here in full and satisfactory detail.Modelers will enjoy the brief review of available MiG-15 kits (those on the market in 2004 when the book was written), as well as pages of detail photos, line-drawings, scale profiles and crisp, clear and insightful technical explanations.

As a "conversion nut," I especially appreciated the chapter on MiG-15 variations, including the little-known SP-1 all-weather interceptor, the MiG Design Bureau's answer to the F-86D Sabre Dog radar interceptor.The SP-1's nose radar bullet looks an awful lot like the spinner from a World War II Hawker Typhoon - or perhaps a Lancaster or Mosquito - suggesting that a convincing conversion would be a relative piece of cake.Other modifications include use of British-style wing-hugging "slipper" drop tanks - another easy and distinctive conversion.

This book also has just enough color to convince modelers that not all MiG-15s are silver-doped or all-metal aircraft.The People's Republic of China and the Polish Air Force both used extensive multi-colored camouflage, and these are illustrated in this book as well.However, the real strength can be found in the detailed photos and sketches, which make the MiG-15 come to life - for the historian and for the modeler.

While the MiG-15 is best known for its role in Korea, the plane flew with dozens of foreign countries, giving most of them their first taste of modern transonic jet fighter aircraft.It gave birth to the similar-looking MiG-17, which proved itself to still be combat-capable in the skies over North Vietnam - even when fighting double-sonic F4 Phantom IIs -nearly two decades after the MiG-15's debut over Korea.

With text, photos and drawings, this book tells the MiG-15's story in concise and illuminating detail.If you even think you might want to know more about the MiG-15, get this book. You won't be sorry. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Stirring, Visionary, Inspiring
Just not very coherent.In a U.S. Army course, the main learning points about General Mitchell were that he campaigned for an independent air force and was court-martialed for insubordination and disrespect.Members of the U.S Air Force speak of Mitchell as the first American prophet in the temple of Air Power.So I figured I'd read it for myself.As it turns out, the two perceptions are not mutually exclusive.

If you're interested in early airpower theory, read The Command of the Air (USAF Warrior Studies) by Guilio Douhet.Douhet provides a coherent and internally sound conceptual structure where Mitchell just sounds like he's lobbying for a Congressional appropriation.In addition to this edition, "Winged Defense" appears in Roots of Strategy Book: 4 Military Classics : The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660-1783,Some Principles of Maritime Strategy, Command of the Air, Winged Defense.

By Mitchell's own admission, this book was hastily assembled and published from other articles and notes from his Congressional presentations.And it shows.Sweeping statements and extensive lists of requirements for Mitchell's vision of an air force are great, but where Douhet had meticulously charted out his reasoning, Mitchell's underlying argument seems to be "I'm an Airman, you're not, now listen to me because you'll never really understand."Not an argument that carries the day, unless your the boss, and not necessarily then.His use of hyperbole only accentuates this perception, like when he asserts that in 1921, the Army hadn't changed since the Civil War that ended in 1865.

The only defense for the poor structure of Mitchell's arguments may be that he was trying to make them accessible to a broader audience, while preserving the spirit of airmen manifest in his prose.

As a historical work, this is an important primary source for one of the first experiments (the first U.S. experiment) in the use of air craft to attack a naval vessel.Mitchell carefully records the experiment, the events surrounding it, and some of the political considerations of the time.This is gold for historians of the interwar period.

There are constant reminders of his attitudes about aviation that grate on the nerves of non-flyers, like his assertion that majors, captains, and lieutenants in aviation carried greater responsibility that admirals and generals.He sure didn't understand the concept of a Joint military as Douhet seemed to.Mitchell wanted an Air Corps that was supported by the Army and Navy, rather than a triad of power, land, sea and air.

Mitchell was also a fighter pilot, and had all the vices of modern fighter pilots.
(Q: How do you know if there is a fighter pilot at your party?
A: He'll tell you.

Q: What's the difference between God and fighter pilots?
A: God doesn't think he's a fighter pilot.
Etc...)but because of this, envisioned a greater role for fighter aircraft than Douhet, which is an interesting contrast.

To his credit, Mitchell understood and articulated a more balanced view of offence and defence than Douhet did, and he understood ground based defences a bit better than Douhet.

I have heard officers from the U.S. Air Force's Space Operations community voice the opinion that space needs its Mitchell, someone willing to martyr their career for the goal of an independent Space Force (and when asked if they were volunteering, they change the subject).Be careful what you ask for...

"Winged Defense" was worth reading as history, but not very clear regarding air power theory, and I didn't enjoy it.It is interesting how many of the attitudes of aviators have changed so little over the entire history of their discipline.

E. M. Van Court

P.S.Should anyone try to do a film biography of Mitchell, they've GOT to get Mike Myers to play Mitchell.Look at the cover photo, and look at the actor's picture...
Van

Airpower doctrine
This book is the basis for airpower doctrine in the US.This book shows how forward looking Gen Mitchell was even though the technology for conducting air operations was in its infancy.Required reading for anyone who claims to want to study airpower / aerospace doctrine.USAF leaders today should return to these foundational roots and make sure they understand the difference between doctrine and dogma.

The Words straight from the prophet
"Winged Defense" is a collection of Brig. General Billy Mitchell's publications during the dark days of the interwar period between the World Wars.General Mitchell, the strongest advocate for an independent Air Force, frequently wrote on the future capabilities of Air Power.It took nearly sixty years for many of his predictions to come true.

The book is a reproduction of many of those original papers.The typeset used for the book will look unusual to many readers, as the articles are published close to how they first appeared.In any case, the quaint print only serves to reinforce the truly prophetic words of a true visionary.

This books needs to be on the reading list for every student of Air Power.Only after reading it, can you appreciate the genius of Billy Mitchell. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Naval Aviation News, published by Department of the Navy, Naval Historical Center on January 1, 2009. The length of the article is 574 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: How to make history.
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: Naval Aviation News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2009
Publisher: Department of the Navy, Naval Historical Center
Volume: 91Issue: 2Page: 18(2)

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

Product Description
"The Lockheed Blackbirds hold a unique place in the development of aeronautics. In their day, the A-12, YF-12, M-21, D-21, and SR-71 variants outperformed all other jet airplanes in terms of altitude and speed. Now retired, they remain the only production aircraft capable of sustained Mach 3 cruise and operational altitudes above 80,000 feet. This is the first book to address the technical aspects of these incredible aircraft. The author describes the design evolution of the Blackbird, from the Archangel to the Senior Crown (the Air Forceís SR-71.) He describes in detail the construction and materials challenges faced by Lockheed, as well as the Blackbirdís performance characteristics and capabilities. A NASA historian, the author describes NASAís role in using the aircraft as a flying laboratory to collect data on materials, structures, loads, heating, aerodynamics, and performance for high-speed aircraft. The reader will benefit from the bookís discussion of the technical and programmatic lessons learned.

This volume was produced in cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Technical and easy to read - What made it go.
Suitably impressed and pleasantly surprised at the content and detail contained in this book of the blackbird. Its is easy to read and has information for all facets for those wishing to know more about blackbirds, for the novice to the really serious.It is one book I feel, anyone must have on the design and development, from a technical side, of these wonderful aircraft. The nuts and bolts of how this aircraft was developed and the specifications of how fast it climbed and flew are all held within the pages. Not a picture essay, a literary detailing of the how they did it with photos for clarity. And the DVD supporting materials - yahoooooooooooooooo - The flight and instruction manuals for all aircraft types in the Blackbird livery in PDF - Photographs, specifications, Movies - all on 3.7 gig of data on DVD. Highly recommended and a must for the library of all SR-71 fans.

good/verry poor
I rate the book very highly.
However I was disapointed, by the cost of the postage! I asked amazon UK did it come with the dvd that I'd seen on a review on amazon usa. They couldn't tell meif it did, or didn't. So I paid for it on Amazon USA. for it to be dilivered from within the UK.
Will make me think twice before I buy from this seller again.

All the technical details, and then some
This is a great little great book on the Blackbird - SR-71 or YF-12.This is not a pretty picture book on the Blackbird, like so many already out in print.Instead this book details the background on the aircraft's design, its development from a few drawings from Kelly Johnson, to the building and flying of the Blackbird.It even details the history of the D-21 Mach 3 drone, something unknown until it showed up in the bone yard in the desert.There are many line drawings detailing the design and technology in the Blackbird.But for me, an old aeronautical engineer, the most interesting section was the ten pages of discussion and drawings of the prolusion system.Here you can see some detail of how the J58 operated as a turbojet at takeoff all the way to transforming itself into a turbo-ramjet at mach 3+.But what was totally unexpected was the disk inserted into the back of the book.This CD had manuals, reports, images and several short videos of the SR-71.To go through the flight manuals of the SR-71, the YF-12and theA-12 was amazing.Granted it is more detail that most would want to know, but still extremely interesting.It is probably the most detailed technical collection of information on this unique aircraft that I have ever seen, at least all unclassified.The line drawings are interesting, with a wealth of detail, only an engineer could truly love.While this book reads like a detailed technical history, it will still interest every SR-71 enthusiast.But this book has the engineering detail for those interested in a deeper technical understanding.The manuals are just amazing with their wealth of technical details and mind-numbing at the same time, with numerous graphs, operational discussions and schematics.I would say that this is the last word on Blackbird details. ... Read more

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The Postwar Development of Weapons and Equipment ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

A huge disappointment...
In his preface the author says: "This study is not intended to criticize any one man or group of men." I find that *very* difficult to believe. The author apparently had a fast change of heart for in his introduction he says "The near-mistake of the entire war lay with several persons and departments."

I had lots of problems with this book. The most important are:

1. First and foremost, this book is blatantly unfair. Serious charges are leveled at a number of people, but the main target is General Oliver Echols of the Materiel Command. The author all but accuses Echols of deliberate sabotage of the war effort to pursue a grudge against North American Aviation. The evidence that the author produces to substantiate that charge is so thin as to be translucent. Some of the evidence is highly ambiguous, some is open to multiple interpretation, some seems to *contradict* the author's contention, and some is just manufactured out of whole cloth. The most blatant example is on page 91 where a very critical statement about the Vultee A-35, the author assures us can easily be substituted for dislike of the P-51. The book reads like the author had deliberately set out to do a hatchet job.

2. The technical details, while touched upon, are never laid out in such a fashion that demonstrates why the P-51 had such long range. The laminar flow wing, Meredith effect, internal fuel capacity, drop tanks, etc are trotted out but the relative importance and comparisons to other fighters are not discussed. One gets the impression that the author, despite being a pilot, is not comfortable with technical matters. He makes the absurd suggestion that the Whitcomb area rule might have been responsible for the P-51's low drag. His constant referral to the "belly scoop" leads one to wonder if he indeed knows exactly what is housed there.

3. The author makes glaring historical blunders like "Following Hitler's drive into Poland, Mussolini had vanquished helpless Ethiopia and Japan had staged a genocidal war in China" or "Senator Harry Truman, who would be President from 1944 to 1952". There is even a preposterous suggestion that the raids on Berlin in March 1944 were attempts to kill Hitler!

4. The writing is largely incoherent. The author jumps all over the place in time and space. There is some improvement in the second half of the book.

Then why did I give the book 2 stars? It does have redeeming features. There are a large number of excellent photographs and color profiles. The problems encountered by the P-38 are competently discussed. Here the author wisely lets the personnel involved speak for themselves. The operations are adequately described.

Returning to the preface the author says "Any errors in interpreting the words of other men not now able to defend themselves are mine alone." Indeed.

The title should be "The USAAF's Road to a Long Range Air Superiority Fighter during WWII"

The title is a bit misleading.Only about half of this book is about the P-51.The other half is actually the story of the USAAF's tortured route towards finding a long range air superiority fighter for the European theater during WWII.The book pretty much stops in the spring of 1944,after the P-51 had successfully demonstrated that it could fill that role, but before it fully appeared in the large numbers that completely overwhelmed the Luftwaffe.

At the start of WWII, the USAAF had only the P-40 and P-39, and the requirements for building a successful long range "air superiority" fighter were unknown.Even the need for such a plane was unknown.It was only understood that there was a need for "pursuit" planes, as they were then called.It was not until U.S. bomber losses in Europe became overwhelming, and the looming invasion of Normandy demanded that the Luftwaffe be wiped out in order secure the beachheads that the specific features required for a long range air superiority fighter became apparent.

Both before and during WWII, the USAAF started a number of projects for pursuit planes and bomber escorts, hoping to find a winner in one of the designs. This book has fairly detailed descriptions of a number of designs that never made it to production. The origins of the P-47 and P-38 are also covered here, as well as the reasons that they failed at the long range air superiority role in Europe.Neither had the range, despite fiercely wishful thinking from the USAAF hierarchy, nor the maneuverability at altitude to match the ME-109. The P-38's Allison V-1710 engine had a tendency to blow up and its GE turbosupercharger could get stuck in either overboosted or underboosted mode.This occurred mainly when the P-38 was flown in the freezing cold above 30,000 feet, which was the standard situation in the European air war (this was why the P-38 was more successful in the Pacific - the weather was warmer and Japanese planes did not operate at such high altitudes, and this allowed the P-38 to operate at lower altitudes and still be able to attack using dive and climb tactics). Only when the P-38 and P-47 had both failed as escorts in Europe did the USAAF turn to the P-51.

Curtiss-Wright had a slew of hoped-for successors to the P-40 that either failed or were beaten to the punch by the P-51 - these included improved models of the P-40, the XP-37, XP-42, XP-46, XP-53, XP-55, XP-60, and XP-71.There is an interesting section in this book on Donovan Berlin's role in designing the XP-75 at GM/Fisher.Other interesting planes such as the McDonnell XP-67 Moonbat, Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lightning and XP-49, Brewster's XA-32, and the XB-38, XB-40 and XB-41 escort bombers are described.Some of these aircraft were even more revolutionary than the P-51, while others were late me-too concepts.

The P-51 was never written into any USAAF specifications.It was designed originally by North American Aviation for the British, and the British were the ones who came up with the idea of replacing its Allison engine with the Merlin engine.Packard's version of the Merlin engine featured additional improvements, and the Packard-Merlin engine was far superior to the Allison engine, which never overcame all of its flaws.

With its half-British heritage, there were strong institutional biases in the USAAF against the P-51, and the USAAF hierarchy showed little interest in the early Mustangs and even tried to kill off the plane. General Oliver Echols is particularly singled out for criticism.

The reason that the P-51 was able to finally emerge as the dominant fighter over Europe was that North American Aviation's engineers were willing and able to rapidly make the field modifications needed to make it work as a long-range escort fighter well before any of its competitors could be perfected.The replacement of its Allison engine with the Merlin engine was the first and most important idea adopted from the field, and ironically this was allowed to happen only because the P-51 was NOT originally a USAAF airplane (a similar attempt to fix the P-38's problems by installing Merlin engines was squashed by the USAAF after Allison protested).The final key modification was the addition of a large internal fuselage fuel tank to extend the range of the P-51B, a change proposed by a Colonel Mark Bradley.Additional modifications were also quickly made to solve several teething problems of the P-51B/C and P-51D models.The P-51 was thus successfully flying and fighting well before the USAAF was able to get one of its other more favored planes to function as a long range escort fighter.

Overall, this is an interesting book, especially so for a WWII fighter plane buff, since it has a lot of insights about the haphazard route of USAAF fighter development, especially the political aspects, that are not covered in any other book.It is particularly pungent about naming names and assigning blame for what would prove to be bad decisions.

If you are looking for a book that has more details about how the P-51 was actually designed, then the book "Mustang Designer", focused on chief designer Edgar Schmued, would be better.That book is particularly interesting for its insights into the corporate culture of North American Aviation during WWII, which is what allowed the P-51 to be so rapidly perfected based entirely on recommendations from field experience.

P-51 Mustang - #1 Escort Fighter
A fascinating study of the development and deployment of the P-51 Mustang. Author Paul Ludwig did a superb job of research on this book. This is not just a rehash of the same old stuff that has been written about the Mustang for years but an objective look at the conditions and politics surrounding the birth of this great aircraft. If you are looking for the definitive book on the inception of the P-51 look no further. Great period photographs also enhance the story. A must read for Mustang fans (and what aviation enthusiast isn't!). Highly recommended.

The "war winner" that almost never was
For those looking for "war stories" and pretty photos of P-51D's....this is not for you. For historians, however, this is an excellent book. There have been a few "blurbs'in other books about the politics of keeping the P-51 out of production, but this details the entire process and even includes Packard's struggle with the Allison (GM) loving top brass. No actual mention was made of paybacks or kickbacks...but read between the lines.
There need not be a volume two. Once NAA and its few supporters overcame the system with the very good P-51A and the excellent P-51B the story was pretty much over...at least as far as the political infighting was concerned. Serious Mustang buffs....read it! You will not be disappointed.

Politics and a Great Fighter plane that almost wasn't
Instead of a " In detail and scale " type of book I thought this was going to be, Mr. Ludwig has put forth quite an exhaustive look at the politics....and sometimes almost criminal aspects which almost kept the P-51 from front line combat in WW2.I thought there would be a more " nuts and bolts " look at the P-51, plus a performance aspect from a pilot's point of view.Instead...this is more like a 'year book' look at the history of the P-51....from the North American Aviation prototype...up to the mating of the mighty Merlin engine and the introduction of the P-51B into Europe, and escort duties.However that's it though....not much mention of the P-51D....or D models in the Pacific.This book could really use a Part 2!Along the way...there is a look at why the P-47 and P-38 didnt quite " make the grade " as long range escorts.And also many prototype failures the military minds of the time waisted time and money on, while the Mustang was pushed aside.Curious, there are alot of photo's of pilots and fighter groups, and aircraft side views but not much discusion of them.I guess from the readers perspective you get to see the planes and pilots who " got their hands " on the awesome Merlin/Mustang creation and took the fight to the Germans and helped turned the tide for the bombers. Alot of great details however are mixed in with all the politcs.How Packard automotive stoped making cars and focused on mass-producing British designed Merlins.The " secrets " of the NAA P-51, the Laminar flow wing, radiator scoop and other 'clean' aerodynamics of the Mustang.The fuselage fuel tank which added range but altered the CG.The Great drop tank debacle which affected all fighters in Europe.Etc. Etc.A ' dry ' but great read and a must for the library of any WW2 fighter enthusiast. ... Read more

Product Description
This text explores the history, development and future design of the cockpit of the military aeroplane. It studies the evolution of how a pilot controls the flight of an aircraft from the days of World War I to contemporary designs that incorporate fly-by-wire systems and laser directed weapons. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very Informative
This very informative book detailed much of the development of military aircraft cockpits.It covered mainly British aircraft and highlighted cockpit ergonomics.It was presented more from a pilot's point of view in that the utility of the cockpit was discussed.I was disappointed that there was not much of the avionics theory of operation.(There was some, but not much).The photographs were excellent.They were mostly black and white but many of the more modern cockpits were displayed in color.Overall, I was satisfied with the book and would recommend it to anyone interested in the subject. ... Read more

Product Description
Military Jets: Design and Development is a compendium of every significant jet warplane from the first post-WWII jets like the Mig-17 and the F-86 Sabre, to modern aircraft like the B-2A "Stealth" bomber. Featuring over 130 color photographs, color artwork, and specifications for more than 50 warplanes, Military Jets is accessible yet comprehensive, and will appeal to anyone with an interest in military aviation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

a very valuable book on post-WW II military jet aircraft
This is a lovely book illustrated with excellent aviation artwork, quite up-to-date, featuring the art of such notables as the late Keith Fretwell, Chris Davey and Mike Badrocke and with worthwhile and interesting text, too. Although some art has appeared elsewhere, this is still a very valuable addition to post-WW II military jet aircraft literature and priced reasonably as well. ... Read more

Product Description
The prototype Vulcan first flew in 1952 and the type entered service with the RAF in 1956 to become part of the famous V-bomber force. Its unique delta wing and outstanding, almost fighter-like maneuverability soon made it a favorite with its crews and aviation enthusiasts. It followed in the tradition of its ancestor, the World War II Lancaster, by having an enormous payload for its size and could carry Britain's nuclear deterrent missile, Blue Steel, to targets in excess of 3,000 miles distance.

Towards the end of its frontline service, The Vulcan first flew in anger, when a single aircraft was flown the length of the Atlantic Ocean to bomb the runway at Stanley during the Falklands war, an amazing feat that captured the nation's imagination. There are well-advanced plans to restore an example so that it may once again delight the crowds at air shows around the world.

This book examines the design and evolution of the type throughout its career and includes each of the several variants that were produced. Weapon systems and operation of the type are all covered in great detail and the text is enhanced by many unpublished photographs and color profiles. ... Read more

Product Description
This book includes in-depth profiles of the four "black" programs that led to development of the F-117 Stealth Fighter, B-2 Stealth Bomber, SR-71 Blackbird, and U-2 Dragon Lady spy plane. It describes each aircraft in full, including development history, variants, service record, operators, specifications, weapons, avionics, and mission systems. Heavily illustrated. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Long wait - Was it worth it
For a start the book is 256 pages and not 320 and it does not weigh a ton more like 1.7 Kgs or 3.2 pound. It is normal weight and very definitely not excessive. Its a coffee table book. That being said it is a pictorial book with high quality photos on glossy expensive paper. The cut-aways and artwork are high quality, much like you would see in a part work periodical. It covers the 4 black jets, not to a great deal of depth owing to the number of pages that could be allocated to each. Yes its nice book, but I wonder, there are better books out there now, say by aerofax on each of the models written about that do not cost the excessive amount combined, that is now being asked due to this book being out of print.

Fantastic book!
This book is a never-ending resource for fans of U-2, SR-71, F-117 and B-2.It is made of fine paper and colors are bright, photo resolutions are above average.The quantity of pics is incredible,and some of them has never been published before.It's like an encyclopedia for these 4 planes, and it will enrich your knowledge of these 4 marvellous jets.Absolutely suggested for aerospace addicted!

This is a great book
I really liked this book. The pictures are great and there is alot of good history on the development of the airplanes. Plus the diagrams and the list of units using the aircraft add some extra pop that you do not normally see in other books. Some good companion books for related planes are The Skunk Works by Ben Rich and Lockheed Stealth by Bill Sweetman.

One of my favorites
Kind of surprised there isn't a lot more reviews on this book, because it is excellent. In one book, they covered four of what will probably be the most historic and mysterious aircraft in aviation history. The majority of photos in the book are original to this book, as far as I can tell. At least I haven't seen most of them before, and I've read a lot about these aircraft. Having the entire roster of each aircraft listed serial by serial is worth the price alone. It wasn't long ago that a book like this would be at least 3 times as much. Definitely recommended.

Simply incredible
This book is phenomenal!First, the thing weighs more than a solid lead plate and is made of the finest paper with the best color reproductions I've ever seen outside of an expensive art book, so it is well worth the money in just the quality alone.But turn in to the oversized pages and you will find the densest, most detailed information on these four "black" planes you will find anywhere.I have many books on the SR-71 and a few on the F-117, but these contain far more information than any other titles I own, plus way more incredible photos.There are more pictures on the B-2 than I've seen in all other books combined!"Blueprint"-style illustrations show full layouts of planes, and wing/squadron information and color patches are also displayed.
There are so many small details covered it isn't even funny.This book is simply mind-blowing from cover to cover for the airplane enthusiast.I expect to be reading this over and over for years to come. ... Read more

Product Description
Intelligence on how an air force can develop an air EW capability is presented in this report. It analyzes developments in electronic warfare, describes the types of threat and the EW response, and itemises the capabilities needed. It includes manning and training requirements, and cost. ... Read more