Thomas E. Alexander was among 20,000 military service personnel ordered into the Strategic Air Command, formed in 1946 as US military and political leaders began to understand the growing nuclear threat posed by Stalin's USSR. Alexander served for a number of years in this elite force, designed as a primary deterrent to Soviet military ambitions.In this gripping memoir, Alexander describes what it was like to occupy a 'mole hole' beside a SAC runway, ready to go from full sleep to taxiing for takeoff within seven minutes of the sounding of the klaxon. He shares the experience of sitting on the couch with his family and watching President Kennedy's announcement of the discovery of Soviet missiles in Cuba, realizing that within hours he would be airborne. He tells what it was like to be at a New Year's Eve party on the base, only to hear the announcement that his unit had just been activated. Less than twenty-four hours later, he was in Greenland. In SAC Time: Navigating the Strategic Air Command, Alexander presents 'an honest and reflective account of the impact the Cold War had on individuals who were then on the front lines of defense - like it or not.' Coauthor Dan Utley says of Alexander's narrative, 'The story of an ordinary individual in extraordinary times has value. . . . These are stories Tom Alexander has waited much of his life to share with others, but they are as rich as the day they occurred.'

More than 33,000 Messerchmitt Bf 109s were built between 1935 and 1945, making it the second-most produced warplane of all time. Its baptism of fire was in Spain during the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39. The Bf 109 was the mainstay of Luftwaffe fighter squadrons, and the favoured choice of most of the Luftwaffe's fighter aces. Luftwaffe Bf 109 pilots accounted for thousands of Allied aircraft, with individual scores for some pilots reached hundreds of downed aircraft. It saw service in Poland, the invasion of France and, of course, during the Battle of Britain in 1940. Although gradually becoming obsolete, the Bf 109 remained in large-scale production until the end of the war, and was supplied to more than ten countries, including Finland, Hungary, and Romania. After the war, development and production continued in Czechoslovakia and Spain as the Avia S-199 and Hispano Ha-1112 respectively, the latter powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. Incredibly, the state of Israel operated Czech-built Avia S-199s during its War of Independence in 1948-49. Today, the Bf 109 is considered one of the greatest fighters ever produced.

Adolf Galland began World War II in Poland, as a lieutenant and squadron commander, flying obsolescent biplanes. He ended the war as a Lieutenant General a and was again a squadron commander a this time flying Me 262 jet fighters. In all of aviation history there is no comparable rise and fall by a fighter pilot. The most famous German ace and fighter leader of his generation, Galland's story is simultaneously that of the Luftwaffe Fighter Arm, in which he served from foundation to finish. Fighter General recounts the career of an outstanding combat leader torn from the fighter cockpit to defend his country a and sometimes his own pilots a in the bizarre bureaucracy of the Luftwaffe High Command. Galland's battles against the Allied air forces, both as a general and in individual combat, hold no less drama than his head-on battles with Goering and Hitler. Galland's triumphs and tragedies, his friends and his flames, his humor and heartaches pulse anew in Fighter General. Here in this official biography is real-life adventure to shame the wildest fiction.

The famous Stuka is shown over a variety of fronts throughout its development.

In his fifth book in The Ultimate Look series, Dr. Wolf again brings the same degree of meticulous research to describe this unappreciated and misunderstood B-26 medium bomber. This massive, comprehensive volume is the first to give the reader a definitive description of this neglected bomber, its development, testing, and manufacture. The role of the enigmatic aviation icon Glenn L. Martin is described in the development of the American aviation industry and the Marauder. The author made extensive use of the massive document and photo collections of the Marauder Archives at Akron and Tucson, and the Air Force collection at the NMUSAF. Martin Company design and production information and flight and test evaluations, along with original Company Flight, Parts, and Maintenance Manuals, and rare archival microfilm of original material were also used. The author was given unprecedented access to the family records of B-26 designer Peyton Magruder. The text is complemented by archival photos and drawings, and new color photos of the Marauders at the NMUSAF, Fantasy of Flight, and MAPS Museum.

An epic adventure--the most brilliant escape and evasion from the Nazis ever written.
Eric Williams, a Royal Air Force bomber captain, was shot down over Germany in 1942 and imprisoned in Stalag Luft III, the infamous German POW camp. Digging an underground tunnel hidden beneath a wooden vaulting horse, he managed to escape after ten months and, accompanied by a fellow officer, made his way back to England. In this thinly fictionalized retelling, Williams relates his story in three distinct phases: the construction of a tunnel (its entrance camouflaged by the wooden vaulting horse in the exercise yard) and hiding the large quantities of sand he dug; the escape; and the journey on foot and by train to the port of Stettin, where Williams and his fellow escapee stowed away aboard a Danish ship, the "Norensen."
From painstakingly digging the tunnel to secretly depositing the dirt and gravel around the camp to dodging searchlights and search dogs and climbing barbed wire fences, this is an escape story hard to beat. For sheer heroism, courage, and perseverance, this classic is arguably the most ingenious POW escape of WWII. "The Wooden Horse" became a legend among servicemen long before its publication in 1949 and has remained one ever since.

BOMBER CREW tells the vivid stories of the young men sent on perilous raids during World War II through the voices of those who survived. Long after the Battle of Britain, the aircrews of RAF Bomber Command risked their lives night after night during the Second World War. Over 55,000 of the airmen never returned from these missions; a further 10,000 became prisoners of war. And yet Bomber Command has been mired in controversy and its veterans - all volunteers - have never been awarded a campaign medal. Their crucial contribution to the outcome of the war has all too often been overlooked. BOMBER CREW exposes the bravery of these men using gripping first-person testimony from the surviving pilots and crew. For them this was a time of incredible hardship and adrenaline, courage and friendship, and their stories bear witness to the strength of the human spirit in times of incredible danger. Never before has their story been so vividly told. This is also a revealing look at the history of Bomber Command itself, from the early days through to eventual victory in 1945. accounts of heroism, tragedy and triumph, this is the ultimate account of these brave men and their contribution to the Allied victory.

Rare history of the the secretive and seldom photographed Me 209 V1, V2, V3, and V4 prototypes.

The Spitfire turns 80 on 5 March 2016, and the passion for the RAF's best-loved fighter is running at an all-time high. There are more than 50 Spitfires flying in the world today, and John Dibbs has shot virtually all of them 'on the wing' in his breathtaking style. This eye-catching book combines a unique collection of stunning photos with poignant first-hand accounts of flying the aeroplane in combat, from some of the most famous aces to ever pilot the Spitfire, and from some of the pilots forgotten by history. Chronicling the history of the most iconic of British aircraft this is a 'must have' purchase for aviation enthusiasts.

A member of the legendary Band of Brothers, Ed Shames was involved in some of the most important battles of World War II. His incredible combat record includes parachuting into Normandy on D-Day, and service during Operation Market Garden, at Bastogne and in Germany itself. Shames' own words and recollections fuel a searing account that gives a soldier's glimpse into the ferocity of the fighting on the ground and the close fellowship that developed between the men in Easy Company. The first member of the 101st Airborne Division to enter Dachau concentration camp, just days after its liberation, Shames ended the war in the bombed out shell of Hitler's Eagles Nest, surrounded by his comrades in arms. Written by the author of the critically acclaimed Tonight We Die As Men, this is the phenomenal story of a remarkable young lieutenant during World War II, from training at Toccoa, Georgia right through to the collapse of the Third Reich.

This volume chronicles aerial warfare in the South Pacific from December 1941 until March 1942, durign which air operations by both sides became a daily occurrence. As Imperial Japanese Navy flying boats and land-based bombers penetrated over vast distances, a few under-strength squadrons of the Royal Australian Air Force put up a spirited fight. However it was the supreme power of aircraft carriers that had the biggest impact. Four Japanese fleet carriers facilitated the capture of Rabaul over a devastating four-day period in January 1942. The following month, the USS Lexington's fighter squadron VF-3 scored one of the most one-sided victories of the entire Pacific War. By March 1942 the Japanese had landed on mainland New Guinea, and the scene was set for a race to control Port Moresby. This is the full story of both sides of an air war that could have been won by either incumbent, but for timing, crucial decisions and luck.

Reknowned Japanese aircraft historians Richard Bueschel revises and updates his classic series of books on Japanese Naval and Army Air Force aircraft of World War II. \nThe Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa is presented in this volume. All variations and markings are covered in this the second in a projected multi-volume series. The first volume in Bueschels series covers the Mitsubishi A6M-1/2/2-N Zero-Sen(available from Schiffer Publishing Ltd.).

Seven minutes past midnight on 9 March 1945, nearly 300 American B-29s thundered into the skies over Tokyo. Their payloads of incendiaries ignited a more than 1,800-degree firestorm that liquefied asphalt and vaporised thousands; sixteen square miles of the city were flattened and more than 100,000 men, women and children were killed. Black Snow is the story of this devastating operation, orchestrated by Major General Curtis LeMay, who famously remarked: "If we lose, we'll be tried as war criminals". James M. Scott reconstructs in granular detail that horrific night, and describes the development of the B-29, the capture of the Marianas for use as airfields and the change in strategy from high-altitude daylight "precision" bombing to low-altitude nighttime incendiary bombing. Most importantly, the raid represented a significant moral shift for America, marking the first time commanders deliberately targeted civilians-which helped pave the way for the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki five months later.

More than 2000 women in the United States, Great Britain, Germany and the Soviet Union flew military airplanes in organized units during World War II, yet their stories are largely unknown. These pilots ferried aircraft, flew targets for ground artillery practice, tested airplanes and equipment, and many of them flew in combat. The women pilots proved that they could manage bombers and fighters as well as their male counterparts, and several later remarked that "the airplanes didn't care who flew them." Topics covered include the training of female pilots, how female flight units were developed and structured, the hazards of conflict, and how these women reintegrated into civilian life following the war.

The Arado Ar 234C was the world's first four turbojet-powered flying machine to be built in series. But it was more than that, and its design and testing raised great hopes among the Nazis. The Ar 234 was nothing less than Adolf Hitler's long awaited "EnglAnder Bomber." Powered by four BMW 003A-1 turbojet engines, with a combined thrust of 7,040 pounds, early test results indicated that it could reach speeds of over 550 mph even when loaded with tons of high explosive bombs and/or guided missiles. This complete illustrated history contains over 570 photographs and line drawings.

During World War II, Japanese fighters, such as the famed Zero, were among the most respected and feared combat aircraft in the world. But for decades following the defeat of Japan in 1945, a variety of political and economic factors prevented Japan from developing its own modern national fighter. This changed in the 1980s. Japan began independently developing its first world-class fighter since World War II. After several years of contentious negotiations, the Japanese agreed to work with the United States to cooperatively develop a minimally modified F-16, the FS-X. The new fighter, however, has evolved into a world-class aircraft developed largely by Japanese industry primarily due to errors committed by the U.S. side. By the fall of 1995, fifty years after the end of World War II, the Zero for the 1990s will have made its first flight, catapulting Japan into the elite ranks of nations capable of developing the most advanced weapon systems. In Troubled Partnership, Mark Lorell traces the evolution of the FS-X, disclosing the conflicting economic and security objectives advanced by U.S. officials, the flawed U.S. policy of technology reciprocity, and the challenges of international collaboration. Its deep intimacy with the interplay of policy and economy will make this volume of intense interest to political scientists, military studies specialists, historians, and government officials.

In June 2021, U.S. National Intelligence publicly admitted that UFOs are real physical objects and that they have been penetrating restricted military airspace since at least 2004. Despite this bombshell and further recent admissions by the Pentagon, the identity of these mysterious craft remains unknown. This book brings the full scientific method to bear on this enigmatic issue. Written by Daniel Coumbe, a former research scientist at the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen with a PhD in theoretical particle physics, this book defines one of the first scientifically credible studies of UFOs in the modern era. Anomaly reveals new results derived from radar, optical sensors, and scientific instruments, rather than speculating on unreliable eyewitness testimony. This scientific approach provides the reader with clear and reliable answers, something that is desperately needed in the murky field of UFOs.

This book is the first to present every rocket aircraft flown in Germany and the rocket systems developed by Walter and BMW, as well as several of the most interesting projects drawn up by Germany's aviation industry. In 1940 the Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fer Segelflug launched the DFS 194, developed by Alexander Lippisch, and the tests with this experimental plane laid the foundation for the Messerschmitt Me 163, the world's first operational rocket fighter. Using a Walter rocket engine, the Me 163 achieved hitherto unimaginable climb rates and speeds. It was in this rocket powered plane that, on 2 October 1941, Heini Dittmar reached 1003 km/h and thus became the first pilot in the world to break the magic mark of 1000 km/h. In so doing, he also brushed against the sound barrier. The technology incorporated into Germany's rocket planes - the Messerschmitt Me 163 Bs and Cs, the Me 263, and Bachem Ba 349 Natter - was recognized throughout the world as cutting edge and after the war had a major impact on the technological development of other countries. This book is a must-have for every aviation enthusiast.

The first in a planned series that presents the B-24 Liberators used by the 15th Air Force in World War II, noted B-24 historians Robert Beitling and Mike Hill present for the first time the biographies of the individual B-24s used by the 451st, 461st and 484th Bomb Groups of the 49th Bomb Wing in Italy. As much information as is known about the individual aircraft is presented in biographical form: serial number, nickname, how the aircraft received its nickname, number of missions, original aircraft for the groups, and the ultimate fate of the aircraft. The volume will be of interest to historians, veterans and those who are interested in the B-24s that flew in the flak filled skies of the Third Reich.

This book is a concise, illustrated history of the legendary McDonnell Douglas F-4C and RF-4C Phantom II. Covered are its technical developments, markings, and use by Spanish forces.

Following Argentina's military operation to take possession of the Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's government launched a major naval operation to return them to British rule. Defending the Royal Navy task force were two small squadrons totalling 20 Sea Harriers (SHARs). Initial clashes between SHARs and Argentine Mirages and Daggers on 1 May 1982 failed to eliminate the Sea Harrier defenders. FAA fighter-bomber pilots relied on daring and courageous ultra-low level attacks, frequently escaping the Sea Harrier's limited capabilities, against Royal Navy warships and auxiliaries, causing considerable damage during Operation Corporate, the large-scale amphibious operation to repossess the islands. Publishing 35 years after the end of the conflict, this fully illustrated volume offers a balanced and objective examination of the SHAR and the Argentine Mirage and Dagger aircraft, highlighting the attributes of both and the skills and courage of the pilots flying them.

Celebrating 25 years with a comprehensive history from World War II through the 21st Century. Biographical profiles of the members as well as a roster of all association members.

West Point graduates played a central role in developing U.S. military air and space power from the earliest days of mechanized flight through the establishment of the U.S. Air Force in 1947, and continuing through the Persian Gulf War. These graduates served at a time when the world's greatest wave of technological advancement occurred: in aviation, nuclear weapons, rocketry, ICBMs, computers, satellite systems in inner space and man in outer space. This history traces the advancement of weapons and space technology that became the hallmark of the U.S. Air Force, and the pivotal role that West Point graduates played in integrating them into a wide variety of Air Force systems and programs. Many became aircraft commanders, test pilots, astronauts and, later in their careers, general officers who helped shape and implement technologies still in use today.

Studies of air combat in the Vietnam War inevitably focus on the MiG-killing fighter engagements, B-52 onslaughts or tactical strikes on the Hanoi region. However, underlying all these was the secretive 'electron war' in which highly-skilled electronic warfare officers duelled with Soviet and North Vietnamese radar operators in the attempt to enable US strike forces to reach their targets with minimal losses. Orbiting at the edge of heavily-defended territory, the vulnerable EB-66s identified and jammed the enemy's radar frequencies with electronic emissions and chaff to protect the American bombers. Their hazardous missions resulted in six combat losses, four of them to SA-2 missiles and one to a MiG-21, and they became prime targets for North Vietnamese defences when their importance was realised. This illustrated study focuses on the oft-overlooked B-66 series, examining their vital contributions to the Vietnam War and the bravery of those who operated them in some of the most challenging situations imaginable. Author Peter E. Davies also explores how the technology and tactics devised during the period made possible the development of the EF-111A Raven, an invaluable component of the Desert Storm combat scenario over Iraq and Kuwait in 1991, and the US Navy's EA-6B Prowler, which entered service towards the end of the Vietnam War.