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.

"This is the best book the most scholarly, the most judicial, the best written about the intelligent, attractive, undiplomatic, quixotic Billy Mitchell, the legendary founder of today s United States Air Force." Robert H. Ferrell, author of Harry S. Truman: A Life

Revered by many Americans as a martyr for his cause, Brigadier General William "Billy" Mitchell has been one of the least understood figures of modern military history. His position as the dominant figure in American aviation from 1919 until his court-martial in 1925 has made him the frequent subject of biography, film, and television, but usually these portrayals have overemphasized the sensational elements of his story. For Mitchell, sensationalism was only a means of drawing attention to his farsighted ideas on aviation. In Billy Mitchell, he emerges as a man with a mission and a true pioneer of modern aviation, a man whose ideas about leadership in aerial operations inspire and instruct today s airmen and women. Anyone interested in aviation will delight in this compelling biography."

This new book is the war diary of a Flying Tiger American Volunteer Group crew chief from the 3rd Pursuit Squadron. Much of the Flying Tiger history is written from the pilots viewpoint. These brave pilots deserve much praise, but those who fixed the aircraft and kept them flying also have a story to tell. Though their story is perhaps not as flashy, it is quite interesting and very much in tune with the everyday spirit of that intense period before America entered the World War II. This book contains Losonskys war diary, which is supplemented with interviews and dialogue, and includes over 200 unpublished photographs. This format provides the reader with a multi-dimensional view of the period. Flying Tiger will give aviation historians new insights into the days shortly before the Flying Tiger successes in late 1941.

Acknowledgements Abbreviations Preface Chapter 1: Early Concepts, 1900 - 1928 Chapter 2: Expansion, 1928 - 1937 Chapter 3: Small Wars, 1936 - 1940 Chapter 4: The Great Patriotic War, 1941-1945 Conclusion Biographical Notes Bibliography Index

Stephen Ambrose is the acknowledged dean of the historians of World War II in Europe. In three highly acclaimed, bestselling volumes, he has told the story of the bravery, steadfastness, and ingenuity of the ordinary young men, the citizen soldiers, who fought the enemy to a standstill -- the band of brothers who endured together.

The very young men who flew the B-24s over Germany in World War II against terrible odds were yet another exceptional band of brothers, and, in The Wild Blue, Ambrose recounts their extraordinary brand of heroism, skill, daring, and comradeship with the same vivid detail and affection. With his remarkable gift for bringing alive the action and tension of combat, Ambrose carries us along in the crowded, uncomfortable, and dangerous B-24s as their crews fought to the death through thick black smoke and deadly flak to reach their targets and destroy the German war machine.

Fighter pilot Butch O'Hare became one of America's heroes in 1942 when he saved the carrier Lexington in what has been called the most daring single action in the history of combat aviation: he single-handedly shot down five attacking Japanese bombers and severely damaged a sixth. The authors describe in fascinating detail O'Hare's awe-inspiring feats of aerial combat that won him the Medal of Honor and other awards and explain his key role in developing tactics and night-fighting techniques that helped defeat the Japanese. In addition, they investigate events leading up to O'Hare's disappearance the following year while intercepting torpedo bombers headed for the Enterprise. First published in 1997, this biography utilizes O'Hare family papers and U.S. and Japanese war records and eyewitness interviews. It is essential reading for a true understanding of the development of combat naval aviation and the talents of the universally admired and well-liked Butch O'Hare. Steve Ewing is senior curator at Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum in Charleston, South Carolina, and the author of biographies on Jimmie Thach and Jimmy Flatley among other books. John B. Lundstrom is curator of American and military history at the Milwaukee Public Museum and the author of The First Team: Pacific Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway and The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign.

" In the twelve months centered around the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, a diverse group of American and British flyers fought one of the most remarkable air campaigns of WWII. Pilots including Claire Chennault, ""Pappy"" Boyington, and Art Donahue bought time for an Allied regrouping against Japan's relentless assault in the China-Burma-India theater. In the face of the 1941 bombings, Chiang Kai-shek turned to air power to survive, which he did thanks to Chennault's rebuilding of the Chinese Air Force and the leadership of the American Volunteer Group, or AVG. Formed by Chennault, the AVG, also known as the Flying Tigers, were contract employees working for the Chinese government. As a result, they received virtually no official American recognition for their efforts. The group was known for their romantic, reckless spirit. They performed remarkably with outdated planes and equipment in ill-repair, were almost always heavily outnumbered in battle, and were seen by outsiders as hard-drinking rebels. Whatever their image, the Flying Tigers were highly effective. In the words of Air Force Major General Charlie Bond, ""During that first week of action the AVG destroyed fifty-five enemy bombers and fighters while losing only five Tomahawks. Unfortunately, two of our colleagues were killed, but at the same time two hundred enemy airmen were either killed or captured. We were shattering the myth that the Japanese Air Force was invincible."" Jerome Klinkowitz, whose earlier books focused on flyers' attitudes toward the air war in Britain and Europe, continues his work with an exceptionally interesting group of Pacific warriors. He brings together not only the commanders' stories but the often more colorful--and sometimes more accurate--accounts of life and battle by the men who flew these planes and the women who participated on the ground.

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.

An aviation legend designed in the mid-1940s, the Canberra entered service in 1951 with RAF Bomber Command. It served in the conventional, interdictor and nuclear bomber role with the RAF, in the UK, Germany, the Middle East and Far East. Its performance and adaptability made it ideal as a reconnaissance aircraft, and the final version, the Canberra PR9, only finally retired in July 2006! The Canberra was used in many support roles, especially in signals / electronic warfare. The Canberra was adopted by air forces from South America to Africa and India, as well as Australia and New Zealand, and license-built as the Martin B-57 served. It was involved conflicts from the Suez War and Malaya Confrontation, and various other hot spots with the RAF, to the Australian and USAF ops in Vietnam, and even the India-Pakistan War when both sides used Canberras, and the 1982 Falklands War. Used in trials and evaluation the Canberra held various height and speed records, and NASA's High Altitude Research Program WB-57s are still active. The Canberra has also had dedicated enthusiasts, and aircraft (or cockpits) still survive in museums, as well as some in flying condition.

Flying Fox is a unique work in aviation literature combining the translation of a German pilot's classic autobiographical novel of flying in the First World War with a historical investigation that both illuminates and expands upon the original narrative. In 1933 the Koehler Verlag in Leipzig published Wir Flieger (We Flyers), by Otto Fuchs, who flew and fought in artillery observation and fighter squadrons in the Imperial German air service. The author presented the work as the recollections of an unknown pilot, changing names, unit designations, and airfield locations in order to protect the identities of the persons involved and to thwart inquiry. Adam Wait has not only provided a thoroughly annotated translation of Wir Flieger which retains the vividness of the author's original prose, but has also conducted meticulous research to uncover the true facts behind the story. His findings are related in a chapter-by-chapter commentary, supplemented by an epilogue continuing the story from the point in time at which the novel concludes to the end of the war. A further addition is a previously unpublished chapter of Wir Flieger excised by Koehler, as it did not conform to the heroic ideal of the time. Flying Fox is profusely illustrated with period and present-day photographs and maps that further bring this fascinating tale to life.

Over and Above is Gurdon’s first and best book, repeatedly reprinted for two decades, variously titled Winged Warriors or Wings of Death. Billed as a novel, it is not so much that as a fictionalised account of his own service flying career, with names changed, incidents rearranged. True, it tells of ‘exciting raids over enemy lines and towns, desperate fights against fearful odds, chivalry shown to an unchivalrous foe...’  but the narrative turns darker as men become wearier, new comrades arrive and are killed, and those who remain try to hold onto meaning in increasingly unintelligible circumstances, a mirror to Gurdon’s own experiences. Written in the style of the era and by and for a class which put great store in maintaining a slangy, backslapping cheerfulness, no matter how grim things were, with chums wishing each other ‘beaucoup Huns’ before embarking on a ‘show’ in ‘beastly’ weather, this book is a classic to rank with Winged Victory by V M Yeates, and which should never have been out of print. This new edition retains exactly the original script but has been updated with an introduction by John Gurdon’s granddaughter Camilla Jane Gurdon Blakeley and an extended illustrated appendix by renowned historian Norman Franks.

The German battleships Bismarck and Tirpitz had brutally short careers. The Bismarck was sunk by the Home Fleet on her first operational sortie in May 1941. But the Tirpitz, hiding in Norwegian fjords, remained a menace to Allied convoys and tied down the British Home Fleet for three years. Periodic scares that the Tirpitz was 'out' disrupted naval operations and in 1942 led to the dispersal and destruction of Convoy PQ17. Many attacks on the Tirpitz were made by British X-craft and Chariots, by the Fleet Air Arm and by RAF Bomber Command. From May 1940 over 700 British aircraft tried to bomb, mine or torpedo the Tirpitz on 33 separate missions; she was finally destroyed by Lancaster bombers with 5-ton Tallboy bombs. This is the most comprehensive account of the air attacks on 'the beast' ever published, which is the result of extensive research of the British and German records by the author, former head of Defence and International Affairs at RMA Sandhurst.

The elegant Sunderland was the RAF's staple maritime patrol aircraft through out WWII. Crucial in the Battle of the Atlantic, the Sunderland was instrumental in defeating the U-Boat menace which threatened to starve the UK into submission. Nicknamed the Flying Porcupine due to its heavy armory of 14 guns, the Sunderland proved an immediate success in battle. Aside from its world-wide use with the RAF, it saw action with the RAAF, RNZAF and RCAF. This is the first book devoted to the Sunderland's WWII service to be published in over a decade.

The McDonnell-Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is presented here showing its development, production and use by the United States Navy, Marine Corps and by various foreign air forces. Use by the Blue Angels, and the very latest model updates are included.

The daring, low-level mission to the oil refineries of Ploesti has long been considered one of the most significant missions of World War II. The Allies were determined to annihilate the very source of the fuel which fed the German war machine.

In Desert Fire: The Untold Story of the Air Mission That Cut Off Hitler's Oil, John Blundell, distinguished veteran of the 98th Bomb Group, provides not only an insider's point of view on the critical mission in Europe and North Africa but also compelling photos of the heroes and hardships faced by America's Force of Freedom,"" the 98th Bomb Group. Alma Joyce Hahn of the Benton Courier describes the book as ""an adventure story you will laugh, you will wipe a tear away; you will be inspired.""""

Created by aviation pioneer Willy Messerschmitt, the Bf 109 was an innovative, ground-breaking design. In the face of stiff competition from other German aircraft manufacturers, this powerful, maneuverable and light aircraft was selected as the Luftwaffe's standard fighter, and it went on to see action in every theater of operations in the Second World War. With more than 33,000 examples built, the Bf 109 is the most-produced fighter aircraft of all time. In 1937 the Bf 109 demonstrated its great performance potential by achieving several impressive victories at the Zurich Air Meet and setting the world speed record of 611 kph. This book describes factually and accurately the development, testing and technology of the Bf 109 as well as the production variants Bf 109A to Bf 10E.

This thorough study of the history, development and service of floatplanes carried on battleships and cruisers documents a long neglected subject for the first time in over 400 photographs. From the 1920s through World War II, aircraft operating from catapults were used for spotting gunfire and scouting ahead of the fleet. Flying these planes was unique and the dramatic launching and recovery operations are covered by both photographs and text. Colors and markings are detailed and special attention has been paid to images showing catapult and ship details for both the ship and aircraft modeler. The assignment of all aircraft by type, totals, squadrons and ship is given annually from 1942 to 1949. In addition to rare photos of all of the experimental aircraft that were tested for this purpose, an addition chapter covers floatplanes used on small ships and submarine. William Larkins is also author of The Ford Tri-Motor 1926-1992, and U.S. Navy Aircraft 1921-1941, U.S. Marine Corps Aircraft 1914-1959(both titles are available from Schiffer Publishing Ltd.).

How did the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) 'cavalry of the air' transform into the strategic RAF of the Cold War? The flying lives of these three pilots combine across the years to illustrate how it happened. Trained on Bristol Boxkites in 1912, Major Leonard Dawes helped shape the RFC in its infancy. Posted to France with BE2s, he saw action at the birth of battlefield reconnaissance and air fighting, then activated many new squadrons during the First World War. Joining the RAF in 1923, Group Captain Dickie Barwell became a fighter pilot and respected leader of men. As a Hurricane squadron commander, he routed the first major Luftwaffe air attack of the Second World War and flew with Bader's Wing in the Battle of Britain. While commanding RAF Biggin Hill, he flew combat operations over France before his death in a friendly-fire incident in 1942. Squadron Leader Brian Fern learned to fly at Ponca City, Oklahoma, in 1942, then trained hundreds of RAF bomber pilots during the Second World War. Post-war tours on Canberra bombers and spy flights in Chipmunks were followed by selection to the elite Valiant bomber force, where he became a leading exponent of in-flight refuelling, which finally gave the RAF its global reach. Combining these three stories into a narrative that explores the rise of the RAF through an era of dazzling technological breakthroughs and ever-changing operational requirements, Alastair Goodrum tells the story of a journey through adversity to the stars.

Though Bicentennial aircraft schemes and markings, along with many of the aircraft of that period, have all but faded into obscurity, this colorful volume not only preserves their images, but reflects the spirit that prevailed during that historic period in U.S. aviation history. Presented here for the first time are the vivid, patriotic colors and schemes worn by aircraft during a time when the nation, still trying to purge itself of Vietnam, was swept with overdue patriotism; a time that compelled legions in civil and military air service to proudly wave their flag by decorating the aircraft that were their livelihood, or simply their hobby. One can only marvel at the meticulously-applied designs that transformed many aircraft into flying billboards of Americana. This volume is a boon to aviation enthusiasts, historians and modelers alike. Wayne Mutza is also the author of Grumman Albatross, and Lockheed P2V Neptune (both titles are available from Schiffer Publishing Ltd.).

Told in anecdotal form, Vulture\s Row tells a fascinating story about an important period covering nearly one half of the entire history of U.S. naval aviation. "Vulture\s Row" is an area dubbed by naval flyers, on the island structure of an aircraft carrier where pilots who aren\t flying can overlook carrier launchings and recoveries on the deck below. \nThis new book by acclaimed author Paul Gillcrist is a series of true stories about the U.S. Navy carrier aviation from the perspective of a Navy pilot who spent thirty-three years directly involved in that exciting profession. The book begins with a series of vignettes in the period of the mid-1950s when the U.S. Navy introduced swept wing, jet-powered fighters into the aircraft carrier navy, flying from straight-deck carriers whose flight decks were made of teak wood.\nThe thread of stories follows the author\s career in chronological sequence, in various venues throughout the Navy. There are accounts from his first carrier deployment to the western Pacific, followed by events as a weapons delivery instructor at the predecessor to TOPGUN in El Centro, California. Some of his experiences as a Navy pilot are recorded in a section about Patuxent River, Maryland, the Navy\s test center. Additional episodes include an unforgettable wing-walking flight. flying Japanese Zeros in the movie TORA!TORA!TORA! and the author\s subsequent tour of duty in Pentagon conducting proficiency flights from our nation\s capital.\nThere are also accounts of combat missions over Vietnam and the author\s experiences in both wing commander jobs, flying the F-4 Phantom II and the F-14 Tomcat. The last story is about his two flights, as a fifty-two year old Admiral, in the controversial F-20 Tigershark. These vignettes combine humor, hair-raising excitement and tragedy.\nRear Admiral Paul T. Gillcrist, a U.S. Navy fighter pilot, served also as a test pilot and weapons delivery instructor, and actively flew from sixteen aircraft carriers for over twenty-seven years. The author writes with authority as a former fighter squadron commanding officer who recorded 167 combat missions over Vietnam flying the F-8 Crusader. Subsequently, he commanded a carrier air wing and finally served, the rank of Rear Admiral, as the wing commander for all pacific Fleet fighter squadrons. His pilot\s logbook includes over 6,000 hours, in seventy-one different types of aircraft from 1952 to 1981. He retired in 1985 as Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations(air Warfare). He is also the author of TOMCAT!The Grumman F-14 Story, and CRUSADER! Last of the Gunfighters(both titles are available from Schiffer Publishing Ltd.).

Relying on scores of primary source documents, U.S. Army Aviation Color Schemes and Markings, 1942-to the Present focuses exclusively on how Army Aviation's aircraft have been painted and marked during nearly sixty years of service. Official changes in exterior schemes, interior colors, and all forms of markings are covered. Exceptions to "the rules" are also discussed. Of additional interest to the historian and enthusiast will be the wealth of material covering unofficial camouflage patterns, personal markings, and demonstration team aircraft. Complementing the text is a superb visual survey of Army Aviation color schemes and markings. This is comprised of over six hundred photos and drawings taken directly from Army manuals, manufacturers' files, private collections, and the archives of the Army and Air Force.

Recent concern about mainland China's intentions towards Taiwan, and more general concern about the risk of instability in the region, has led to growing interest in Taiwan's military strategy. This book brings together a range of experts from the West and from Taiwan itself who examine the key issues connected with Taiwan's air power, which is a key aspect of the China-Taiwan military balance. During the 1990s, Taiwan invested considerable resources in thoroughly re-equipping its air force with modern air defence and strike aircraft equipped with modern missiles, thereby denying China command of the air in any conflict in the short- to medium-term. In the longer-term, air power will remain a crucial influence on the overall balance, as China's efforts to upgrade its own air force's capabilities begin to undermine Taiwan's current advantages.

General Daniel "Chappie" James, Jr., USAF, fought in three American wars and became the first African American to attain the rank of four-star general in the United States Armed Forces. He was a talented military leader, an excellent orator and an advocate for equal rights for blacks in the military. James was once one of the most powerful men in the world, and today he is often classed with such great American generals as Patton, MacArthur and Pershing. This biography explores James's life and assesses his place in American military history. From his childhood through his role and service in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, the book traces his personal and career development, his influences, and his climb through the military ranks. Photographs of James are included as well as detailed bibliographical information at the end of each chapter.

Using official records, the author traces the origins and early development of strategic bombing, and examines its organs in the operations and staff planning of the First World War. The experiences of the First World War should have been a valuable legacy to those who devised the 'counter offensive' strategy in the years between the war. Unfortunately the lessons learnt were soon forgotten and many of the operational and technical problems which the planners had begun to tackle in 1918 were not even seen to exist by the Air Staff during the 1920s and early 1930s.

Using official records, the author traces the origins and early development of strategic bombing, and examines its organs in the operations and staff planning of the First World War. The experiences of the First World War should have been a valuable legacy to those who devised the 'counter offensive' strategy in the years between the war. Unfortunately the lessons learnt were soon forgotten and many of the operational and technical problems which the planners had begun to tackle in 1918 were not even seen to exist by the Air Staff during the 1920s and early 1930s.