Covered in this unique volume are: Inflight Simulation Aircraft;VISTA/NF-16D; Variable Stability B-26; NC-131H Total In-Flight Simulator; Gulfstream Shuttle Training Aircraft; ASTRA Hawk; University of Tennessee Navions; P-2 Variable Stability Aircraft; S-76 Shadow; NT-33A; Tu-154M; VFW-617 ATTAS; Calspan Learjets; Jetstar GPAS. Testbed Aircraft; A-5A Vigilante SST; A6-A CCW; B-47 Fly-by-Wire; A-7 DIGITAC; B-52 CCV/LAMS; Carrier Testbeds XC-8AACLS; Convair-990 LSRA; C-130 RAMTIP; Falcon ATLAS; F-4 Fly-by-Wire; F-5D Skylancer Testbed; F-8 Supercritical Wing; F-8 Digital Fly-by-Wire; F-15 AECS; F-15 ASAT; F-15 IFFC/ABICS/ICAAS; F-15 HIDEC; F-15 STOL/MTD. ACTIVE; F-15 Streak Eagle; F-16 AFTI; F-16 CCV, FLOTRAK; F/A-18 EPAD; F/A-18 HARV; F/A-18 SRA; JF-100 Variable Stability Testbed; F-102 Low L/D; F-104 Low L/D; F-104 Aerospace Trainer; F-100/106 Turbulance Testing; F-111 AFTI/TACT Testbed; Air Force Transport Testbeds; Ice Testing Aircraft; KC-135 Winglet; NASA/Langley Commercial Testbeds; L-100 High Technology Testbed; PA-30 Twin Commanche Testbed; Sabreliner Supercritical Wing; SR-71 Testbed; Boeing 737 TCV; Boeing 720 CID; X-21 LFC; YF-23 Loads; Miscellaneous Testbeds. Prototype Aircraft; YA-7F(A-7 Plus); F-16XL; F-16/79/101; P-51 Mustang-Based Enforcer; Gunships; F-15E Strike Eagle Demonstrator; F-18; A-37.

The conflict in the skies above the combat zones of World War II bred a new legion of heroes. Boys became men in weeks, and many became commanders and leaders before the age of 25. These young pilots were flying for their lives on every dangerous sortie and in every type of aircraft. Over 100 of these young men are included in this compact reference to the history and record of Allied and enemy aces of World War II.

The Douglas F3D Skyknight was an early but effective attempt at combining new technologies together in a lethal package capable of shipboard operation. Whereas most fighters relied on speed and maneuverability, the portly, straight-winged F3D relied on three radars, four 20mm cannon, and - most importantly - darkness. Having first flown in March 1948, the Skyknight's first taste of war came in September 1952, when Marine Night Fighter Squadron 513 [VMF(N)-513] deployed to Korea. The most important job assigned to VMF(N)-513 was the escorting of USAF B-29 bombers over northern Korea. Whereas Chinese and North Korean MiG-15s relied on ground-controlled intercept radar for steering guidance into firing positions, the F3D, with its own onboard radars, was autonomously lethal - it could detect, track and target MiGs all on its own. Skyknight crews ended the Korean War with six nocturnal kills in exchange for one combat loss. After the war, 35 Skyknights were converted into electronic warfare (EW) aircraft. As US air operations over North Vietnam intensified in early 1965, the need for a tactical EW jet to provide electronic countermeasures (ECM) protection to accompany strike packages north became apparent. For all of its early effectiveness over North Vietnam, the proliferation of radar-guided guns and missiles began to erode the advantage created by EF-10 escort support, which flew its last combat mission in October 1969. This highly illustrated volume explores the F3D Skynights and their deployment during the Korean and Vietnam wars, using first-hand accounts from aircrew, original photographs and 30 profile artworks to explore their key roles as an escort aircraft and electronic warfare aircraft.

Why do states who are committed to the principle of civilian immunity and the protection of non-combatants end up killing and injuring large numbers of civilians during their military operations? Bugsplat explains this paradox through an in-depth examination of five conflicts fought by Western powers since 1989. It argues that despite the efforts of Western military organizations to comply with the laws of armed conflict, the level of collateral damage produced by Western military operations is the inevitable outcome of the strategies and methods through which their military organizations fight wars. Drawing on their superior technology and the strategic advantage of not having to fight on their own territory, such states employ highly-concentrated and overwhelming military force against a wide variety of political, economic, and military targets under conditions likely to produce high civilian casualties. As a result, collateral damage in western-fought wars is largely both foreseeable and preventable. The book title is derived from the name of a computer program that had been used by the Pentagon to calculate probable civilian casualties prior to launching air attacks.

This book explores the fascinating feats of RAF’s photographic reconnaissance aircraft. During World War 2, photographic reconnaissance in the RAF started gathering intelligence on the enemy using cameras installed in PR Spitfires. The aircraft that proved this concept was the Supermarine Spitfire, which, stripped of all excess weight, and carrying cameras and additional fuel, penetrated deep into enemy territory to bring back photographs that specialist interpreters could scrutinise to determine the enemy’s activities. This fascinating book examines the evolution of the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU), from a small clandestine flight of the British Secret Intelligence Service into an operational group fulfilling the photographic requirements of clients including the RAF and the War Office. From various bases in Britain, the uniquely camouflaged blue (and, occasionally, pink) Spitfires of the PRU covered targets in occupied Europe from the Norwegian fjords to the great German industrial centres. Their superior performance made an immediate impact in North Africa and Malta as the PR Spitfires kept watch on German and Italian forces. Further afield, in India, Spitfires flew over the jungles of Burma monitoring Japanese troops. Using specially commissioned aircraft profile artwork, first-hand accounts and original photography, aviation expert Andrew Fletcher explores the fundamental role of the iconic PR Spitfire throughout the war and its various theatres.

Using archival photographs sourced directly from Vietnam, specially commissioned diagrams and combat accounts from veterans, István Toperczer reveals how the MiG-21 defended Vietnam between 1966 and 1968. One of the most successful communist jet fighters ever built, the MiG-21 "Fishbed" was involved in a series of deadly duels with American fighters over North Vietnam as the USAF and US Navy ramped up strike missions during Operation Rolling Thunder, culminating in the destruction of over 70 US aircraft for the loss of 35 "Fishbeds." Having honed their skills on the subsonic MiG-17, pilots of the Vietnam People's Air Force received their first examples of the legendary MiG-21 supersonic fighter in 1966. Soon thrown into combat over North Vietnam, the guided-missile-equipped MiG-21 proved a deadly opponent for the American crews striking at targets deep into communist territory. Although the communist pilots initially struggled to come to terms with the fighter’s air search radar and weapons systems, the ceaseless cycle of combat operations quickly honed their skills. The best fighter then available to the VPAF, more than 200 MiG-21s (of various sub-types) were supplied to the North Vietnamese. In this study, leading VPAF authority István Toperczer analyzes the tactics used by the MiG-21 pilots over the bitter fighting in North Vietnam during Rolling Thunder. The highspeed ‘hit and run’ attacks employed by the communist pilots proved to be very successful, with both R-3S air-to-air missiles and heavy-caliber cannon inflicting a rising toll on American jets. Using first-hand accounts from MiG-21 pilots, battlescene artwork, combat ribbon diagrams, and armament views, the author details the important role played by the "Fishbed" in the defense of North Vietnam.

Wings Across the Pacific tells the epic struggle of the generation of pilots who made the dream of crossing the Pacific, a reality. The feats of Lindbergh and others who crossed the Atlantic have been more celebrated. But the Pacific was to flying what Everest was to mountain climbing: the biggest, most implacable, most irresistible challenge on earth. To fly the Pacific meant aiming for tiny islands amid seventy million square miles of ocean, and the slightest mechanical failure - or error of judgment - could mean a watery grave. Amelia Earhart is only one of many who vanished into the Pacific without a trace.

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.

‘The definitive account of the Vulcan raids… taught me something new on every page’ - Rowland White, author of the bestselling Vulcan 607 A newly researched, fully illustrated account of how RAF Vulcan bombers flew a series of the world's longest air raids in 1982 against Port Stanley airfield, in a daring, hastily improvised strike against the Argentinian invaders. The RAF's opening shots of the Falklands War were among the most remarkable airstrikes in history. The idea was simple: to destroy the runway at Port Stanley, and prevent Argentinian fast jets using it against the Royal Navy task force. But the nearest British-owned airfield was Ascension Island — 3,900 miles away from the Falklands. Researcher and historian Andrew D. Bird has uncovered new detail of what really made these extraordinary raids possible, including never-before-published information and photos demonstrating the discreet support provided by the United States. Packed with spectacular original artwork and rare photos, this book explains how these hugely complex, yet completely improvised raids were launched. This is also the story of how the last of the Vulcans, only a few months away from the scrapyard, had to be hastily re-equipped to carry conventional bombs, with bombsights, electronics and navigation systems 'borrowed' from other aircraft. Yet they managed to fly what were the longest-range air attacks in history, and struck a severe blow to the occupying Argentinians.

This second of two volumes on de Havilland's "Wooden Wonder" covers the World War II bomber and photoreconnaissance variants of the deadly Mosquito. Along with its night fighter and fighter-bomber variants, Mosquito bomber squadrons attacked the enemy around the clock. Pinpoint assaults on specialist targets were another aspect of Mosquito operations, whose destructive effect on the Axis was constantly felt. Also featured in this volume is the Mosquito's operational service between 1942 and 1945 within the ranks of the RAF, Commonwealth air forces, and US Army Air Force, as well as postwar use.

This book outlines how to reorganize the U.S. Army into a fully 2 and 3-Dimensional maneuver capable, ground force with terrain-agile, armored fighting vehicles sized to rapidly deploy by fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft to the scene of world conflicts and strike at the heart of freedom‚s enemies. The plan to build the Army into Air-Mech-Strike Forces, exploiting emerging information-age technologies, as well as America‚s supremacy in aircraft and helicopter delivery systems---at the lowest cost to the taxpayers, is described in detail. These Army warfighting organizations, using existing and some newly purchased equipment, will shape the battlefield to America‚s advantage, preserving the peace before it is lost; if not, then winning fights that must be fought quickly. The dangerous world we live in moves by the speed of the AIR, and the 21st Century U.S. Army 2D/3D combat team will dominate this medium by Air-Mech-Strike!

These essays cover a wide range of subjects and tell the story of air power's evolution over the past century. The author discusses the golden age of air theory before World War II, examining the ideas of British, American and continental airmen. In the great test of World War II, he covers some of the key roles played by air power in both Europe and the Pacific.

This new large format volume is a grand tribute to all of those who served in SAC from its inception in 1947 to its disestablishment in 1992. The great variety of aircraft and missile systems of Strategic Air Command are shown in over 800 color and black and white photographs, making this volume one of the definitive pictorials on the subject.

With first-hand insight into the into the key role of the US Air Force's fighter-bomber from the Vietnam War through to Operation Desert Storm during the First Gulf War, this book is an unmissable account of some of the most dangerous and demanding missions in the two wars. The advent of the surface-to-air missile (SAM) in the early 1950s threatened the whole concept of aerial bombing from medium and high altitude. Countermeasures were developed during the Korean War, but with little initial success. It was only in the closing stages of the Vietnam War, with the F-4Cww Phantom II (Wild Weasel 4), that this equipment started to become successful enough to allow a substantial investment in converting 116 F-4E Phantom IIs into dedicated SEAD aircraft. This move introduced a new generation of anti-radar missiles which became invaluable in later operations including operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Northern Watch over Iraq. This volume features dynamic archival photography from crews who flew the jet, alongside mission accounts and technical details of the development and fielding of the F-4 Wild Weasel in its various iterations. Including specially commissioned artwork of 'sharkmouthed' Phantom IIs in Vietnam jungle camouflage and more modern USAF 'Ghost Gray', this book is the ultimate visual and technical guide to the F-4 Phantom II Wild Weasel Units in combat.

Formed in 1918, the Royal Air Force is the oldest independent air force in the world. This long history has seen operations conducted across a variety of terrains in vastly different aircraft, from biplanes to bombers, from jet to delta wing, through to the fighter, surveillance, and air mobility aircraft of today. This book charts the story of the RAF through its aircraft and its most significant events, remembering and highlighting such key milestones as the Battle of Britain and the Dams Raid. The RAF Colouring Book is the perfect gift for children and RAF enthusiasts, and will keep them occupied and educated for hours.

'A useful contribution to an overcrowded field of history by giving deserved attention to the ordinary men and unsung machines that aren't usually included in the dramatic narrative.' - The Times 'A great read and a real eye-opener to anyone who thinks the Battle of Britain is only about Brits and Germans and Messerschmitts and Spitfires. The value in this account is also the way the back stories of many previously unheralded pilots come to life.' - General Sir David Richards, former Chief of the Defence Staff *** In Battle of Britain: The pilots and planes that made history, Ed Gorman and Simon Pearson paint a vivid picture of the men and their machines as the battle for air superiority over Britain is played out across the skies of Europe, from the west of Ireland to the German capital. We experience the battle chronologically through the remarkable stories of eighteen airmen from across the world. Some will be new to many readers: the New Zealander who "borrowed" a seaplane from the Royal Navy to set up a freelance air-sea rescue service that saved the lives of dozens of British and German pilots; the Swiss baron who claimed to have destroyed six British fighters in a day; the vainglorious commander whose RAF squadron was wiped out trying to disrupt Nazi invasion plans; and the German bomber pilot who fought the first battle involving foreign troops on British soil since Culloden - before repairing to a pub for a pint with soldiers who had taken him prisoner. Illustrated with contemporary photographs of the pilots and their aircraft, this is an enthralling and original account from both sides of a conflict that shaped the modern world, full of courage, endeavour and, above all, humanity.

The United States military stores more than 4,000 aircraft in the Arizona desert at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) facility adjacent to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Known as the Boneyard, this facility is much more than a place where aerospace vehicles come to die. Here some aircraft are maintained in both short- and long-term storage, while others serve as a parts inventory on the wing holding valuable spare parts in known locations ready to be harvested, overhauled, and returned to the fleet when needed. When an aircraft has yielded all the parts necessary to keep its brethren in the air, its carcass eventually meets the scrapper's torch. AMARG's storage rows are home to massive fleets of F-15, F-16, and F/A-18 fighters, aerial refuelling tankers, C-130 and C-5 transports, helicopters of varying sizes, and bombers from the frontline B-1 to B-52s that are much older than the pilots flying them around the globe today. Among the rows are special use aircraft including the AWACS, P-3 maritime patrol bombers, aeromedical evacuation aircraft, and reconnaissance planes that serve a variety of missions, along with celebrity aircraft such as MiG killers that dominated the skies in aerial combat. As well as bringing the reader up to date with recent activities at AMARG, including the intake of new aircraft types, regeneration and the return to the fleet of aircraft formerly in storage, this book presents new, never-before-seen images that provide a visual tour of the Boneyard.

The F-105 Thunderchief was primarily designed for tactical nuclear operations. For this reason, it was on nuclear Victor alert in Europe (Bitburg and Spangdahlem Air Bases in Germany) and the Far East (Kadena on Okinawa and Osan in the Republic of Korea). After President John F. Kennedy took office in January 1961, his Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara, shifted the USAF's focus more and more to conventional warfare including, through modifications, the mission of the F-105. When the air war against North Vietnam was initiated in earnest on March 2, 1965, the USAF needed an aircraft with a load-carrying ability, and the only aircraft that could do that job was the Thunderchief. This book not only gives in-depth accounts of various historical F-105 events, with inputs from the pilots involved, but is also lavishly illustrated with over 150 images, many of which have never been published before.

This illustrated study explores, in detail, the climactic events of the Battle of the Atlantic, and how air power proved to be the Allies' most important submarine-killer in one of the most bitterly fought naval campaigns of World War II. As 1942 opened, both Nazi Germany and the Allies were ready for the climactic battles of the Atlantic to begin. Germany had 91 operational U-boats, and over 150 in training or trials. Production for 1942-44 was planned to exceed 200 boats annually. Karl Doenitz, running the Kriegsmarine's U-boat arm, would finally have the numbers needed to run the tonnage war he wanted against the Allies. Meanwhile, the British had, at last, assembled the solution to the U-boat peril. Its weapons and detection systems had improved to the stage that maritime patrol aircraft could launch deadly attacks on U-boats day and night. Airborne radar, Leigh lights, Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD) and the Fido homing torpedo all turned the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft into a submarine-killer, while shore and ship-based technologies such as high-frequency direction finding and signals intelligence could now help aircraft find enemy U-boats. Following its entry into the war in 1941, the United States had also thrown its industrial muscle behind the campaign, supplying VLR Liberator bombers to the RAF and escort carriers to the Royal Navy. The US Navy also operated anti-submarine patrol blimps and VLR aircraft in the southern and western Atlantic, and sent its own escort carriers to guard convoys. This book, the second of two volumes, explores the climactic events of the Battle of the Atlantic, and reveals how air power - both maritime patrol aircraft and carrier aircraft - ultimately proved to be the Allies' most important weapon in one of the most bitterly fought naval campaigns of World War II.

Baroness Kunigunde von Richthofen originally published Mein Kriegstagebuch (My War Diary) in 1937, at a time when tales of heroes of the First World War inspired the youth of a country being prepared for a second war. Mother of Eagles is the culmination of the translation of the war diary, along with numerous facts and information not included in the original work. Follow the youth and wartime exploits of Manfred and Lothar, the leading German aces of World War I, through the eyes of their mother and a nation. Letters to the Barronness from each of her sons intially depict the wartime conditions on the ground, and then evolve into vivid details about the exhiliration of the hunt in the air for ever increasing numbers of enemy planes. This book will not only appeal to those interested in the Red Baron and his ace brother, Lothar, but to anyone who is interested in reading of the civilian life in Germany during the Great War.

Number 7 in the Luftwaffe Profile Series describes the design and use of the Heinkel He 60.

This is the second volume of the classified history of air defence in Great Britain. Written while World War II was still being fought, the account has an analysis of the defensive tactics of Fighter Command, and attempts a day-by-day analysis of the action as it took place.