The Spitfire a " there have been many hundreds, maybe even thousands, of books written about this beautiful R.J Mitchell designed, elliptically winged areoplane. But there has yet to be a book published, which has focused solely on the lesser-known two-seat variant of graceful Spitfirea |Until now! In two-seater spitfires, Greg Davis, John Sanderson and Peter Arnold trace the history of this iconic aircraft a " from its initial design through to those still taking to the skies today.

Unshackled Spirit was a unique 'Spitfire' fighter aircraft purchased by allied prisoners of war whilst imprisoned in Germany; the book explains how this remarkable achievement was possible using previously restricted and secret material. In addition, accounts are compiled from a collection of original YMCA personal wartime logs as issued to RAF prisoners of war in 1944. 'Unshackled Spirit' draws out the story of each aviator, how they became a prisoner of war and life in the various camps across occupied Europe. Extensive and amazingly detailed pieces of artwork are taken from the logs and illustrated in the book. The balance of fact and inspired drawings makes for an impressive collection from a number of incarcerated aviators. The hardship of POW's and the extraordinary means adopted to escape are touched upon, but more importantly the aspect of how agencies helped by supplying all manner of equipment to the thousands of men behind barbed wire. The role of MI9 is revealed and how it participated in those agencies exploring the efforts taken to smuggle escape material into the prisoner of war camps without breeching the Geneva Convention and finally the extraordinary measures taken to secure intelligence during the process of prisoner repatriation.

Mementoes of HMS Tamar abound in Hong Kong, but what is really known about this troopship and her role in the maintenance of British imperial rule? Using logbooks, newspapers, and numerous other sources, this book pieces together the multifaceted and largely unknown history of the Tamar. From her launch into service to her roles as a hospital, theatre stage, and transport for military personnel, the Tamar carried not just people, but also their mundane dreams and ambitions - for friends, families, and staying alive. Any ideas or concerns about sustaining the empire seldom featured in their minds at all, but it was this empire that the Tamar served for seventy-nine years, steaming the equivalent of thirty-two times around the Earth and transporting tens of thousands of people to what would seem to them another world. In this engaging narrative, the Tamar's exploits and the experiences of her crew and passengers parallel those of the British Empire and its subjects, bringing to life the realities of imperial life on land and at sea. As mud continues to settle over the Tamar's forgotten remains in Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour, Transport to Another World will appeal to historians and readers interested in maritime history and colonial Hong Kong in general, and makes a case for conserving the memory of a past some would prefer to forget.

Illustrated with detailed artworks of World War II-era German aircraft and their markings with exhaustive captions and specifications, Luftwaffe Squadrons 1939-45: Identification Guide is the definitive study of the equipment and organisation of the Luftwaffe's combat units. Organised by theatre of operations and the many campaigns fought by the Luftwaffe, the book describes in depth the various units that were fighting on the front at key points in the war and describes the models of aircraft in service with each unit along with their individual and squadron markings. With information boxes accompanying the full-colour artworks, Luftwaffe Squadrons 1939-45 is an essential reference guide for modellers and any enthusiast with an interest in the aircraft of the German war machine.

Special Forces are a key component of every modern army, capable of carrying out clandestine operations, reconnaissance, and incisive attacks behind enemy lines. Units such as the British SAS, US Navy SEALs, the US Army’s Delta Force, Polish GROM and the France’s National Gendarmerie Intervention Group are famous for their bravery and formidable record. Aircraft are a key element of their functionality, without which Special Forces would not be able to move quickly to the combat zone. Arranged into chapters divided by transports, gunships, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles, the book includes the AC-130H gunship, which can be armed with weapons such as the M61 Vulcan rotary cannon and can destroy ground targets from a range of 2,000 metres; the CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, which can land large numbers of men and material in tight spaces because of its STOL capabilities; the Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin II, used by the British Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing (JSFAW) for the insertion of small units behind enemy lines; and the Mil Mi- 171Sh Storm rotorcraft, used by the Russian Spetsnaz commandos for operations in difficult terrain. Illustrated with 140 photographs and artworks, Aircraft of the Special Forces is a dynamic guide to the specialist aircraft and UAVs deployed by Special Forces throughout the world today.

Allied Fighters 1939-45 offers an highly-illustrated guide to Allied fighter aircraft that fought in Europe during World War II. Featuring all the main models flown by the Allied air forces from 1939 to 1945, the book offers a wealth of detail, including unit markings, organization, numbers of aircraft flown by campaign and exhaustive specifications for each model. The book is arranged first by country and then chronologically by campaign so that every aspect of the air war in Europe is covered. The guide features fighters from throughout World War II, including early models, such as the Morane Saulnier MS.406C.1, Hawker Hurricane Mk I and Fokker D XXI, and the most advanced fighters of the period, such as the Lavochkin La-7, P-51K Mustang and Gloster Meteor Mk I.The book also covers aircraft that were used for air-to-air combat (Supermarine Spitfire), ground attack (P-47 Thunderbolt), bomber escort (P-51B Mustang), night defence (Bristol Beaufighter) and photographic reconnaissance (P-38 Lightning). Packed with more than 200 profiles and dozens of archive photographs of every major Allied fighter aircraft, Allied Fighters 1939-45 is a core reference volume for modellers and World War II aviation enthusiasts.

Over the last 20 years, the role of unmanned aircraft systems in modern warfare has grown at an unprecedented rate. No longer simply used for intelligence, data collection or reconnaissance, drones are routinely used for target acquisition and to strike enemy targets with missiles and bombs. Organized by nationality, Military Drones offers a compact guide to the main unmanned aerial vehicles being flown in combat zones today. These include classics, such as the MQ-1 Predator, primarily used for intelligence gathering; the Black Hornet Nano, a micro UAV that is so small it can fit in the palm of your hand and is used by ground troops for local situational awareness; the Chinese tri-copter Scorpion, which is ideal for the stationary observation and strike role in a built-up area; and the French EADS Talarion, a twinjet long-endurance UAV designed for high-altitude surveillance. Illustrated with more than 100 photographs and artworks, Military Drones provides a detailed insight into the specialist military unmanned aerial vehicles that play a key role in the modern battle space.

Since World War I, nose art has adorned military aircraft around the world. Intended for friendly rather than enemy eyes, these images--with a wide range of artistic expression--are part of the personal and unit histories of pilots and aircrews. As civilian and military attitudes and rationales for war change from one conflict to the next, changes can also be seen in the iconography of nose art. This analysis from a cultural perspective compares nose art in the United States, Great Britain and France from World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

An in-depth history of the time when airpower became the great equalizer, changing military strategy forever and bringing once-safe targets in reach. Military Aircraft, 1919-1945: An Illustrated History of Their Impact covers a crucial era in modern warfare technology. Ranging from the development of airpower doctrines in the aftermath of World War I to the aircraft and missions that put those doctrines into action during World War II, it provides an expert summing-up of the decades when the use of aircraft in battle came of age. In chapters covering both the history of air power and specific types of aircraft (fighters, bombers, reconnaissance and auxiliary planes), Military Aircraft, 1919-1945 introduces key theorists and designers, describes important changes in technology and production, and recreates spectacular episodes from Pearl Harbor to the London Blitz to the Enola Gay. Readers will see the dramatic impact of the first generation of modern military aircraft on land and sea. They will also see how the expansion of war to the skies brought economic opportunity to some home fronts, and looming terror and devastation to others. Comparative charts of aircraft production of the major powers during the interwar years and the Second World War Approximately 80 photographs and tables of the most important aircraft of the era, organized by type and by country

Over the last 30 years, Special Forces have become a key component of the world's armed forces, often employing unconventional tactics as part of airborne operations, counterinsurgency, counterterrorism, hostage rescue, covert ops and intelligence gathering. To carry out their role effectively, specific vehicles have been developed for these elite units. Organized by type, the book explores a wide range of vehicles, from the light utility vehicles through mine-resistant protected vehicles (MRAP) to mini bikes and quad bikes. Discover the Pinzgauer High-Mobility All-Terrain Vehicle, a high clearance, all-wheel drive transporter used by Delta Force and the New Zealand SAS; the fast, light Arquus Scarab, a protected vehicle that can turn both the front and rear wheels simultaneously, allowing it to move sideways like a crab; the MRZR, used by the U.S. Marines for fast forward deployment and off-road reconnaissance; the Toyota Hilux pick-up, which due to its simplicity and rugged durability, has proved its worth in conflicts from South America to Central Asia; and the Christini AWD motorcycle, used by U.S. Navy SEALs in Afghanistan. Illustrated with more than 100 photographs and artworks, Special Forces Land Vehicles provides a detailed guide to the specialist vehicles used by elite soldiers in the modern era.

An expert examination of the evolution of military aviation and its profound impact on warfare—from the employment of balloons during the French Revolutionary wars to the use of aircraft in World War I. Military Aircraft, Origins to 1918: An Illustrated History of Their Impact is a detailed, authoritative exploration of the role and development of military aviation, from its beginnings to the conclusion of World War I. Military history scholar Justin Murphy carefully illustrates the impact of aircraft on military warfare, examines the different types of aircraft, and includes a wealth of photographs and descriptions. Organized thematically, the work covers everything from the origins of military aviation and the impact of aircraft on World War I to the role of reconnaissance missions, auxiliary aircraft, fighters, and bombers. Each chapter highlights key individuals, advancements in aviation technology, industrial organization and aircraft production, and the influence of aircraft on military tactics and strategy. Murphy also demonstrates how aircraft contributed to the development of total war and blurred the lines that had traditionally separated combatants and noncombatants.

This vivid volume describes the fascinating history of aircraft carriers, first deployed successfully in World War I by the Imperial Russian Navy, and indispensable to the Allied victory in World War II, now the strategic centerpiece of the world's most powerful navies. From their World War I deployment in the Black Sea by the Imperial Russian Navy, to their coming of age in World War II, to their role in recent conflicts in Vietnam, the Falklands, and the Persian Gulf, Aircraft Carriers: An Illustrated History of Their Impact charts the evolution of carrier systems both militarily and within broader political and diplomatic contexts. Covering both the ships and the planes they support, this convenient, authoritative handbook offers complete descriptions of carrier systems from all of the world's major navies-from their operational histories, strategic integration, and technological advancements, to the training of aircrew, the development of carrier command leadership, and the role of carriers as deterrents and diplomatic enforcers. Eighty photographs of all the important aircraft carriers from before World War I to the present, including many operated by lesser-known navies A reference section providing essential physical details, basic design information, modifications, and brief service histories for 80 aircraft carriers or classes from 1912 to the present

The Constitution was one of the US Navy's first six original frigates, ordered as a counter to the Barbary corsairs in the Mediterranean. Fast and heavily built, she was nominally rated as a 44 but mounted thirty 24-pdr and twenty-two 12-pdr cannon. Her most famous encounter, after which she became nicknamed 'Old Ironsides' due to British shot being seen bouncing off her hull, involved HMS Guerriere, which she smashed; the same treatment was meted out to HMS Java four months later. Now the oldest commissioned warship afloat in thw world, she is berthed in Boston Harbor. The 'Anatomy of the Ship' series aims to provide the finest documentation of individual ships and ship types ever published. What makes the series unique is a complete set of superbly executed line drawings, both the conventional type of plan as well as explanatory views, with fully descriptive keys. These are supported by technical details and a record of the ship's service history.

First envisioned by Leonardo da Vinci and first deployed in World War II, the helicopter is now a universal icon of modern warfare, a key component of combat planning around the world, and one of the military's most versatile and effective tools. Helicopters: An Illustrated History of Their Impact covers the development of helicopters from a concept in Leonardo daVinci's mind to the first successful machines in the early 1900s to the latest tilt-rotor designs. Time and again, in a story of constant innovation, designers answered the concerns of military planners with more maneuverable, more capable rotorcraft. With expert analysis and specific details of every significant model ever used, Helicopters shows how these once denigrated machines became essential to a variety of missions (reconnaissance, transport, attack, support, evacuation, urban combat, quick strikes behind enemy lines, and more). In addition, the book looks at the impact of rotorcraft beyond the military, including their ever-widening role in emergency medical care, police work, traffic control, agriculture, news reporting, and more.