Most people think the US Army only flies helicopters, but it has quietly flown a multitude of fixed-wing aircraft for decades. One of the Army's best aircraft providers is Beech Aircraft of Wichita, Kansas. Beginning about the time of the Korean War and up to present day, the Army has utilized twin-engined Beech aircraft for an abundance of missions and duties. All of these Beech aircraft have been purchased off-the-shelf, instead of developing new aircraft for a specific mission, as they are much more economical to purchase and operate. Beeches have been used for almost every mission imaginable, from utilitarian, to VIP, to bombers, to photo-reconnaissance and surveillance to training. Some of the Beeches look really "spooky" due to their massive antenna arrays on the "reconnaissance" versions. This book will give you all of the "unclassified" details, data, information, and photos of these unique aircraft operated by the US Army.

Republic Airlines and its twelve predecessors formed one of the finest national airlines that ever spanned the nation. Although in existence for only six years, it created a legacy of dependability and service while flying into more locations that any other airline of the time. They had the right equipment, at the right time, employees with the right esprit de corps, and were famous for their solid performance when other legacy airlines, like Eastern, Braniff, etc. were failing. How did all of this come about? Here are facts, data, information, plus lots of rare photographs, including "behind the scenes" stories of these airlines. This book includes photos and illustrations depicting all phases of the history of Republic Airlines and its predecessors from the 1940s until 1986, including extensive coverage of aircraft, facilities, airports served, maintenance, personnel, route maps, timetables, logos, and fleet listings. Histories include: Wisconsin Central Airlines, North Central Airlines, Southern Airways, Hughes Airwest, Air West, Southwest Airways, Pacific Air Lines, Zimmerly Airlines, Empire Airlines, West Coast Airlines, Bonanza Air Lines, and Republic Airlines.

Air America was the largest of the CIA's secret airlines. Air America was one of the world's most extraordinary ailines. It was run by the CIA, operated secret missions, publicly flew scheduled routes, and, at its peak, Air America had the largest commercial fleet in the world! The airline emerged from China after World War II, had close ties to the famous Flying Tigers, Claire Chennault, other airlines, and foreign governments. But was it really an airline, or just a military cargo division? Air America operated a wide variety of helicopters and other aircraft. They did maintenance for foreign military, other competing airlines, American military, and had the largest facilities in Asia - in fact, the American government denied that they even existed! But they did exist, and a magnificent job was done by them. Revealed here, for the first time, is some of the flight equipment that was used on some of these secret missions. They invented aerial resupply - even before the Berlin Airlift. Finally, they did most of the evacuation from falling Saigon in 1975. Unsung, unheralded, but always brave, courageous, and dedicated, they lived up to, and often died, with Air America's motto of Anything, Anywhere, Anytime - Professionally.