Archive for Items Categorized 'Military', only excerpts shown, click title for full entry.

Secret Wonder Weapons of the Third Reich: German Missiles 1934–1945

by J. Miranda & P. Mercado

View hundreds of offensive and defensive jet-and rocket-powered robot and piloted weapons that the Germany military tried to make operational during World War Two.

The Flying Wings of Jack Northrop, A Photo Chronicle

by Pape, Campbell & Campbell

A flying wing is about as clean a machine as you could have. Today’s B-2 Stealth bomber wouldn’t exist without Northrop’s efforts. If photos of his contraptions are what you’re looking for, this is the book.

Killer Rays: Story of the Douglas F4D Skyray and F5D Skylancer

by Mark Frankel

From concept to first prototype, flight testing, carrier qualifications and operational history, this solid book presents the history of the U.S. Navy’s first operational delta-wing aircraft.

50 Years of the U-2

by Chris Pocock

You cannot understand world events without understanding the U-2 spy plane that provided decision makers the raw data to deal with them! This thorough book leaves no questions unanswered.

American Secret Pusher Fighters of World War II: XP-54, XP-55, and XP-56

by Gerald H. Balzer

These creative aircraft proposals are an example of aerodynamic theory being way ahead of engine development. They are also examples of the US trying to regain ground to European aircraft development.

X-Planes of Europe: Secret Research Aircraft from the Golden Age 1947–1974

by Tony Buttler & Jean-Louis Delezenne

Showcasing European efforts, the aircraft in this excellent book did by and large not advance into production but some of the technologies they tested did—the lift fan, vectored thrust, supersonic flight, to name a few.

Secrets of the Spitfire

by Lance Cole

Adding a new chapter to the voluminous Spitfire literature, this book tells the story of a brilliant but quiet aerodynamicist whose seminal work is only in recent years being recognized.

The Handley Page Victor: The History and Development of a Classic Jet, Vol. 2

by Roger R. Brooks

After a last hurrah in the Falklands and then the first Gulf War, Victors were mustered out in 1993, after a long 30 years of service but with a relatively low 6500 flight hours. Specs and data here tell the story.

Experimental & Prototype U.S. Air Force Jet Fighters

by Dennis R. Jenkins & Tony R. Landis

From 500 mph at the end of WW II to exceeding the sound barrier only two years later. Someone was busy . . . and technology advanced rapidly. 50-odd examples of the jet age are shown here.

Building the P-51 Mustang

by Michael O’Leary

So, how did they do it? Build the legendary Mustang, that is. This book lets you look over their shoulders and tells you at the same time a lot about the aircraft itself.

X-Plane Crashes

by Peter W. Merlin and Tony Moore

This book is less about experimental planes than the process of and reasons behind looking for their crash sites. You too could find yourself a cool bookend in the desert—if you knew what you’re doing.

Sound Barrier: The Rocky Road to Mach 1.0+

by Peter Caygill

Shake, rattle, and roll—that’s the sound barrier at around 500 mph. This book explains how and why it happens, and how this difficult obstacle was overcome.