Archive for Items Categorized 'Military', only excerpts shown, click title for full entry.
The Blue Max Airmen: Manfred von Richthofen

by Lance J. Bronnenkant
Von Richthofen . . . that old chestnut. But wait—this is one of the few books worth having! A bit short, a bit flimsy, but sehr gut.
The Complete History of U.S. Cruise Missiles

by Bill Yenne
When missile launches make the news it’s never a good day, and when cruise missiles are involved, the doomsday clock moves closer to worry-time. This small book isn’t so much a complete history as a quick overview.
Early Soviet Jet Fighters

by Yefim Gordon & Dmitriy Komissarov
Today’s Su-47 Berkut stealth fighter seems impossibly advanced considering how rocky the Soviets’ start in the jet game was. Lots of new photos and material from previously classified sources shed light on a poorly documented but important chapter of aviation history.
The Douglas B-18 and B-23: America’s Forsaken Warriors

by Dan Hagedorn Sr. & Dan Hagedorn Jr.
Jack of all trades, master of none. That’s history’s verdict, but is it deserved? The authors have spent years researching the subject and many of their arguments have generic application to the question of institutionalized bias and uncritical journalism.
B-17 Gunner

by Craig A. Kleinsmith
Fifty-nine missions, that’s three years, three years of wondering if you’ll make it back. Shot down over Germany and taken prisoner, Eyer managed to keep a secret diary—and stay alive.
Building the B-17 Flying Fortress

by Bill Yenne
Well-trodden ground, you think. Turns out there’s a whole lot left to see. Aside from its photographic riches this book is a good synopsis of not only all B-17 variants and manufacturing blocks but also the overall development of the bomber as a strategic tool.
Yakolev Fighters of World War Two

by Yefim Gordon, Sergey & Dmitriy Komissarov
Everyone knows Mustangs and Spits and FW 109s, but Yaks? These Russian fighters were crude only by comparison but fundamentally no less competent. Based on newly released material these veteran authors advance the story another big step.
Valkyrie: The North American XB-70

by Graham M. Simons
70,000 ft of altitude, Mach 3, and the crew is in shirtsleeves. None of these three things are normal. This super plane took supersonic flight to the edge of the envelope. And then it died.
Dornier Do 335 Pfeil/Arrow

by J. Richard Smith and Eddie J. Creek
Fast the Arrow was but it never flew in combat. It made its greatest contribution to aviation during post-WWII testing by the Allies, aided by the German experts who had originally built it. From origins to “what if” studies, this book has it.
Nimrod’s Genesis: RAF Maritime Patrol Projects and Weapons Since 1945

by Chris Gibson
The jet-powered Nimrod submarine hunter that was the right answer during the Cold War found itself increasingly too much of a plane for the low-and-slow patrol jobs—and now it’s out of a job, retired from active service, but missed.
Flying Wings & Radical Things

by Tony Chong
You may think you know what all came out of Northrop Grumman over the years. You don’t; even if you worked there . . . This book will add a whole new list of names to drop at your next party.
British Secret Projects: Jet Fighters Since 1950

by Tony Buttler
Lots of aircraft went into production—but so, so, so many more remained at the thought or test stage. This book looks at the jet fighter side of it, and it is the one whose original version launched a whole series of books—with no end in sight.