Full Description
Ever since man first took to the air, combat aircraft have been at the cutting edge of aviation technology, resulting in some of the greatest and most complex designs ever built. Military Aircraft features 52 of the most important military aircraft of the last hundred years.
The book includes all the main types, from biplane fighters and carrier aircraft to tactical bombers, transport aircraft, multirole fighters, strategic strike aircraft and stealth bombers. Featured aircraft include: the Fokker Dr.1 triplane, the legendary fighter flown by German flying ace Manfred von Richthofen, 'the Red Baron', during World War I; the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, Japan's highly-manoeuvrable fighter that dominated air-to-air combat in the early part of the Pacific War; the tank-busting Il-2 Shturmovik, the most produced aircraft in World War II; the Harrier jump jet, a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) fighter that has been service for more than 40 years; the B-2 Spirit bomber, an American precision strike aircraft used in recent conflicts in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan; and the F-22 Raptor, an air superiority fighter with state-of-the-art stealth technology that makes it almost invisible to radars.
Each entry includes a brief description of the model's development and history, a profile view, key features and specifications. Packed with more than 200 artworks and photographs, Military Aircraft is a colourful guide for the military aviation enthusiast.
Contents
Introduction
World War I and World War II
Fokker Dr.1
Sopwith Camel
SPAD XIII
Junkers Ju 87 Stuka
Messerschmitt Bf 109
Hawker Hurricane
Supermarine Spitfire Mk V
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Junkers Ju 88
Mitsubishi A6M Zero
Douglas SBD-1 Dauntless
North American B25 Mitchell
Focke-Wulf Fw 190
Douglas C-47 Skytrain
De Havilland Mosquito
Ilyushin Il-2M3 Shturmovik
Republic P47 Thunderbolt
Avro Lancaster
North American P-51 Mustang
Yak-9
Grumman F6F Hellcat
Me 262
B-29 Super Fortress
Northrop P-61 Black Widow
Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star
Cold War and Modern Era
North American F-86 Sabre
MiG-17
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Avro Vulcan
MiG-21
MD F-4 Phantom II
Lockheed SR71
General Dynamics F-111
AV-8B Harrier II
Lockheed C-5 Galaxy
Tupolev Tu-22M 'Backfire'
Grumman F-14 Tomcat
MD F-15E Eagle
Fairchild A-10 Thunderbolt II
Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon
Panavia Tornado GR.Mk 1
Dassault Mirage 2000H
MiG-29 'Fulcrum'
MD F/A-18 Hornet
Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk
Sukhoi Su-27 'Flanker'/Su-34
Northrop B-2 Spirit
Dassault Rafale
Eurofighter Typhoon
Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
Index
