Author: Jon Guttman
Publisher: Westholme Publishing
ISBN: 9781594160837
Category : Fighter planes
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
From Scouts to Balloon-busters, the Emergence of Air-to-Air Combat in World War I When World War I began in August 1914, the airplane had already proven its worth as an intelligence gathering "eye-in-the-sky." These scouting aircraft soon became indispensable to armies on both sides, and the attempt to drive enemy planes away began in earnest. Local air superiority was incorporated into battlefield strategy, and the use of aircraft to conduct offensive operations would change warfare as dramatically as the first firearms 300 years before. By the end of 1915, the basic formula of the armed scout settled on a single-seater with a machine gun synchronized to fire through its propeller blades. This heavily armed aircraft became the first true fighter plane whose primary function was to destroy enemy aircraft, whether scouts, balloons, bombers, or other fighters. A new glamorized "knight of the air" was born: the ace, a fighter pilot who brought down five or more opponents. From 1916 on, as the combatants relied on airplanes more, flying tactics and strategy--including mass formations--were developed for what would become a deadly struggle for complete air superiority. By 1918, the final year of the war, air battles could be as sprawling as those on the ground. In The Origin of the Fighter Aircraft, historian Jon Guttman tells the engrossing story of how one of the most amazing inventions became a integral component of warfare. Balancing technical description, personalities, and battle accounts, the author demonstrates that by the end of World War I most of the fundamentals for modern aerial combat had been established.
The Origin of the Fighter Aircraft
Author: Jon Guttman
Publisher: Westholme Publishing
ISBN: 9781594160837
Category : Fighter planes
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
From Scouts to Balloon-busters, the Emergence of Air-to-Air Combat in World War I When World War I began in August 1914, the airplane had already proven its worth as an intelligence gathering "eye-in-the-sky." These scouting aircraft soon became indispensable to armies on both sides, and the attempt to drive enemy planes away began in earnest. Local air superiority was incorporated into battlefield strategy, and the use of aircraft to conduct offensive operations would change warfare as dramatically as the first firearms 300 years before. By the end of 1915, the basic formula of the armed scout settled on a single-seater with a machine gun synchronized to fire through its propeller blades. This heavily armed aircraft became the first true fighter plane whose primary function was to destroy enemy aircraft, whether scouts, balloons, bombers, or other fighters. A new glamorized "knight of the air" was born: the ace, a fighter pilot who brought down five or more opponents. From 1916 on, as the combatants relied on airplanes more, flying tactics and strategy--including mass formations--were developed for what would become a deadly struggle for complete air superiority. By 1918, the final year of the war, air battles could be as sprawling as those on the ground. In The Origin of the Fighter Aircraft, historian Jon Guttman tells the engrossing story of how one of the most amazing inventions became a integral component of warfare. Balancing technical description, personalities, and battle accounts, the author demonstrates that by the end of World War I most of the fundamentals for modern aerial combat had been established.
Publisher: Westholme Publishing
ISBN: 9781594160837
Category : Fighter planes
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
From Scouts to Balloon-busters, the Emergence of Air-to-Air Combat in World War I When World War I began in August 1914, the airplane had already proven its worth as an intelligence gathering "eye-in-the-sky." These scouting aircraft soon became indispensable to armies on both sides, and the attempt to drive enemy planes away began in earnest. Local air superiority was incorporated into battlefield strategy, and the use of aircraft to conduct offensive operations would change warfare as dramatically as the first firearms 300 years before. By the end of 1915, the basic formula of the armed scout settled on a single-seater with a machine gun synchronized to fire through its propeller blades. This heavily armed aircraft became the first true fighter plane whose primary function was to destroy enemy aircraft, whether scouts, balloons, bombers, or other fighters. A new glamorized "knight of the air" was born: the ace, a fighter pilot who brought down five or more opponents. From 1916 on, as the combatants relied on airplanes more, flying tactics and strategy--including mass formations--were developed for what would become a deadly struggle for complete air superiority. By 1918, the final year of the war, air battles could be as sprawling as those on the ground. In The Origin of the Fighter Aircraft, historian Jon Guttman tells the engrossing story of how one of the most amazing inventions became a integral component of warfare. Balancing technical description, personalities, and battle accounts, the author demonstrates that by the end of World War I most of the fundamentals for modern aerial combat had been established.
Fighter Aircraft Combat Debuts, 1915-1945
Author: Jon Guttman
Publisher: Westholme Publishing
ISBN: 9781594162008
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
An International History of the Development, Competition, and Deployment of High-Speed, Maneuverable, Fighter Aircraft During the Era of the World Wars Of all military aircraft, fighter planes hold a mystique all their own. Perhaps it is because fighters can afford the least compromise: when the goal is to seize and maintain control of the air, the confrontation is direct. During World War I, the concept of air superiority took hold and in the ensuing decades the development of fighter aircraft became an ongoing back-and-forth battle, with adversaries trying to gain an upper hand through innovations in aerodynamics, powerplants, and armament. Fighter Aircraft Combat Debuts, 1915-1945: Innovation in Air Warfare Before the Jet Age by prominent aviation expert Jon Guttman explores the first combats for a variety of fighters of World War I, the conflicts of the so-called "interwar years," and World War II--a thirty-year period that saw the birth of the fighter concept and its maturity on the threshold of the Jet Age. Most of the aircraft described are fairly well known to aviation historians and a few names, such as Sopwith Camel, Fokker Triplane, Messerschmitt Me-109, Mitsubishi Zero, North American Mustang, and Supermarine Spitfire, are familiar even to the most nonaviation- minded persons. Not so well-known are the circumstances of their combat debuts, in which some, such as the Zero, made their mark almost from the outset, but in which others, like the British Bristol F.2A, showed rather less promise than they would ultimately realize. While a certain amount of space must be devoted to the technical development of these famous fighters, these studies of first combats serve as a reminder that it is the human factor, with all its special quirks, that inevitably came into play when these deadly flying machines first fired their guns. Profusely illustrated, Fighter Aircraft Combat Debuts is an authoritative history of one of the most enduring subjects in military aviation.
Publisher: Westholme Publishing
ISBN: 9781594162008
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
An International History of the Development, Competition, and Deployment of High-Speed, Maneuverable, Fighter Aircraft During the Era of the World Wars Of all military aircraft, fighter planes hold a mystique all their own. Perhaps it is because fighters can afford the least compromise: when the goal is to seize and maintain control of the air, the confrontation is direct. During World War I, the concept of air superiority took hold and in the ensuing decades the development of fighter aircraft became an ongoing back-and-forth battle, with adversaries trying to gain an upper hand through innovations in aerodynamics, powerplants, and armament. Fighter Aircraft Combat Debuts, 1915-1945: Innovation in Air Warfare Before the Jet Age by prominent aviation expert Jon Guttman explores the first combats for a variety of fighters of World War I, the conflicts of the so-called "interwar years," and World War II--a thirty-year period that saw the birth of the fighter concept and its maturity on the threshold of the Jet Age. Most of the aircraft described are fairly well known to aviation historians and a few names, such as Sopwith Camel, Fokker Triplane, Messerschmitt Me-109, Mitsubishi Zero, North American Mustang, and Supermarine Spitfire, are familiar even to the most nonaviation- minded persons. Not so well-known are the circumstances of their combat debuts, in which some, such as the Zero, made their mark almost from the outset, but in which others, like the British Bristol F.2A, showed rather less promise than they would ultimately realize. While a certain amount of space must be devoted to the technical development of these famous fighters, these studies of first combats serve as a reminder that it is the human factor, with all its special quirks, that inevitably came into play when these deadly flying machines first fired their guns. Profusely illustrated, Fighter Aircraft Combat Debuts is an authoritative history of one of the most enduring subjects in military aviation.
Curtiss Fighter Aircraft
Author: Francis H. Dean
Publisher: Schiffer Military History
ISBN: 9780764325809
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Making use of primary Curtiss documents, as well as the combined resources of the world's leading historians of the subject, the authors have skillfully resolved myths and woven a comprehensive study of the often very confusing story of these classic airplanes. Making use of previously unpublished documents and photographs, this massive, life-long work will stand as a legacy to the memory of those wonderful shapes, the men and women who built them, flew them and took them to war, and the lasting contributions they have made, collectively, to aviation history and the defense of democracy.
Publisher: Schiffer Military History
ISBN: 9780764325809
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Making use of primary Curtiss documents, as well as the combined resources of the world's leading historians of the subject, the authors have skillfully resolved myths and woven a comprehensive study of the often very confusing story of these classic airplanes. Making use of previously unpublished documents and photographs, this massive, life-long work will stand as a legacy to the memory of those wonderful shapes, the men and women who built them, flew them and took them to war, and the lasting contributions they have made, collectively, to aviation history and the defense of democracy.
The World Encyclopedia of Fighter Aircraft
Author: Francis Crosby
Publisher: Lorenz Books
ISBN: 9780754834748
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 256
Book Description
Explores the development and history and an A-Z of over 170 aircraft, with 600 photographs, in a new fully updated edition.
Publisher: Lorenz Books
ISBN: 9780754834748
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 256
Book Description
Explores the development and history and an A-Z of over 170 aircraft, with 600 photographs, in a new fully updated edition.
Modern Fighter Aircraft
Author: Francis Crosby
Publisher: Southwater Publishing
ISBN: 9781842159910
Category : Airplanes, Military
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
This book consists of an A-Z of modern fighters, from 1945 to the present day. From the propeller-driven Hawker SEa Fury to the jet-powered Eurofighter Typhoon, all the principal post-war fighters are described, illustrated and analyzed.
Publisher: Southwater Publishing
ISBN: 9781842159910
Category : Airplanes, Military
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
This book consists of an A-Z of modern fighters, from 1945 to the present day. From the propeller-driven Hawker SEa Fury to the jet-powered Eurofighter Typhoon, all the principal post-war fighters are described, illustrated and analyzed.
Latin American Fighters
Author: I-igo Guevara
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
ISBN: 9780982553909
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
This book for the first time describes the military fighter jet aviation in Latin America. It covers the eventful history of fighter jets in 17 countries ranging from Mexico in the north down to Argentina in the south. Each country is covered type by type in chronological order. Information on each type is being provided related to purchase, squadron service, losses, upgrades and service history. Each type ends with a table covering the number of delivered aircraft, different types and subtypes, delivery dates and known serial numbers. Each of the over 100 aircraft types mentioned could be covered with at least one picture. An appendix lists the existing plastic scale model kits in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32 scale as wells as decal sheets in regards to the 17 Latin American air forces featured in the book.
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
ISBN: 9780982553909
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
This book for the first time describes the military fighter jet aviation in Latin America. It covers the eventful history of fighter jets in 17 countries ranging from Mexico in the north down to Argentina in the south. Each country is covered type by type in chronological order. Information on each type is being provided related to purchase, squadron service, losses, upgrades and service history. Each type ends with a table covering the number of delivered aircraft, different types and subtypes, delivery dates and known serial numbers. Each of the over 100 aircraft types mentioned could be covered with at least one picture. An appendix lists the existing plastic scale model kits in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32 scale as wells as decal sheets in regards to the 17 Latin American air forces featured in the book.
The World's Greatest Military Aircraft
Author: Thomas Newdick
Publisher: Amber Books Ltd
ISBN: 1782742778
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 330
Book Description
Military Aircraft features 52 of the most important military aircraft, from biplane fighters to tactical bombers, transports, multirole fighters and stealth bombers. Packed with over 200 illustrations, each entry includes a description of the model’s development and history, a profile view, key features and specifications.
Publisher: Amber Books Ltd
ISBN: 1782742778
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 330
Book Description
Military Aircraft features 52 of the most important military aircraft, from biplane fighters to tactical bombers, transports, multirole fighters and stealth bombers. Packed with over 200 illustrations, each entry includes a description of the model’s development and history, a profile view, key features and specifications.
Fundamentals of Fighter Design
Author: Ray Whitford
Publisher: Crowood Press (UK)
ISBN: 9781861266644
Category : Fighter planes
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Traces the development of fighter design from World War One to the present day. Covers aerodynamics, stability and control, propulsion, structures and materials, avoinics, armaments and tactics. The drawings and charts make this an informative book for enthusiasts and those with a professional interest in aircraft design.
Publisher: Crowood Press (UK)
ISBN: 9781861266644
Category : Fighter planes
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Traces the development of fighter design from World War One to the present day. Covers aerodynamics, stability and control, propulsion, structures and materials, avoinics, armaments and tactics. The drawings and charts make this an informative book for enthusiasts and those with a professional interest in aircraft design.
A Concise History of the U.S. Air Force
Author: Stephen Lee McFarland
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 96
Book Description
Except in a few instances, since World War II no American soldier or sailor has been attacked by enemy air power. Conversely, no enemy soldier orsailor has acted in combat without being attacked or at least threatened by American air power. Aviators have brought the air weapon to bear against enemies while denying them the same prerogative. This is the legacy of the U.S. AirForce, purchased at great cost in both human and material resources.More often than not, aerial pioneers had to fight technological ignorance, bureaucratic opposition, public apathy, and disagreement over purpose.Every step in the evolution of air power led into new and untrodden territory, driven by humanitarian impulses; by the search for higher, faster, and farther flight; or by the conviction that the air way was the best way. Warriors have always coveted the high ground. If technology permitted them to reach it, men, women andan air force held and exploited it-from Thomas Selfridge, first among so many who gave that "last full measure of devotion"; to Women's Airforce Service Pilot Ann Baumgartner, who broke social barriers to become the first Americanwoman to pilot a jet; to Benjamin Davis, who broke racial barriers to become the first African American to command a flying group; to Chuck Yeager, a one-time non-commissioned flight officer who was the first to exceed the speed of sound; to John Levitow, who earned the Medal of Honor by throwing himself over a live flare to save his gunship crew; to John Warden, who began a revolution in air power thought and strategy that was put to spectacular use in the Gulf War.Industrialization has brought total war and air power has brought the means to overfly an enemy's defenses and attack its sources of power directly. Americans have perceived air power from the start as a more efficient means of waging war and as a symbol of the nation's commitment to technology to master challenges, minimize casualties, and defeat adversaries.
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 96
Book Description
Except in a few instances, since World War II no American soldier or sailor has been attacked by enemy air power. Conversely, no enemy soldier orsailor has acted in combat without being attacked or at least threatened by American air power. Aviators have brought the air weapon to bear against enemies while denying them the same prerogative. This is the legacy of the U.S. AirForce, purchased at great cost in both human and material resources.More often than not, aerial pioneers had to fight technological ignorance, bureaucratic opposition, public apathy, and disagreement over purpose.Every step in the evolution of air power led into new and untrodden territory, driven by humanitarian impulses; by the search for higher, faster, and farther flight; or by the conviction that the air way was the best way. Warriors have always coveted the high ground. If technology permitted them to reach it, men, women andan air force held and exploited it-from Thomas Selfridge, first among so many who gave that "last full measure of devotion"; to Women's Airforce Service Pilot Ann Baumgartner, who broke social barriers to become the first Americanwoman to pilot a jet; to Benjamin Davis, who broke racial barriers to become the first African American to command a flying group; to Chuck Yeager, a one-time non-commissioned flight officer who was the first to exceed the speed of sound; to John Levitow, who earned the Medal of Honor by throwing himself over a live flare to save his gunship crew; to John Warden, who began a revolution in air power thought and strategy that was put to spectacular use in the Gulf War.Industrialization has brought total war and air power has brought the means to overfly an enemy's defenses and attack its sources of power directly. Americans have perceived air power from the start as a more efficient means of waging war and as a symbol of the nation's commitment to technology to master challenges, minimize casualties, and defeat adversaries.
King of Fighters -- Nikolay Polikarpov and His Aircraft Designs
Author: Mikhail Maslov
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781913336196
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 288
Book Description
In the century-long history of the conquest of the sky there have been a number of outstanding personalities. Among them is the name of designer Nikolay Polikarpov (1892-1944), which is inseparably associated with the best achievements of the Russian and Soviet aviation. His practical activity in the aircraft industry began upon graduation from the Petersburg Polytechnic Institute in 1916. Aged 25, Polikarpov was sent to the Russo-Baltic Wagon Factory (RBWF), where the four-engined Ilya Muromets bombers designed by Igor Sikorsky were being built at that time. Later, beginning from August 1918, he worked in Moscow at the Dux aircraft factory. For several years, he was engaged in improving products manufactured by the factory, and upgrading production aircraft to accommodate the available engines, equipment and materials. From 1922, Polikarpov focused his attention on fighter aircraft, creation of which was a priority for him during the following years. The first of them was the IL-400 monoplane, designated I-1 by the Air Force. The monoplane was followed by biplanes including the 2I-N1 (1925), the I-3 (1927), the D-2 (1928), and the I-6 (1929). It was specialization in fighter aircraft which, from then on, became his mission in life. At the peak of his career as a designer, Polikarpov was informally styled 'the King of Fighters', which was quite in line with the level of his merits and achievements. In the 1930's, the TsKB-3 (I-15) and TsKB-12 (I-16) fighters were designed under Polikarpov's supervision. These aircraft were the designer's undoubtable success. They also were the main combat fighters in service with the Red Army Air Force. For the creation of the I-15 and the I-16 fighters, Polikarpov was awarded the Order of Lenin in 1935, and the Order of the Red Star a year later. In the 1930's, Nikolay Polikarpov devised a lot of aircraft of various designs, the majority of which can be described as 'advanced' and 'innovative'. In 1940, Polikarpov was granted the degree of the Doctor of Engineering and the title of the Chief Designer of the highest category. In the same year, he was awarded the title of the Hero of Socialist Labor. A year later, he became a recipient of the Stalin Prize. The gifted Soviet engineer was destined to live only 52 years. On 30 July 1944, Nikolay Polikarpov died of a rapidly evolving oncological disease. To venerate his memory, the U-2 trainer has ever since been designated the Po-2 (Polikarpov-2). The book which is presented to the reader describes all Polikarpov's original projects, both those put into reality and unimplemented ones. It took the author many years to prepare for the creation of the book. The author studied materials on the respective topics in all Russian archives, and made use of remembrances of Polikarpov's contemporaries and publications by other researchers. For purposes of clarity and in order to facilitate publication, the author split the book on Nikolai Polikarpov's aircraft into two parts - the 'Biplane Era' and the 'Monoplane Era'. Indeed, during the designer's activity from 1918 through to 1932, he devoted himself predominantly to creating biplanes. For the 1920's, the biplanes were a preferable option; they were more common, more reliable, better studied, and even more desirable for the Red Army Air Force. The first design of the IL-400 (I-1) monoplane fighter appeared as early as 1923; however, it was through its novelty and unpredictability that the aircraft failed to achieve the deserved success. It should be noted that the U-2 (Po-2) and the R-5 biplanes, which were created during that period, became one of the best Polikarpov aircraft, and brought him recognition as a reputed designer. In the 1930's, Nikolai Polikarpov's activity reached its pinnacle. It was during that period that he created his advanced monoplanes such as the I-16, the I-17, the VIT-2, and others. He continued his fruitful and quite successful activity in the area of creating modern aircraft during the war of 1941--45 as well.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781913336196
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 288
Book Description
In the century-long history of the conquest of the sky there have been a number of outstanding personalities. Among them is the name of designer Nikolay Polikarpov (1892-1944), which is inseparably associated with the best achievements of the Russian and Soviet aviation. His practical activity in the aircraft industry began upon graduation from the Petersburg Polytechnic Institute in 1916. Aged 25, Polikarpov was sent to the Russo-Baltic Wagon Factory (RBWF), where the four-engined Ilya Muromets bombers designed by Igor Sikorsky were being built at that time. Later, beginning from August 1918, he worked in Moscow at the Dux aircraft factory. For several years, he was engaged in improving products manufactured by the factory, and upgrading production aircraft to accommodate the available engines, equipment and materials. From 1922, Polikarpov focused his attention on fighter aircraft, creation of which was a priority for him during the following years. The first of them was the IL-400 monoplane, designated I-1 by the Air Force. The monoplane was followed by biplanes including the 2I-N1 (1925), the I-3 (1927), the D-2 (1928), and the I-6 (1929). It was specialization in fighter aircraft which, from then on, became his mission in life. At the peak of his career as a designer, Polikarpov was informally styled 'the King of Fighters', which was quite in line with the level of his merits and achievements. In the 1930's, the TsKB-3 (I-15) and TsKB-12 (I-16) fighters were designed under Polikarpov's supervision. These aircraft were the designer's undoubtable success. They also were the main combat fighters in service with the Red Army Air Force. For the creation of the I-15 and the I-16 fighters, Polikarpov was awarded the Order of Lenin in 1935, and the Order of the Red Star a year later. In the 1930's, Nikolay Polikarpov devised a lot of aircraft of various designs, the majority of which can be described as 'advanced' and 'innovative'. In 1940, Polikarpov was granted the degree of the Doctor of Engineering and the title of the Chief Designer of the highest category. In the same year, he was awarded the title of the Hero of Socialist Labor. A year later, he became a recipient of the Stalin Prize. The gifted Soviet engineer was destined to live only 52 years. On 30 July 1944, Nikolay Polikarpov died of a rapidly evolving oncological disease. To venerate his memory, the U-2 trainer has ever since been designated the Po-2 (Polikarpov-2). The book which is presented to the reader describes all Polikarpov's original projects, both those put into reality and unimplemented ones. It took the author many years to prepare for the creation of the book. The author studied materials on the respective topics in all Russian archives, and made use of remembrances of Polikarpov's contemporaries and publications by other researchers. For purposes of clarity and in order to facilitate publication, the author split the book on Nikolai Polikarpov's aircraft into two parts - the 'Biplane Era' and the 'Monoplane Era'. Indeed, during the designer's activity from 1918 through to 1932, he devoted himself predominantly to creating biplanes. For the 1920's, the biplanes were a preferable option; they were more common, more reliable, better studied, and even more desirable for the Red Army Air Force. The first design of the IL-400 (I-1) monoplane fighter appeared as early as 1923; however, it was through its novelty and unpredictability that the aircraft failed to achieve the deserved success. It should be noted that the U-2 (Po-2) and the R-5 biplanes, which were created during that period, became one of the best Polikarpov aircraft, and brought him recognition as a reputed designer. In the 1930's, Nikolai Polikarpov's activity reached its pinnacle. It was during that period that he created his advanced monoplanes such as the I-16, the I-17, the VIT-2, and others. He continued his fruitful and quite successful activity in the area of creating modern aircraft during the war of 1941--45 as well.