An illustrated history of the F-105's success against MiGs, a relatively little-known aspect of the Vietnam War and a testament to the jet's versatility and the skill of the pilots involved.Despite its 'F-for-fighter' designation, the F-105 was designed and purchased to give the USAF an aircraft capable of the delivery of nuclear weapons at very high speed, long range and below-the-radar altitudes. However, when the Vietnam War began it also emerged as USAF's best ...

A detailed look at the deadly battle between US Navy F9F Panther jet fighter-bombers and communist anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) defenses that proliferated throughout the Korean War.The F9F Panther was one of the many fighters converted for ground-attack duties, following an established US tradition. Originally designed as a jet fighter, in April 1951 it became the first jet to launch from a carrier with bombs loaded, using them to destroy a crucial railway bridge ...

Packed with photos and spectacular new artwork, this book traces the supersonic career and lasting influence of the record-breaking Bell X-2 rocket plane. A must-have for aviation enthusiasts, especially those interested in the thrilling, hi-tech world of the early Jet Age.Even before the spectacular success of its X-1 rocket-powered aircraft in breaking the 'sound barrier', the adventurous Bell Aircraft Corporation was already pushing ahead with a parallel project...

One of the most dramatic bombers of its day, the Convair B-58 came to epitomise the Cold War power of Strategic Air Command.Introduced only 12 years after the sound barrier was first broken, this iconic plane became the first large long-range supersonic bomber to take to the skies, a feat which had seemed far-fetched only a few years previously. Outstripping its contemporaries in terms of speed, and agile enough to escape most interceptors, the B-58 was a remarkabl...

Often described as the US Army's aerial jeep the UH-1 Iroquois ('Huey') was the general-purpose vehicle that provided mobility in a hostile jungle environment which made rapid troop movement extremely challenging by any other means.Hueys airlifted troops, evacuated casualties, rescued downed pilots, transported cargo externally and enabled rapid transit of commanders in the field. Although 'vertical aviation' had only become a practical reality during the Korean Wa...

A definitive technical guide to the F-105 Thunderchief, the fastest and most successful strike fighter of the Cold War.Designed to deliver nuclear weapons at low altitude and then fight its way back to base, by the early 1960s it was the primary weapon in the USAF's tactical strike arsenal. Thunderchief pilots in Europe, the Far East and the USA stood on short-notice alert, ready to take on the formidable defenses of their Communist Bloc targets. The F-105 was, how...

Without the bravery and skill of EB-66 operators, US losses would undoubtedly have been much higher during the Vietnam War, with large tactical strikes on North Vietnam and Arc Light B-52 raids only available when EB-66 support was possible.Studies of air combat in the Vietnam War inevitably focus on the MiG-killing fighter engagements, B-52 onslaughts or tactical strikes on the Hanoi region. However, underlying all these was the secretive 'electron war' i...

A detailed account of the suppression of North Vietnam's surface-to-air missile defences during the Vietnam War, initiating a totally new concept of air war.The Vietnam War was the first conflict that saw extensive use of surface-to-air anti-aircraft missiles, and thus became a training ground for the tactics of this new type of battle, as USAF pilots battled with supersonic Soviet ground-to-air missiles.Featuring illustrations throughout, this instalment i...

Ever since its introduction in the late 1950s, the B-52 Stratofortress has been the United States' primary heavy bomber and a powerful symbol of its immense military might.Its powerful electronic countermeasures equipment (ECM) was thought to make the B-52 immune to ground-to-air missile attack, but in Vietnam, and later conflicts such as Operation Desert Storm in 1991, it came up against the Soviet-designed SA-2 SAM which used heavy salvoes of missiles to...

McDonnell's F-101 Voodoo series was in many ways the most interesting of the 'Century Series' fighter programmes of the 1950s, partly because the type's design and intended mission changed radically during a 40-year career. Originally designed as a fighter-bomber, it was converted to be a reconnaissance aircraft, serving alongside the U-2 and RF-8 Crusaders during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. Although it gained a reputation as a difficult aircraft to handle, the jet's supe...

This book questions the accepted origins of the field of International Relations (IR). Commonly understood to have emerged from the horrors of WW1 with the goal of bringing about world peace, the authors argue that on the contrary, IR came from a somewhat less noble tradition – that of the Round Table.The Round Table were a network of imperialists emerging in the late 1800s across five key British imperial societies: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and India. Their aim...

Let's walk! But where? How? Who with? How far? A multi-day back-packing expedition or a stroll in the park? This book covers these questions, and will take you through ten basic steps to enjoying walking/hiking/tramping/rambling. Above all, the author provides the key to successful walking -leadership. Peter Davies has led walks in Britain, France, Austria, Spain, Switzerland and New Zealand. He gives practical advice - with stories from his twenty years' experience - on achieving the plea...