From the defeat of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam at Ap Bac to the battles of the Ia Drang Valley, Khe Sanh, and more, Storms over the Mekong offers a reassessment of key turning points in the Vietnam War. Award-winning historian William P. Head not only reexamines these pivotal battles but also provides a new interpretation on the course of the war in Southeast Asia.In considering Operation Rolling Thunder, for example—which Head dubs as “too much rolling and not eno...

In Night Hunters, air power historian William P. Head provides the first detailed study of the development and deployment of the AC-130 gunship. While other airframes and other types of close air support (CAS) and interdiction weapon systems preceded or flew with the AC-130s, this four-engine cargo airframe proved to be not only the longest serving fixed-wing gunship but also the most effective by far.During the Vietnam War, the US military developed new tactics and weapon...

There were no dry runs for Seawolves in Vietnam.They put their lives on the line—every time.In the Viet Cong-infested Mekong Delta, where small SEAL teams were alwaysoutgunned and outnumbered, discovery brought swift, deadly consequences— and a radio call for backup from the United States Navy’s very best: the Seawolves. The whir of approaching rotor blades signaled their arrival as they tore through the jungle at treetop level, gunners hanging off the skids...

An in-depth look at some of the 20th century's notoriously terrible aircraft.Many aircraft, some famous and some rare, gained a reputation for being difficult to fly and sometimes downright dangerous. This book looks at some of the worst culprits over a period spanning World War I to the age of supersonic flight. The following aircraft are included . . .B.E.2: The Royal Flying Corps went to war in it in 1914. The B.E. was easy to fly and very stable—but it wa...

Robert le Page flew with the Fleet Air Arm from 1940 to 1945, mostly in 816 Squadron flying carrier-based Fairey Swordfish. He saw action mine-laying off Cherbourg, hunting U-boats, escorting convoys in the North Atlantic and Arctic seas and covering D-Day. Much of his early war years were aboard HMS Dasher and he was lucky to be ashore when the carrier mysteriously exploded and sank in the Clyde. This decimated 816 Squadron which was eventually re-equipped and then worked up to operationa...

An in-depth look at this historic military aircraft, including firsthand accounts from those who flew it.The Meteor is remembered as the first British jet fighter to enter squadron service and the only jet-powered Allied fighter to see action in WW II. Subsequent development was limited as a result of its relatively conventional airframe—although it did hold the world air speed record for a while.The Meteor was immensely strong and many pilots owe their liv...

The Mustang was born from a British WW2 specification to North American during 1940. The prototype was completed within 117 days but the RAF was not happy with the aircraft's performance and suggested replacing the V-12 Allison with the more powerful RR Merlin. The result was a superbly fast and maneuverable aircraft that had the range to escort Allied bomber forces on raids deep into occupied Europe. A total of 15,469 of the type were built and used in combat until the Korean War.This boo...

Throughout the relatively short yet highly distinguished history of the Royal Air Force there has been a tendency for the men and women of the Service to be overshadowed by the glamour of the aircraft.Nonetheless it is surprising that there has never before been a complete record of the uniforms and badges of the RAF and its predecessor, the Royal Flying Corps. Malcolm Hobart and Pen and Sword Books have cooperated to rectify this serious omission with this superbly color illustrated and c...

A compact guide to 70 of the most iconic aircraft to have shaped warfare over the last 100 years.Aviation has revolutionised warfare over the last 100 years, and this new pocket guide gives the reader the essential details of 70 iconic aircraft, including the Sopwith Camel, the Spitfire, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the P-51 Mustang and the F-4 Phantom.Drawing on Osprey's comprehensive aviation archive, Plane Spotter's Guide uses detailed profile artw...

The fascinating true story of the controversial development and deployment of the supersonic fighter jet that changed aerial warfare foreverThe McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet was born in 1978, a state-of-the-art supersonic fighter and attack aircraft with a top speed of Mach 1.8, more than one thousand miles per hour. It was versatile, fast, and reliable, and no war machine in the air could match it. The marines adopted it first, followed by the navy, impressed by ...

MO41, The Bombshell Before Roswell” by Paul Blake Smith, might well be the most exciting, shocking, and impactful event – and now book subject - not just in American history, but all of human history.Did three extraterrestrials really crash-land their circular spaceship on a farm just outside of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, in mid-April of 1941? Was this stunning recovery then taken to a secret hiding place beneath perhaps the most recognizable building in the world? Was an aspect of t...

Following the destruction of much of the Japanese fleet and air arms in the later half of 1944, in desperation, the Imperial Japanese Navy proposed using “special attack” formations, or suicide attacks.These initially consisted of crude improvisations of conventional aircraft fitted with high-explosive bombs that could be crashed into US warships. Called “Divine Wind” (Kamikaze), the special attack formations first saw action in 1944, and became the scourge of the ...