History and Archaeology

This book is a detailed history of the 23rd Waffen-SS Panzergrenadier Division “Nederland,” the Dutch volunteer SS combat formation. Employed exclusively on the eastern front, except for a brief period in Croatia, the “Nederland” formations participated in many of the most difficult defensive battles on the northeastern front: Leningrad, the Narva bridgehead, the Tannenberg line, Dorpat in Kurland

This is a pictorial history of Jack Northrop's dream, the B-2A Spirit, a low-observable, strategic, long-range, heavy bomber with the ability to penetrate sophisticated and dense enemy air-defense shields. It is capable of all-altitude attack missions up to 50,000 feet, with a range of more than 6,000 nautical miles (nm) unrefueled, and over 10,000 nm with one refueling, giving it the ability to f

Drawn from some of the world’s most prestigious collections, this comprehensive work is a visual and historical reference exploring the craftsmanship and technical progress of German pistol development from 1871 to 1914. Using specially commissioned color photography, these ultra-rare and priceless side arms, many of which are shown for the first time, are portrayed in stunning detail, highlightin

Drawn from some of the world’s most prestigious collections, this comprehensive work is a visual and historical reference exploring the craftsmanship and technical progress of German pistol development during the 1914-1945 World War I, Weimar, and Third Reich years. Using specially commissioned color photography, these ultra-rare and priceless side arms, many of which are shown for the first time,

This book is a first-of-a-kind comprehensive, photographic essay regarding surviving artifacts of Custer and the Battle of the Little Big Horn – some never before published. Years were spent photographing and acquiring artifacts in museums and private collections, which are presented here in vivid, high-resolution color photographs, shot from various angles with the researcher and collector in min

This is the story of 150 of the most adventurous scouts, gold prospectors, gunslingers, buffalo hunters, and Civil War veterans of both sides—they may have been the deadliest collection of shooters to ever hit the trail. This is the most detailed work ever produced on the obscure legend of the 1874 Yellowstone Wagon Road Prospecting Expedition in the Montana Territory—the product of multi-year res

Originally one of the paramilitary groups that arose in Germany's turbulent 1920s , the SS grew from its original protection activities into the"Death's Head" troops and the Verfugungstruppe, and later during WWII, the Waffen-SS. During its evolution, the SS changed from its black uniform into a variety of uniforms that eventually resembled those of the German army, in various types of fabric, and

Reichsführer-SS, Chief of German Police, Reich Commissar for the Consolidation of German Nationhood, Reich Minister of the Interior, Commander of the Replacement Army, and Commander-in-Chief of Army Group Vistula—Heinrich Himmler ultimately combined all of these positions in his person. All of his roles are described and explained in detail for the first time in this comprehensive book. What were

Formed in 1942, the 8th SS Cavalry Division “Florian Geyer” was one of the most controversial units in the Waffen-SS. Created with the intention of making it an elite unit within the Waffen-SS, it instead saw its main employment from the beginning of the war in Russia as a rear area security force against partisans. The SS cavalrymen carried out these duties with terrible effectiveness, demonstrat

Famously pictured in the opening credits of the popular television series M.A.S.H., Bell’s Model 47 helicopter was the first helicopter certified for civilian use in March 1946 and went on to serve a wide variety of military and civilian applications. With its signature bubble canopy, the Model 47, and particularly its H-13 Sioux military variant, served in both Korea and Vietnam. It became a stal

The Bell AH-1 was the first helicopter designed and built exclusively for combat. First flown in 1965, the AH-1, with its characteristic streamlined silhouette and stub wings, quickly became an indispensable asset and feared opponent. Development continued over the years and even today much improved and higher performance versions are still in service around the world. Design, development, and con

Wilfried Sonnenthal joined the SS Signals Replacement Battalion in Nuremberg in January 1943, and in June 1943, he was transferred to the SS-Karstwehr-Bataillon in Pottenstein. With this battalion he took part in the disarming of the Italian Army in northern Italy in September 1943, and then was assigned to guard the Adriatic Coastland Zone of Operations. He describes combat actions against the ma

The legendary SR-71 Blackbird spy plane was, and still is, the world’s only operational Mach 3 aircraft, and was designed, built, and tested by Lockheed’s famed “Skunk Works.” This new book covers all fifty Blackbirds built, from the first flight in 1962, to the last in 1999. As a replacement for the venerable U-2 spyplane, Lockheed went from contract signing to first flight in only thirty-two mon

The Sturmgeschütz, or StuG, as it is more popularly known, while conceived as self-propelled, infantry support artillery, in time, formed the backbone of Germany’s anti-tank operations during WWII. With more than 135 war-era photos, this volume chronicles the design, development, and deployment of the first six (of nine variants) of this famed and feared weapon. The material is arranged in seven c

Though he entered combat late in May 1942, Carl Emmermann sank twenty-six Allied ships in only four combat patrols while commanding U-172, becoming the thirteenth most successful U-boat commander of the war. U-172, a Type IXC U-boat, saw non-stop action throughout the Atlantic, during its four patrols under Emmermann. U-172’s third patrol to Cape Town would be its longest with 131 days at sea, whe

Eighty brave men made a near-suicidal first attack on Japan about four months after Pearl Harbor. President Franklin Roosevelt wanted a quick response to the Japanese ambush on Hawaii to demonstrate to the Japanese that they were not invulnerable to attack, and to give a much-needed boost to American morale. Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle was selected to plan and lead the Raid from the USS Hornet. Much

This lavishly photographed and authoritative book presents the secret history of Soviet subminiature spy cameras during the Cold War. It is a history that could only have been written by the veteran KGB technical intelligence officers who created and used the cameras in secret operations. With 400 photographs, the book reveals the history, development, and operational use of more than ninety secre

This detailed, illustrated look at the Russian Sukhoi Su-27 fighter aircraft features complete discussions of its design, construction, and operational use, as well as all technical systems and weapons. Developed in the 1970s as a match for the American F-15 “Eagle,” the aircraft remains one of the most important fighters in the current Russian arsenal, and has formed the basis for many variants i

The first of two volumes on the legendary P.08 Luger (Pistole Parabellum), this illustrated book presents the design, manufacturing, and development of the various models from 1900 through the Weimar Republic period of the 1920s. Adopted by the Swiss in 1901 and then by the German army, the Luger would remain in service until the beginning of World War II and see use in the postwar East Germany, a

The Stuart light tanks were the first tanks taken into combat by US troops during WWII. Production of these vehicles can be broken into two categories: the early tanks powered by air-cooled radial engines, and late versions powered by twin V-8 engines. This volume explores the early, air-cooled vehicles, the M3, M3A1, and M3A3. Widely used both by the US Army and US Marines, as well as many Allied