Social sciences

One of America's most famous aircraft, the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress continues to form the backbone of the US nuclear deterrent, and it has also become the nation's principle heavy tactical bomber. It has filled this role since the the early years of the Cold War, the heavy bombing raids during the Vietnam War, and recently in Iraq and Afghanistan. The history of this iconic aircraft is presented

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

The Hawker Hurricane has rightly earned its place in military aviation annals. Although only preceding the Spitfire by four months in its prototypic launch, the Hawker machine was available in measurably greater numbers by the Battle of Britain, a very critical stage of WWII for Britain and its Empire. Its rugged qualities saw use in the Mediterranean and Far East Theaters, and on the Russia Front

Since the 1980s, the American M2/M3 Bradley has overcome its controversial debut, and is now regarded as among the finest cavalry/infantry fighting vehicles in the world.  This book is a concise look at the background, development, and Army operational history of the Bradley from the 1980s to the present. The author, who brings a unique perspective and authority as a Bosnia veteran and former M1A1

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

Willy Messerschmitt's Bf 109 is among the most famous fighter aircraft in the history of military aviation, and it was during the Spanish Civil War that it first saw combat. Using newly discovered records, the author describes the Bf 109's operational career with the Legion Condor, the German military unit that fought in Spain. The text is enhanced by many personal accounts written by the pilots w

This book presents a detailed look at the design and development of the legendary MiG-21, including its powerplant, armament, upgrades, and variants. The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 was the standard fighter/interceptor aircraft of the Warsaw Pact and it stood up to its western counterparts for decades. This single-engine, supersonic jet fighter entered service in 1959, and in addition to the Soviet Un

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

This book presents the evolution of one of the most famous French-made fighter aircraft of WWI—the fast, rugged Spad. From humble beginnings this airplane became the mount for such famous WWI aces as Frenchmen Georges Guynemer and René Fonck, American Eddie Rickenbacker, Italian Francesco Baracca, and many others. Illustrated with rare WWI-era photographs, this book examines how the Spad was conce

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

The concept of a twin-engine fighter that could accompany bomber formations and effectively drive off defending fighters was the rationale behind the creation of the Messerschmitt Bf 110. Initial operations during 1939–40 seemed to justify its existence, but the generally weak level of aerial opposition bred a false sense of security among the aircrews that was thoroughly blunted during the Battle

Among the iconic aircraft of World War II, the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt not only was physically the biggest single-engine fighter, it also had an enormous impact on history. In terms of its combat effectiveness, P-47 fliers destroyed 7,067 hostile aircraft, with about half of those “kills” recorded during aerial combat. Thunderbolt pilots reported destroying 6,000 enemy tanks, 68,000 trucks, 86,0

The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, commonly nicknamed the "Warthog" due to its unusual and ungainly appearance, became the most effective close-air-support aircraft that has ever served for the US Air Force and Air National Guard. Designed around the GAU-8/A Avenger autocannon, the aircraft was a highly effective tank killer during Operation Desert Storm. The Warthog continues to serve, f

The North American P-51 Mustang remains one of the most famous and recognizable aircraft in the world to this day. Nimble and fast—qualities that led the Mustang to be used even today in air races—the aircraft was forged in battle. The early Mustangs, often referred to as “Razorback Mustangs,” were the first of the type to be built and helped stem the tide of Axis aggression in WWII. This, the fir

Under the Lend-Lease agreement with the US during WWII, the Soviet Union received large quantities of war materiel, including many aircraft; the Bell P-39 Airacobra takes a special place among them. The P-39 was dismissed as hardly suitable for combat both by the US and England, who turned it over in large numbers to the USSR. Soviet pilots had different views, though, and achieved excellent resul

As part of its rise as a regional South American power, Chile chose to emulate the highly successful Prussian military system in the last decades of the 19th century. Prior conflicts and the prospect of war with Argentina, which came to a head in the early 1890s, can be seen as the pretext for Chile’s purchase of "Prussian" military equipment, including Mauser rifles and Krupp cannons. This book s

This first of two volumes on de Havilland’s “Wooden Wonder” covers the night-fighter and fighter-bomber variants of the deadly Mosquito. The development of the multirole Mosquito, from its original bomber and photoreconnaissance operational function to that of a night-fighter and fighter-bomber configuration, was initiated by the latent threat of a renewal of the 1940–41 “Blitz.” Over the ensuing

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 vehicles powered by twin V-8 engines. This volume explores the late vehicles with Cadillac water-cooled engines, the M5 and M5A1, as well as the M8 Howitzer Motor Carriage. Stuart light