WarbirdTech

Series · 33

books · 1996-2006

By Chris Hughes, Steve Pace, Tony Landis, and more

Books in series

Lockheed P-38 Lightning - Warbird Tech Vol. 2

1996

The WarbirdTech series is the first new, innovative look at military aircraft to arrive in the marketplace in the last fifteen years. Individual volumes in this series provide a first-ever "layman's technical" analysis and review of the world's most exciting combat aircraft. Included are photos, drawings and excerpts from previously "secret" and "restricted" technical manuals produced by the government and the aircraft manufacturers. Included are vintage photos of aircraft during prototype and manufacturing stages, exploded views, cutaways and phantom drawings form tech manuals, disassembled aircraft, rare variants and experimental models etc. Special emphasis is placed on the unique and ground-breaking design and performance aspects of each aircraft. This series is for the enthusiast who has read all the combat stories, seen all the camouflage and markings books and now wants to learn the fascinating technical details behind the design and performance of combat aircraft.

North American F-86 SabreJet Day Fighters

1996

Filled with vintage photos of North American's legendary F-86 Sabre from assembly line to flight line, plus exploded views, cutaway and phantom drawings from tech manuals, disassembled aircraft, rare variants, experimental models, camouflage markings, armament configurations and more. WarbirdTech 3.

Vought F4U Corsair - Warbird Tech Vol. 4

1996

North American P-51 Mustang - Warbird Tech Vol. 5

1996

Messerschmitt Me 262 Strumvogel

1996

Vintage photos of Germany's advanced Me262 jet including exploded views, cutaway and phantom drawings from tech manuals, disassembled aircraft, rare variants and experimental models. Includes engineering data taken from extremely rare German technical manuals and American evaluation studies. WarbirdTech Volume 6.

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

1997

Its full potential still not explored, the model 299 crashed at Wright Field on 30 October 1935 on takeoff, with the control locks inadvertently engaged. Much as the crash of the new XP-38 Lightning several years later did not kill that promising program, so did the Flying Fortress outlive the demise of the prototype.

McDonnell Douglas F-4 Gun Nosed Phantoms - Warbird Tech Vol. 8

1997

Big, smoky, with twin engines and two aboard, gun nosed Phantoms roamed the skies of Vietnam in search of the enemy. Now, take a look under the skin of one of these monsters. Tech manual extracts, vintage photos, exploded view, etc.

McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle

1997

Without a doubt the finest air fighter in service with western air forces, the F-15, still in production (now under the Boeing name) is meeting export orders for Israel and Saudi Arabia with interdictor variants. Includes in-depth coverage of systems, engines, weapons, development usage, and all 20 test aircraft. For military and aviation enthusiasts and pilots.

#10

Lockheed Blackbirds - Warbird Tech Vol. 10

1997

On 26 April 1962, Lockheed test pilot Lou Schalk took the first flight in an aircraft at a classified desert test facility in Nevada. The aircraft was far more advanced than anything in the sky, and when made public several years later it would capture the world's fascination like few other aircraft ever have. Three distinct variants were eventually manufactured, but surprisingly, none of them ever had an official name. Unofficially, they have all been referred to as "Blackbirds" and "Habu," the fastest, highest flying air-breathing aircraft in the world. The Lockheed model number of the first variant was A-12, but by a sort of inspired perversity it came to be called Oxcart, a code name also applied to the program under which it was developed. The other two variants carried the Air Force designations YF-12 and SR-71. This is the story of the Lockheed Blackbirds - fifty of the fastest, highest-flying air-breathing aircraft ever developed and deployed. This book is crammed with detailed photos and illustrations and is a fantastic resource for scale model builders.

#12

North American B-25 Mitchell - Warbird Tech Vol. 12

1997

Discover the B-25 from inside and out in this fully illustrated volume filled with factory production photos, technical manual excerpts, cutaways, and original engineering drawings. WarbirdTech 12.

#13

Douglas A-1 Skyraider - Warbird Tech Vol. 13

1997

Discover every detail of the most versatile aircraft of the 20th century. Chapters include: The XSB2D-1; The SBT2D-1 Development; Improved Firepower; The AD 5; The Skyraiders Colors; Skyraiders in Foreign Service, and more. Filled with exploded views and cutaway drawings. WarbirdTech 13.

#14

Boeing B-29 Superfortress - Warbird Tech Vol. 14

1999

With more than 30 volumes now available, this series is one of the best sources of information for modellers and aviation enthusiasts. Each volume is jam packed full of excerpts, drawings, exploded views, cutaways, assembly line, and repair depot photographs taken from original tech manuals.

#15

Northrop P-61 Black Widow - Warbird Tech Vol. 15

1998

#16

Lockheed U-2 Dragon Lady - Warbird Tech Vol. 16

1998

This is the first-ever series analysis and review of the world's most exciting combat aircraft for the layman. Each volume emphasizes the unique, the groundbreaking, and the technical characteristics of the aircraft. This book contains photos, drawings, and excerpts from previously "secret" and "restricted" technical manuals produced by the government and aircraft manufacturers, as well as vintage photos of aircraft during prototype and manufacturing stages, exploded views, phantom drawings from tech manuals, and more. For military and aviation enthusiasts.

#19

Boeing North American B-1 Lancer - Warbird Tech Vol. 19

1998

Packed with exploded views, cutaway and phantom drawings from technical manuals, rare variants, armament systems, and more. Includes coverage of B-1A prototypes, conventional bombers, time-to-climb records, and production B-1B serial numbers. An information-packed profile. Great information for modellers! WarbirdTech 19.

#22

Douglas A-26 Invader

1999

Frederick Johnsen delivers this detailed technical look at the strengths and weaknesses of this versatile aircraft through technical manual excerpts, cutaway drawings, and photographs. WarbirdTech 22.

#23

Republic P-47 Thunderbolt - Warbird Tech Vol. 23

1999

Exploded views, cutaway and phantom drawings from tech manuals, cockpit photos, disassembled aircraft, rare variants and experimental models. Included are technical looks at razor back models, high speed versions, ground attack armaments, troubles with aerodynamic compressibility and more. WarbirdTech Volume 23.

#24

Convair B-36 Peacemaker

1999

Details six- and ten-engined monsters of the 1950s. Coverage includes tech manual excerpts, engineering drawings, structural and power plant review, cutaway drawings, and pilot analysis.

#26

Royal Air Force Avro Vulcan

1999

Exploded views, cutaway and phantom drawings from tech manuals, disassembled aircraft, rare variants and experimental models. This information-packed volume chronicles the development of the "V" Force, details of the B-1 and B-2, plus subscale aerodynamic testbeds. Witness the Vulcan at war, Vulcan tankers, Blue Steel, and Skybolt. WarbirdTech Volume 26.

#27

Lockheed AH-56A Cheyenne - Warbird Tech Vol. 27

2000

Covering one of the most radical and highly developed helicopters ever, this work details the evolution and eventual failures of the aircraft.

#28

English Electric Lightning - Warbird Tech Vol. 28

2000

Twin engines stacked vertically, auxiliary fuel tanks mounted on the top of the wings, and blinding performance make this aircraft one of the most daring and successful English jet fighters. This volume contains detailed design and evolution facts, technical manual excerpts, performance figures, and official factory records on the English Electric Lightning. WarbirdTech 28.

#29

Martin B-26 Marauder - Warbird Tech Vol. 29

2000

Originally nicknamed the Widow Maker, Martin Aircraft Corporation's Marauder went on to write a successful combat record during WWII. This volume contains development history, technical manual excerpts, factory photos and drawings, combat photos, and combat accounts of this mighty warbird. WarbirdTech 29.

#30

Boeing C-17 Globemaster III - Warbird Tech Vol. 30

2001

This top-flight series provides a review of the world's most exciting combat aircraft.

#32

Griffon-Powered Spitfires - Warbird Tech Vol. 32

2001

Later models of the famous Battle of Britain de Havilland Spitfire were powered by the high performance 12-cylinder Rolls Royce Griffon engine, sporting contra-rotating propellers. Due to the modifications required to fit this large powerplant, plus the resulting performance increase, these are often viewed as some of the more interesting of the Spitfire variants. Included in this volume are tech illustrations, developmental history, airframe modifications, exploded view, cutaways, and pilot's reports.

#33

Grumman A-6 Intruder

2002

The Grumman Iron Works, as the Grumman Corporation was affectionately known amongst naval aviators, supplied the majority of U.S. Navy aircraft for almost 50 years. Grumman aircraft were known to be rugged and dependable, and the aviators trusted them implicitly. Warbird Tech Volume 33.

#34

North America XB-70A Valkyrie

2002

The North American XB-70 Valkyrie was an attempt to build the ultimate offensive weapon fo the Cold War - a heavy bomber capable of flying at Mach 3 and reaching targets deep inside the Soviet Union. The aircraft that emerged was one of the most graceful large aircraft ever to fly, and one that looked everybit as fast on the ground as it ws in the air - over 2,00 mph at high altitude. It was years ahead of its time. But politics and changing requirements ultimately doomed the Valkyrie program to only two aircraft. Neighter was a true prototype of a weapons system, and instead was used to test the concept of such a large aircraft flying so fast. The authors have uncovered a great deal of new matierial on the XB-70 program - both on the aircraft as flown, and on what the proposed production aircraft would have looked like had they been built. Many never-before-seen photographs and drawings are included in the book. Details of the defensive perspective with the politics and economic realities that caused its cancellation.

#35

Merlin-Powered Spitfires - Warbird Tech Vol. 35

2002

Supermarine Spitfire is today seen as one of the greatest fighter aircraft ever built. Go to any airshow and there will be airframes powered by the Rolls-Royce Merlin. Some will be Mustangs, possibly a Lancaster, even a Hawker Hurricane, however it is likely that the carrier of the engine will be a Supermarine Spitfire. Each type has its own particular soundwave, and that of the Spitfire is not only distinctive but a source of great pleasure to its many fans. It is the fighter that characterized the British effort in World War II. This book offers details on Spitfire development, technical cutaways, and in-depth information on fighters, reconnaissance, and Spitfires in the Battle of Britain. Warbird Tech Volume 35.

#37

Hawker Sea Fury

2002

The Hawker Sea Fury is a bit of a mystery to most aircraft enthusiasts. If they're familiar with Hawker and Sydney Camm's designs, this plane - the Royal Navy's last prop-driven fighter - is known to them, though not with much detail. Reno racing fanatics also know the Fury and the Sea Fury, but to air racing fans the Hawker design is just an airframe on which to hang the most powerful piston engine and biggest propeller possible. Warbird Tech Volume 37.

#38

Lockheed F-104 Starfighter - Warbird Tech Vol. 38

2003

The F-104 Starfighter was one of the most successful and prolific jet fighters of the late '50s and early '60s - and one of the most beautiful. It was the first production Mach 2 aircraft, and it rewrote the performance books for speed, altitude and time to climb. Aircraft enthusiasts called it "the missile with a man in it". After its initial flight in 1954, the F-104 program produced more than 2,500 aircraft, making it one of the largest military aircraft programs ever. F-104s flew for the US and many NATO allies, and were eventually produced under license in Canada, Japan, and several European countries. In fact, Italy is still flying updated F-104s in 2003. This book covers this revolutionary aircraft's design and development, its weapons and other systems, and all 18 models of the F-104, complete with photos of each variant. NASA-modified research craft are also discussed, along with several formerly classified programs based on the F-104. Author Jim Upton was one of the F-104 program's flight test engineers, so he knows the aircraft and the people involved. Includes a foreword by Dick Heppe, retired president of Lockheed California, and chief aerodynamicist of the F-104.

#39

Lockheed C-141 Starlifter - Warbird Tech Vol. 39

2005

During World War II, the need for military transports prompted the modification of bombers with varying degrees of success, yet ships remained the means for moving armies overseas. As the Cold War verged into the early 1960s, some American military planners realized the need for rapid deployment of military assets to trouble spots around the world, since not all threats could be countered with a nuclear deterrent. Airlift would be a key, but old reliable transports like the piston-engine C-124 Globemaster II were too slow for the task.Using generally proven components, Lockheed's swept-wing C-141 confirmed for the U.S. Air Force the promise of a global airlift. With the Starlifter, cargo and troops could be airlifted intercontinentally at three-quarters the speed of sound. From the 1960s to the 21st century, C-141s have been a trusted transporter of everything from troops and helicopters to returned hostages and presidential limousines. Lockheed C-141 Starlifter includes an account of the circumstances that led to the C-141, its design and structural details, flight characteristics, and development from C-141A to C-141B, and finally to C-141C.

#40

Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-15 Fagot

2005

In the years following World War II, many nations made use of captured German technology, and given the pressures of the incipient Cold War, Soviet engineers often had very little time to produce an "answer to the West". As a result, the MiG-15's designers made use of German technologies and a British powerplant, which served to accelerate the fighter's development. The MiG-15 had a long service career and was built in huge numbers both within and outside the Soviet Union. The main factors in the MiG-15's success were a turbojet rated at over 2,000 kg (4,409 lb) of thrust, a new configuration with swept wings and empennage, and new pilot survival aids including an ejection seat. These, together with heavy armament and ease of manufacture and operation, made the MiG-15 a superb fighter jet. In fact, it paved the way for Soviet fighter design for the next decade. WarbirdTech Volume 40.

#42

Sukhoi Su-27

2000

In the late 1960s, the Soviet Union became aware that the U.S. was developing a new generation of jet fighters that had an exceptional range, heavy armor, and great agility in the air. These U.S. aircraft, the F-14 Tomcat, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Hornet, and F/A-18 Hornet dominated U.S. air power for three decades. In the context of the Cold War, the Soviets could not be seen to be lagging behind the Americans. Their response to these new U.S. aircraft was the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker, which was designed as a long-range air superiority aircraft and interceptor. The first of the modified pre-production aircraft appeared in 1981, but it was not until 1984 that significant numbers of the Su-27 started to enter service. Eventually some 680 Su-27 were built for the Soviets, of which 400 remain in service with the Russian Tactical Air Force today. Outside of Russia, the Su-27 is also in service with the Chinese, and on the inventories of the air forces of Vietnam, Malaysia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Syria, and Angola. This book describes in depth the development, operational career, history, and variants within the Su-27 family. The book incorporates color and black and white photos to portray some of the various camouflage schemes carried by the type in Soviet, Russian, and other air forces over the past two decades.

#43

Tupolev Tu-95 Bear

2006

During the 1940s, the Soviet government, knowing of the American nuclear program, elected to begin work on its own nuclear weapon program. The goal was to create and test the first Soviet atomic bomb within a short time interval to counter a major postwar threat from the West. An important secondary concern became apparent: how to deliver that weapon to the target. Thus, the Tu-95 Bear and the Tu-142, its close relative, were born. The Tu-95 is a large, heavy strategic bomber with a slim fuselage, swept wings, and four powerful turboprop engines driving counter-rotating propellers. It remained in production as a maritime patrol aircraft and cruise missile carrier more than 30 years after it was first produced. The aircraft was revolutionary in the application of a swept wing and turbine powerplants. Yefim Gordon and Peter Davison are the authors of other Specialty Press titles such as Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-15 Fagot, Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum, and Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker. Together they use over 200 photos to illustrate the story of the Tu-95. Topics covered include design, development, structural detail, international production, trials, comparisons, and much more.

Authors

Born a fourth-generation Oregonian, descended from American pioneers, Revolutionary War Patriots, Pilgrims (e.g. Priscilla Alden) and Pocahontas, Tillman was raised on the family wheat and cattle ranch. His younger brothers include a breeder of exotic animals and a Rhodes Scholar. In high school he was an Eagle Scout[citation needed], won two state titles as a rudimental drummer, and was a champion speaker and debater. Tillman was first published in 1964 at age 15 and graduated from the University of Oregon in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Like his father, a Navy trained pilot in World War II, Tillman developed an early passion for aviation and learned to fly at age 16. Over the next several years he flew a variety of vintage and historic aircraft, including a pre-WW II Navy trainer and a restored dive-bomber. The latter became the subject of his first book, The Dauntless Dive Bomber of World War II, published in 1976. It established the format for many subsequent books, operational histories of U.S. Navy aircraft. After college Tillman worked as a freelance writer until 1982 when he founded Champlin Fighter Museum Press in Mesa, Arizona, publishing out-of-print and new titles on military aviation. In 1986 he moved to San Diego to become managing editor of The Hook, quarterly journal of the Tailhook Association. He remained in that position for three years before deciding to focus full time to writing fiction. His first novel was published in June 1990. Warriors[1] depicted a Mideast air war and became an immediate best seller when Iraq invaded Kuwait two months later. Tillman's next two novels appeared in 1992: The Sixth Battle, (written with his brother John) which captured a wide following among computer war gamers; and Dauntless, intended as the first in a trilogy. It was followed by Hellcats, nominated as military novel of the year in 1996. He has also published original fiction in the Stephen Coonts anthologies, Combat and Victory. Tillman remains active as a magazine writer. He is a regular contributor to The Hook, Flight Journal, and several firearms publications. He has also reported from Africa for Soldier of Fortune magazine. Tillman is a former executive secretary of the American Fighter Aces Association.[2] -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrett\_...

Yefim Gordon

Author · 4 books

Yefim Gordon is arguably the world's leading Russian aviation researcher. Born in 1950 in Vilnius, Lithuania, he graduated from the Kaunas Polytechnical Institute in 1972 as an engineer/electronics designer. He has been a resident of Moscow since 1973, when, as a hobby, he started collecting photographs and books on the history of Soviet aviation; this has now developed into a major archive. Since the 1980s he has been a professional aviation journalist and writer, with over 50 books published on Soviet/Russian aviation in Russian, English, Polish and Czech, as well as close to 100 magazine features and photo reports. He is also an accomplished photographer, with countless photos published in the Western press; the current edition of Jane's All the World's Aircraft features more than 50 of his photographs