"Рейзен" был для меня все равно, нто меч для самурая. Я ощущал его как собственное тело," - так писал один из японских пилотов о самом известном японском самолете второй мировой войны. Hачиная с Перл-Харбора до последних боев по отражению налетов на Японию американских В-29, истребитель Мицубиси А6М Рейзеи (сокращенно от "Рейсики зентоки" - "Истребитель ноль") участвовал практически во всех воздушных сражениях, проводимых императорским флотом. Его отличная маневренность и высокая дальность полета стали почти легендой, и до сего дня "Зеро" остается символом японской авиации. Его мировая слава была завоевана в первых боях на Тихом океане, когда в течение шести месяцев он не знал серьезного отпора. Hо в ходе войны японцы не сумели обеспечить ему достойной замены - истребителя, способного превзойти противника по скорости, вооружению и живучести. И, начиная с конца 1942 г, нести свой крест боев для А6М было все тяжелей. Hесмотря на то, что после 1943 г истребитель уже явно устарел, японцы продолжали выпускать его до конца войны. В результате "Рейзен" стал самым массовым японским самолетом.

AD (позднее A-1) Skyraider представлял собой палубный ударный самолет и находился на вооружении с 50-х до начала 70-х годов. В период господства реактивных самолетов он казался анахронизмом, однако карьера его была вполне успешна, а эффективность и боевые возможности послужили отправной точкой при создании реактивного штурмовика А-10. В книге подробно описана история Скайрайдера.

Few airplanes have remained in active service as long as the B-52, which is slated to stay in operation through the turn of the century. Originally designed as a long-range nuclear bomber, the B-52 has seen service in Vietnam and the Gulf War, where its long range and massive bomb load were complemented by the ability to accommodate air-launched missiles. The authors provide several accounts from B-52 pilots and coverage of this magnificent airplane's design and continuing development. Two hunted photographs help document the Stratofortress' distinguished career.

A large number of fighter projects have been drawn by British companies over the last fifty years, but very few have turned into hardware, and very little has been published about these fascinating "might-have-beens". This book makes extensive use of previously unpublished, primary-source material-much recently declassified. It gives an insight into a secret world where the public has had little idea of what was going on, while at the same time presenting a coherent nationwide picture of fighter development and evolution. Particular emphasis is placed on tender design competitions and some of the events that led to certain aircraft either being canceled or produced. Some of the many and varied types included are the Hawker P.1103/P.1136/P.1121 series, and the Fairey "Delta III". The book includes many illustrations, plus specially commissioned renditions of "might-have-been" types in contemporary markings.

Возможно лучшая монография, посвященная последней, послевоенной модификации Як-9. Книга содержит подробные чертежи и фотографии самолета в деталях, а также схемы окраски Як-9П ВВС разных стран.

Too late to change the course of the war, the Me262 was nevertheless a remarkable and very successful aircraft. Here Baker tells the full story, from its tortuous development through to its operational days, including details of its specs, and insight into the men who designed and flew the Me262. An exhaustive study.

Mikoyan built his first aircraft in 1936. The company has since gone on to produce some of the most fearsome high-performance military aircraft of the post-World War II period, such as the MiG-15, MiG-21 and MiG 29. This book describes all these aircraft and more, in detail.

Osprey Modelling Manual 19 covers the best-known US fighter of WWII - the long-range escort that made possible the USAAF's bombing of Germany by day. This classic fighter would go on to have a significant postwar history too. With detailed step-by-step model photography, specially commissioned walkround photography, scale drawings and wartime shots, these books will provide all the details needed to model the main P-51 version, the P-51D (nearly 8,000, over half the total number of P-51s, built) and its variants. There is a full roundup of the models available on the market, details of where you can see the real thing, a select bibliography, and survey of websites of interest.

This book explores the development of Polikarpov's fighting biplanes from the 2I-N1 to his first aircraft to see production; to the I-3 and the I-5 created while the designer was in prison. This design paved the way for the I-15 which earned fame as the Chato during the Spanish Civil War and also saw action against the Japanese, and the I-15bis, which owed its existence mainly to Soviet Air Force's prejudice against gull wings; and the famous I-153 Chaika, a gull-wing biplane with retractable-landing gear. Experimental versions of this aircraft are also included. This title includes a detailed account of these aircraft's' combat roles and structural descriptions. The book also features details of the ill-starred I-190, which was to have superceded the Chaika, and of privately owned I-15bis and I-153s that have been restored to airworthy condition.

Aviation historians often dismiss the Polyikarpov I-16 because it did not fare well against its more modern adversaries in WWII. It was often referred to in the West by the disparaging nickname of Rata, the Russian word for rat! Nikolay Polyikarpov's I-16 was nevertheless an outstanding fighter in its day--among other things, because it was the world's first monoplane fighter with a retractable undercarriage. Its capabilities were demonstrated effectively during the Spanish Civil War and it was still in front line service when the German armed forces fell on the Soviet Union in 1941. This book details every variant of this diminutive fighter, including development aircraft and unbuilt projects. An account is also given of Polyikarpov's early monoplane fighters that presaged the I-16 and of the later designs that evolved from it. Details are given of all surviving examples including the six aircraft that were restored to airworthy condition in Russia in the 1990s.

В книге отражены опыт отработки и летных испытаний первых образцов атомных бомб и самолетов-носителей для них, а также участие ученых и конструкторов-разработчиков этого оружия в полигонных условиях. Значительное место отведено организационно-методическим вопросам воздушных ядерных испытаний и обеспечения безопасности полета самолета в условиях воздействия взрывов. Впервые публикуются материалы об инженерах и летчиках-испытателях, которые в сложных и опасных условиях самоотверженно выполняли свой профессиональный долг. Автор книги — участник многочисленных воздушных ядерных испытаний, при которых выполнял научно-техническое руководство в работе авиационной группы. Книга предназначена для широкого круга читателей.

Вся жизнь Артема Ивановича Микояна была безраздельно связана с авиацией. О жизни и делах творце знаменитых самолетов-истребителей — МиГов и рассказывает книга, созданная на основе обширных материалов, собранных автором.

Предлагаемая Вашему вниманию монография об одном из самых известных самолетов второй мировой войны вышла в свет лишь благодаря сотрудничеству двух таких изданий, как журнал ВВС "Авиация и Космонавтика" и авиационно-исторический сборник "Крылья-дайджест", обеспечивших подготовку и публикацию этого бесценного материала.