An illustrated history of the renowned fighter aircraft, ideal for modelers and aviation enthusiasts: "Highly recommended." — AMPS IndianapolisThe North American P-51 Mustang was one of the most successful and effective fighter aircraft of all time. It was initially produced in response to a 1940 RAF requirement for a fast, heavily armed fighter able to operate effectively at altitudes in excess of 20,000 feet. North American built the prototype in 117 days...

"A great addition to the highly popular Flight Craft Series. This book reviews the history of . . . an iconic and important aircraft in civil aviation." —FiretrenchOn April 27 2005, an aircraft under the power of six massive Rolls-Royce Trent 900 turbofan engines was making its first flight, and it was making history. For this was the Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft in the world.With air traffic continuing to double every fifteen years, the A380 w...

" A well-thought out, well-produced, authoritative introduction to the Tank . . . Excellent for both the modeler and military or vehicle historian." — Army Rumour ServiceThe British Chieftain—designed in the late 1950s as the replacement for the Centurion—was perhaps the best main battle tank in service with Nato during the 1960s and 1970s. Its 120mm rifled main gun and advanced armor made it one of the most formidable tan...

This is the fascinating story of army fixed-wing cooperation units who were made up of specially trained volunteer army personnel. These men were trained to fly, to reconnoiter across the front line in search of enemy forces and then guide artillery gunners onto the target.From its earliest days in World War I, small low-flying aircraft have flown unarmed into combat and relayed vital information to aid accurate fall of shot and to advise front-line ground troops of enemy strength and posi...

A history of these versatile vehicles, with photos and useful information for modelers.Among the most successful armored vehicles produced by American industry—known as the Arsenal of Democracy—during the Second World War were the M2 and M3 half-tracks. They served on every battlefront and were as recognizable as other famous American wartime vehicles like the Sherman and the Jeep, and around 40,000 were produced between 1941 and 1945.They were easy to asse...

A guide that blends the history behind this Soviet, Cold War-era battle tank with resources for military vehicle modeling enthusiasts.During the Cold War, the T-54/55 series of tanks represented the most serious threat to NATO land forces in Europe. Available in huge quantities, it formed the core of the Warsaw Pact armored warfare doctrine, which envisaged massed tank attacks against the weakest point in NATO's front-line defenses.Yet the T-54/55 could be ...

The Panzer I and II played a significant part in the blitzkrieg campaigns that brought Germany such extraordinary success in the early years of the Second World War, and this highly illustrated volume in the TankCraft series is the ideal introduction to them.The Treaty of Versailles forbade Germany to manufacture tanks so the Panzer I had to be developed in strict secrecy, but by the time of the invasion of Poland the Wehrmacht had over 1400 of these light tanks. The Panzer II was an inter...

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...

A guide that blends the history behind this British tank with resources for military vehicle modeling enthusiasts.One of the most versatile fighting vehicles in the British army and many other forces for a quarter of a century, the Universal Carrier—more popularly known by its original title of Bren Gun Carrier—was developed as a fast and agile infantry-support vehicle. In this volume of Pen & Sword's LandCraft series, Robert Jackson traces its design and manufactu...

From the Battle of Britain to D-Day, this book uncovers the history of the Channel War.From the beaches of Dunkirk to the launch of Operation Overlord, the Channel saw continuous action during World War II, and was the world's most fought-over waterway. In this fascinating account, Robert Jackson offers a study of the Channel War from 1939–45, detailing the German threats to British shipping, the use of convoys and the extensive minelaying operations, as well as th...

A gripping account of the most famous military defeat and retreat in history, now the subject of a major motion picture, written and directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hardy and Mark Rylance.The NEW YORK TIMES of 2 June 1940 summed up the greatest disaster in British history thus: 'As long as the English tongue survives, the word 'Dunkirk' will be spoken with reverence.'This book tells the story of the Dunkirk evacuation. It tra...

Naval warfare - and the weapons used to conduct it – has changed greatly since World War I. Sea battles are no longer dominated by large battleships, but by even larger aircraft carriers. Ships have been relegated to floating missile platforms. Containing full- colour artworks and action photographs, Sea Combat is a comprehensive guide to how the ships, submarines and naval weapons that have been developed since the outbreak of World War I have fought their battles.All of t...