Focusing on the Blackburn Buccaneer, this fully illustrated book explores its significant role as a Cold War aircraft. It covers the aircraft's development, entry into service with the Royal Navy, RAF, and South African Air Force, as well as its operational history, weaponry, and test flying. The detailed accounts provide insights into the aircraft's capabilities and contributions during a pivotal era in military aviation.
Accompanied by over 200 images, some of which are published here for the first time, it is an invaluable reference tool for both aviation enthusiasts interested in experimental and trails aircraft and modellers specialising in jet aircraft.
This fully illustrated volume looks at the classic jet fighter, the Hawker Hunter.
Having completed the revision of his series of British Secret Projects titles, Tony Buttler has now begun the same treatment for his early volumes on American Secret Projects. This first revised book describes the design and development of American bomber and attack aircraft from the end of World War II to the mid-1970s, both for the Air Force and the Navy. Once again the emphasis is placed on designs that were never built, particularly within the context of competitions between the various manufacturers against official requirements. The projects and programmes described range from the largest and most outrageous ideas for heavy strategic bombers down to much smaller anti-submarine and ground attack types. The majority of the work has been compiled from extensive research using primary source material and this second edition includes many additional and previously unseen three-view drawings, original artist's impressions and photographs of manufacturer's models. They are accompanied by a new selection of photos, many in color, which makes this revised and expanded edition a great resource for modellers in particular. In addition to the comprehensive text, supplementary appendices list the projects by manufacturer and their specifications.
This book completes the process of revising Tony Buttler's successful British Secret Projects titles, which have described the design and development of the UK's military aircraft since the mid-1930s. The original single volume has now been split into two separate titles: the already published British Secret Projects 3: Fighters 1935-1950 and this new book examining the design and development of the British bomber from roughly the introduction of monoplane designs through to the start of the jet era. This split has allowed space for the inclusion of much new information and many additional photographs. Concentrating on designs that were never built, the projects and programs explored here start with designs that were prepared in the knowledge that war was approaching and go right through to the last generation of British piston-engine bombers that appeared after the war had ended. As well as the 'heavies', this book also includes medium and light bombers, torpedo bombers for the Navy and anti-submarine types including flying boats. The book includes many three-view drawings plus numerous photographs of models or original artist's impressions to show how these unbuilt designs would have appeared, all ideal reference material for modelers in particular. The text includes full data available on the various types while additional appendices summarize the projects and their covering contracts and specifications.
From the Heinkel He 178 to the Caproni Camini N.1, this is the authoritative illustrated guide to the revolutionary aircraft that led to start of the military jet age.
The British Secret Projects series covers the design and development of UK military aircraft since the mid-1930s with strong emphasis on designs that were never built, particularly those types generated by the various design competitions held. The original Volume Three (Fighters and Bombers 1935 to 1950) has now been split into separate volumes with this book covering fighters and a new Volume Four in preparation solely devoted to bomber designs. This split has allowed space for the inclusion of much new information and many new photographs. This book describes the design and development of the British fighter from the end of the biplane fighter to the start of the jet era. The projects and programs which feature in its pages begin with those prepared in the mid-1930s in the knowledge that war was coming and go through to some which appeared after the war had ended. During this period the art of fighter design took some big and important steps forward and here can be found fixed-gun fighters and turret fighters, in both single and twin-engine form, plus the first generation of jet fighters. Types such as the Folland Fo.118 and the Westland P.13 and many more which were designed to meet the requirements of both the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm are included. As with the companion volumes, the author has undertaken extensive research and made full use of primary source material. Three-view drawings plus photographs of models or original artist's impressions combine to show how these unbuilt designs would have appeared. Data and appendices summarize the projects, contracts and specifications and provide a detailed insight into many fascinating aircraft
Concorde remains one of the most iconic and most beautiful aircraft ever to take to the skies and as a result many aspects of its development and its operational career have been covered frequently both in books and magazine articles. However, this book provides genuinely new perspectives on the Concorde program as it explores how this great aircraft came into being, concentrating both on the design and development aspects of the airliner and on the political background to this exercise in Anglo-French collaboration. Early chapters look at the various supersonic transport proposals mooted both in Britain and France before Concorde. The following sections examine areas relating to the practical difficulties of supersonic flight such as supersonic booms. The narrative then moves on to how the British and French work was merged into a single program. Later portions of the book describe the flight test program leading up to service entry in 1976 and the text is complimented by an extensive range of photographs and drawings, a great many of which are previously unpublished.