Customer Reviews

Anti-Aircraft Artillery

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I read this book, here in Brazil.This book talks about AAA(anti-aircraft artillery).
There's many photos in this book.All of them are black and white photos.All the drawings are also black and white.This book is simple to understand and the informations are correct.
Even so, there's many failures in his book.I'll show you some of them:
1-Only the last chapter talks about AAA after World War II.Just about twenty pages in all this book, are about AAA after World War II.
2-This book had almost nothing about AAA, from former Soviet Union or Russia.In fact, at least after World War II, no other AAA's maker had so many combat use as former USSR.Even when there's, the author misses the target.To example, on page 162 the author writes:"the 130 mm KS-30 claimed a maximum ceiling of 20,000m (65,000ft), effective ceiling 13,700m (45,000ft), though these figures should be viewed with caution".Well, this cannon the KS-30 was very used in combat by Vietnan, in war.At least until I know, this cannon was also used by Iraq, in 1991's Gulf War.The so called "Iron courtain" is over since 1989.The author had to tell us, about combat use of this cannon.
3-There's many waste of space in this book.To example, on pages 145 and 146 are photos of american 120 mm M1.This weapon never was used in any war.Again there's not only text, but also a photo, about the british "Green mace" who never entered in service, and had a sole prototipe.Again this book talks and has photos about the american M51 "Skysweeper" 75 mm, who never had any combat use.About the american failure "Sergeant York", there's photos and text.At the same time, the soviet(now russian) ZSU 23/4 has just one line dedicated to it, on appendix.About the swiss Oerlikon there's photos, but almost no text.
4-About the AAA after world war II, this book is almost a complete failure.About AAA used by navies on past or nowdays there's nothing.
5-About AAA from China or India, there's nothing in this book.
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AAA today can have no use by british army and almost nothing by USA's army.At the same time, the cheap but reliable AAA can have no glamour, but in many wars this kind of weapon had many results than an air force, with far less price in money, lives and time.
The Argentina in Falklands war(1982) had one and perhaps, no air-air victory, against England.At the same time AAA's Argentina had more than a dozen of knock downings, of english aircrafts.
Iraq in Gulf War in 1991, against USA, had one and perhaps no air-air victory, even having an enormous air force, with hundreds of helicopters and aircrafts.At the same time, the Iraq's AAA damaged and knock downed more than a dozen of american, english,etc, aircrafts.
In a short war between USA and Lybia, in 1986, the sole aircraft losted by USA was knocked down by a cheap and reliable ZSU 23/4 an AAA built by Soviet Union.The hundreds of SAM and Lybian air force did nothing, against USA in that short war.
Against Israel in so many wars, the arabs had better results with AAA than with the enormous arabs' air forces.
The AAA has no glamour or prestige.With good use, equipment and training AAA can have good combat's results.

Students of this element of military history, if building a library, probably should make this book one of their first purchases.