Customer Reviews

Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft

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This book is a great resource for aviation enthusiasts. It contains some information on virtually every production combat aircraft between 1914 to today. Invaluable are the 3-view drawings of the relevant aircraft. It also contains many charts and graphs explaining a variety of topics, such as aircraft production in relevant countries involved in the many wars where air power has been used, comparison of maximum altitude, comparison of maximum range, etc. This book does not give detailed specifications of each aircraft, but a generalized description within a paragraph ordered around date of operation or design, parent country, and type of aircraft. Many color pictorials of insignia and camouflage (again very generalized, mostly only the prominent insignia and camouflage schemes). I recommend it, especially for the aviation modeler (either plastic or computer modeler)!

If you're looking for a book about military aircraft, they don't get much better than this. Starting with old Wright and Bleriot airplanes and proceeding to the late 1980s and early 1990s. Some people may complain about the lack of some more modern planes, like the F-22, but this book is a few years old. Overall, it's great.

This book should be considered as the worthy culmination of the previous efforts and publications of its authors, spanning 2-3 decades. Although aircraft that many would consider as key have been omitted, the authors admit to this in the foreword and give their reasons, which I think are quite valid. Inspite of this characteristic, this book takes its place among the standard reference volumes for its category.

Enzo Angellucci has written the "bible" of books on military aircraft. I have never been so impressed with a book as I have this one. 569 pages of drawings of aircraft, black and white photographs, color drawings, and aircraft insignia. The written part of the book is outstanding, giving very detailed description of the aircraft discussed. ----- The book has five chapters, WWI, Military aviation between the two world wars, WWII, military aircraft from 1945 to the 1980's, and Military aircraft in the new millennium. ------ The book is a masterpiece on military aircraft. ----- Rusty

A must for aviation enthusiasts. I've got several dated editions of Angellucci's aviation reference books. I think no aviation enthusiast should be without a copy of this most excellent reference book. The color pictures come to life, and it is packed with relavent statistics, data, and pull-charts which are teeming with information. The only criticism I have is that after glancing through this most recent edition in a book store... it doesn't seem to have any new aircraft. The Joint Strike Fighter and the F-22 Raptor come to mind.

Over the years I have bought,seen or read numerous books on military Aircraft. There are a lot of them that are very good,and in greater detail on certain planes of certain countries and periods. However ,I've never come across one that covers the subject so completely from beginning to end.Every plane of any significance, from every country has been covered in amazing detail and data. Beautiful artist drawings of the planes in flight,frontal,plan and elevation drawings,National Markings from different periods,large multi-page fold-outs for comparing similar planes from same era,charts of statistics on speed,production,large double- page drawings of cut-aways detailing and identifying all major parts,242 B&W photographs of actual planes,and write-ups on each plane which are loaded with information.The only thing that one could say that was not covered is scenes of any of these planes in action.Although many of them never saw any wartime action,that was their prime purpose and reason for funding for development;many certainly did with amazing performances.But that would take a whole other book!
I am not into the depth of aircraft as some of the other reviewers,but have been keenly interested in military aircraft ever since a kid during WWII.I lived about 30 miles from a military airbase and watched thousands of planes flying overhead.One day,while watching a formation of Hawker Hurricanes at a distance;I saw two of them accidently collide.I can still see the two planes tumbling and spinning to the ground;while only one parachute appeared. Over the years ,I've watched numerous Air Shows and it was great to see all these planes appear in this book.Of course,of all the planes I've seen;they are but a miniscule amount of those that were designed,built and flown.
This book will become a very important addition to my library since I read a lot of military history;and am continually reaing about some plane I wish I had more information or pictures of. This book will solve that need.It will be fun to see if a plane is mentioned somewhere,but not covered in this book.But;I don't think that will happen very often.
And time marches on...relentlessly!
I was pleased that the F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter was chosen for the cover.What an amazing aircraft and as favorite of many.What a day when it appeared at the CNE Airshow in Toronto in 1993.

"If we needed the door kicked in,the stealth(fighter) was the one to do it."..Gen.Lloyd Newton,original F-117A pilot

It was as sad as any Obituary ,when an article appeared in the Totonto Star on November 2,2006 ; with a picture of this plane telling us that itis being retired from active duty,after only 25 years.
A few interesting points about it;

"It flew over Bosnia,Panama,Iraq- the only plane to attack downtown Bagdad-and Afghanistan and "reshaped how the air force looked at strategic warfare."

"It was referred to as a fighter,though its main roles were bombing and reconnaissance.It wasn't particularly fast,not quite able to break the sound barrier.But no one ever managed to shoot it down."

"First flight was on June 18,1981;after only 31 months in development.Only 55 were built,the last in 1990. In 1992,Nighthawks flew non-stop from Hollman Air Force Base in New Mexico to Kuwait,an 18-hour flight that remains a record for single -seat fighters"


"Planes are now designed to be the deliver of weapons and not the weapon itself."..Paul Cabot,curator of the Toronto Aerospace Museum.

What a wonderful book for anyone interested in Military Aircraft.