Great Book of Modern Warplanes [Hardcover]

Mike Spick (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 7, 2000

This volume features many of the warplanes that saw combat in the skies over Iraq in the early 1990s or over the war-torn Balkan state. Each is described in great detail, complete with technical specifications, colour photographs and cutaway drawings.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 604 pages
• Publisher: Greenwich Editions (August 7, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1840651563
• ISBN-13: 978-1840651560
• Product Dimensions: 14.6 x 10.5 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,720,275 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Coffee table reading for air enthusiasts, December 9, 2000

By 

Michael J Edelman (Huntington Woods, MI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Great Book of Modern Warplanes (Hardcover)

This volume is a good mix of detailed history and other information on USAF fighter and attack aircraft of the 1960s thorugh 1980s (A-10, F-15, F-16, F-18, etc.) along with some rather sketchy data on late-model Soviet craft and stealth craft. The photos of the Soviet craft are particularly disappointing; most of them look like long-range surveillance photos shot in the Soviet era rather than the clear views seen at major air shows in the last decade.

As a definitive reference it falls short, but as an enjoyable read for buffs, it's a good value. I bought a copy for an aviation-obsessed nephew, and he's mad about it. Owners of more complete and detailed libraries might be more subdued in their enthusiasm.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An interesting update of the late-80s copy of this book, August 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Great Book of Modern Warplanes (Hardcover)

This is an updated copy of the late-80s copy of The Great Book of Modern Warplanes. The authors have removed several of the chapters on older aircraft (F-4 Phantom and F-111 Aardvark come to mind) and have included new chapters on the new generation of European combat aircraft, American stealth aircraft and the Sukhois. Unlike the chapters that have been replaced, the new ones only contain a few pages on each of the multitude of aircraft they cover, not the entire chapter being about the same aircraft, broken down into development, powerplant, structure, avionics, armament, and service. The new chapters, while not as in-depth as the others are quite good and have many interesting photos. I would recommend this to someone who does not have the earlier edition, as they will be disappointed with the lack of depth of the additional coverage.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Hardly "up-to-date", August 24, 2000

By 

Michae (West Springfield, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Great Book of Modern Warplanes (Hardcover)

I was really looking forward to reading this book but when I recieved it i was greatly disappointed. Most of the material is from the first edition which is at least ten to fifteen years old. Coverage of new planes like the B-2 is really poor. The section on Russian planes features old photos like the ones from books in the 70's and 80's. Monthly or weekly aviation magazines like Air International have far more professional and up-to-date coverage.