Great Book of World War II Airplanes [Hardcover]

Rh Value Publishing (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 10, 1996

A remarkable overview of World War II aviation encompasses more than four hundred full-color photographs and illustrations, twenty-four foldout panels, detailed cutaway views, and authoritative profiles of twelve aircraft that changed the course of the war.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Gramercy (June 10, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517160242
• ISBN-13: 978-0517160244
• Product Dimensions: 13.1 x 11.1 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #571,571 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really great book, June 27, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Great Book of World War II Airplanes (Hardcover)

Original illustrations by Rikyu Watanabe!!!!!

The second world war represents a classic period in the refinement and perfection of the propeller driven military flying machine. This generation of aircraft, developed before the appearance of supersonic aerodynamic design, missiles, computers and electronic warfare, was the last generation in which airmen could feel totally in control of their environment, and the experience was a powerful one.

This book, originally published in twelve volumes tells the story of these remarkable aircrafts.

Included are complete specifications and performance figures, the stories of their battles told in the words of their pilots, the failures as well as successes all complemented by beautiful, detailed and often HUGE illustrations -

24 (twenty-four) 21'x13' and 32'x13' color posters!!!

Tens of colored annotated illustrations:

- general view

- cutaway

- engine

- cockpit layout

- engine cutaway

- armament setup

- fire arcs

- interesting electronics/mechanics arrangements

- multiple camouflage schemes

The general impression is that literally every significant part of aircraft equipment was carefully drawn in color from 2 angles at least.

The table of contents:

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Lockheed P-38 Lighting

de Havilland Moscqutoe

Focke-Wulf Fw 190

Messerschmitt Me 109

Mitsubishi A6M Zero Fighter

Supermarine Spitfire

Grumman F6F Hellcat

Chance-Vought F4U Corsair

Junkers Ju-87 Stuka

Avro 683 Lancaster

P-51 Mustang

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the best..., February 22, 2005

By 

A. D. Morrill (Salt Lake City, UT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Great Book Of World War II Airplanes (Hardcover)

I bought this book new from the Smithsonian Museum bookstore when I was just a kid. Now some 20-odd years later it still sits on the shelf right behind my desk, and I still frequently comb through its pages with the same enthusiasm I had when it was new. I will never let this book out of my possesion.

It's so valuable to me I had to find another copy for my business partner and fellow R/C fanatic so that he wouldn't have to keep borrowing mine! ;D ...that's why I decided to drop my 2-cents in here.

If you are an airplane buff, or more importantly, if you have any passion for the top planes of WWII, this book is not optional. You MUST have it. Period. Once you open it, you will understand what I am saying.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must Have for WWII Aviation Enthusiasts, November 7, 2001

By 

Jerry L. Crosby (Sumner, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Great Book of World War II Airplanes (Hardcover)

If you enjoy WWII aircraft, and appreciate the breath taking detail and accuracy of Rikyu Watanabe illustrations, you must have this book. I found my copy 3 years ago at OshKosh, and have been offered (...)for it - no way was I parting with it. It is, without question, the finest piece of reference / art work on these 12 aircraft I have ever seen. Vet, IFR Priv. pilot, R/C aircraft modeler.