Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide, 2nd edition [Paperback]

David Rendall (Author)

Book Description

Series: Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide | Publication Date: September 22, 1999

A fully revised edition of the most comprehensive guide to modern aircraft available to the general public. Since the last edition of this book was published (1996), there have been major changes to the world's air forces and significant developments in the civil aviation business. A new generation of military aircraft is entering service, and mid-life upgrades are significantly changing both military and civil fleets. The Pacific Rim nations are investing heavily in modern military aircraft and some are expanding their own manufacturing capability. Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide provides technical specifications from Jane's All the World's Aircraft (published since 1909, and the acknowledged world leader in aviation reference).

Editorial Reviews

Review

The most comprehensive guide to modern aircraft available to the general public has been completely revised to reflect major changes in the world's air forces and developments in the civil aviation business. Illustrated with line drawings, recognition silhouettes and brand new photographs. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Publisher

The essential guide to world aviation,Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide is the most comprehensive single volume on modern aviation. Over 500 military and civil aircraft are included, providing unrivaled coverage of every major aircraft type flying today. It includes:

• Three View Recognition Silhouettes
• Descriptive Text and Technical Data
• Over 500 Photographs.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Collins Reference; 2nd Updtd edition (September 22, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0004722124
• ISBN-13: 978-0004722122
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,782,605 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good book with some ( minor ) faults, October 22, 1999

By 

W. Harry Kutzbach ([e-mail]) (Ventura County, California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide, 2nd edition (Paperback)

I have most previous editions of the aircraft recognition guides. I am somewhat disappointed that this one does not give any technical data other than armament and dimensions. It would be nice to have powerplants and speeds listed, preferably in miles per hour, not mach speed. Some books list one plane in mach, ie. 0.83 mach, and the next plane in miles per hour. Also in all previous guides, as in this one, there are several still very popular and numerous planes missing. For example, the Piper Comanche has never been listed ( Only the Twin Commanche ) I still see a lot of Comanches around. I would like to see these changes ,ie. more technical data and a more uniform listing of the technical data, in future guides. Besides, the previous guides had most of the technical data listed. It looks like someone took a shortcut in this book.

Respectfully yours

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A compendium, November 20, 2000

By 

Daniel Lalonde (Gatineau, Quebec Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide, 2nd edition (Paperback)

...but not much more. Its principal virtue, in my opinion is its apparent toroughness; not many aircraft still in operation seem to be missing. The quality of the book is very good for a paperback: good weight of paper, well glued spine; but still a book that will suffer if carried around in the field. My version of the book does have an index, contrarily to what someone posted earlier.

IN MY OPINION, THIS IS NOT A RECOGNITION GUIDE, HOWEVER; you get one black and white photo, a few of poor quality (strongly croped, grainy or taken from an unpractical angle), silhouettes from below, front and side and a very brief technical comment. This will not allow positive discrimination between many closely resembling aircrafts.

If you really want a good companion to go in the field and practice aircraft recognition I strongly recommand the very intelligently written albeit much less complete "A Field Guide to Airplanes" by M.R. Montgomery and Gerald Foster.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent quick reference guide, 500+ mil. and civ. aircraft, October 29, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide (Paperback)

From the mysterious Boeing RC-135 Cobra Ball to the gargantuan An-225 Cossack, this book covers most of the aircraft you will see flying in the world today. Major sections include Combat Fighters, Recce/Patrol platforms, Transports, Airliners, Commuter, Executive, and Light Aircraft. Technical specs are great for flight-line operations on short notice.

Great photographs, and three three views. Provides information on dimensions, performance, armanment, weights, variants, and accommodations.

For the enthusiast or the flight-line ops coordinator, this handy guide will be the one you reach for first.