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Birds of Prey: Predators, Reapers and America's Newest UAVs in Combat Paperback – August 5, 2010

by Bill Yenne (Author)

4 customer reviews

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Although primitive unmanned TV-guided airplanes were used in combat during World War II, it is only recently that these machines have matured into the most significant new method of aerial combat since the beginning of contemporary warfare. The fact that onboard human pilots are no longer needed for these aircraft to carry out their deadly missions is fascinating for military enthusiasts and aviation historians alike. These remotely piloted vehicles are now re-writing the book on modern aerial surveillance and close air support. Delivering their lethal payloads with surgical precision, propeller-driven and jet-powered remotely piloted aircraft are guided by satellite, and flown by human operators located halfway around the world in air-conditioned trailers, isolated from the hostile combat environment of the aircraft themselves. While this book also covers the history and development of early-unmanned aerial vehicles, the focus is on all the latest impressive technology used in today's most modern remotely piloted combat aircraft.

Birds of Prey: Predators, Reapers and America's Newest UAVs in Combat

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"It is a book that I have to say exceeded my initial expectations by quite a bit. It is interesting, timely and a book that I fully believe every aviation enthusiast should read." -Modeling Madness, reviewed by Scott Van Aken, September 2010 (Modeling Madness 2010-09-01)

Product mention. (FineScale Modeler 2010-10-01)

Book review. (Internet Modeler 2010-10-01)

"This is a fascinating book, which describes not just the aircraft but also the backup necessary to make these systems work." -Model Aircraft Monthly, December 2010 (Model Aircraft Monthly 2010-12-01)

"...this excellent book is one of the first really useful histories of the UAV, with a large portion devoted to programs that are now in development." -Scale Aviation Modeller, December 2010 (Scale Aviation Modeler 2010-12-01)

Book mention. (Book News 2010-12-01)

Book mention. (Air & Space Magazine 2011-01-01)

From the Back Cover

Although remotely guided unmanned aircraft were used as “flying bombs” at the end of World War II, they served only as the primitive first steps in the development of today’s digitally designed, remotely piloted and satellite-guided unmanned aerial vehicles. In just the last few years, these unique aircraft have matured into some of the most advanced weapons systems ever devised by man. These aircraft are now literally re-writing the book on how aerial surveillance and close air support is being conducted. Operating for days at a time and delivering their lethal payloads with surgical precision, propeller-driven or jet-powered unmanned aircraft are not only guided to their targets by GPS, but are flown by human operators located halfway around the world, completely isolated from the hostile combat environments of the aircraft themselves. While this book acknowledges the early history and development of unmanned aerial vehicles, its clear focus is on the latest technological advances and combat operations of UAVs today.

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Product details

Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Specialty Press; First Printing. edition (August 5, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1580071538
ISBN-13: 978-1580071536
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.4 x 11 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #831,453 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #648 in Books > History > Military > Vehicles
- #1759 in Books > History > Military > Aviation
- #8783 in Books > History > Military > United States

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Right on Target!!!!!

ByPeter A. Sferraon September 2, 2010

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

As an avid aviation enthusiast, I'm always searching for new books that cover fascinating but previously untapped subject areas and the world of unmanned aerial vehicles was just such a target (no pun intended!). "Birds of Prey" is a surprisingly comprehensive reference source that takes the reader from the earliest pre-World War II experiments with crude, propeller driven target drones to the amazing realm of today's sophisticated unmanned weapons.

Being a "baby boomer", I grew up reading about the plethora of UAVs designed and built by Teledyne Ryan and always marveled at the extensive Firebee/Firefly family, so the historic background material in the book was quite welcome. But "Birds of Prey" quickly brought me beyond those Vietnam era designs and into the ever increasing collection of fantastic and highly specialized craft that patrol the skies over both hostile and peaceful territory today. Everything from relatively simple hand-launched battlefield drones to ultra-complex strategic reconnaissance aircraft capable of remaining aloft for literally days are covered in a manner that is both thorough and stimulating.

Bill Yenne is one of those rare authors who possesses a writing style that will please both the diehard, technically oriented devotee who craves "specifications", and the armchair aerospace historian who is simply looking for a good "evening read". I tend to be a little of both and, as with this author's previous offerings, have found this book to be an absolute delight. Its beauty, however, goes beyond just the words. As a trained graphic artist I tend to resonate with works that are pleasing to the eye and I was particularly captured by the many stunning images that were used throughout. A great many outstanding photographs, both historical and contemporary, added immeasurably to the overall readability of this volume.

In the relatively short space of 160 pages, Mr. Yenne has packed far more insightful and fascinating material than one might expect to find in a considerably larger and undoubtedly more expensive book. Kudos should also go to Specialty Press for the consistently high standards of quality that airplane buffs like me have come to expect. Anyone who has an interest in remotely piloted vehicles of ANY kind will almost assuredly find "Birds of Prey" to be an indispensable addition to their library.

Respectfully, Pete Sferra

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Birds of Prey--A great history of US UAVs

ByThomas J. Berres IIon March 15, 2012

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I really enjoy this book. Unlike some aviation books, the author focuses less on the specific descriptions and technology to instead provide the history of UAVs and their incorporation into US military doctrine. I personally found the ties to WWII target drones and Vietnam era recon drones very interesting in the evolution of American UAVs. This book also provides a comprehensive pictoral history of the UAVs including pictures from recent overseas deployments.

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Great insight into the RPA world though

ByAmazon Customeron August 25, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Bought this in preparation for AFOTS and subsequent RPA tranining, but didn't make it all the way through AFOTS due to injury. Great insight into the RPA world though.

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Comprehensive Account of U.S. UAVs!

ByMike O'ConnorTOP 500 REVIEWERon September 15, 2011

Format: Paperback

Back in 2004, Yenne's ATTACK OF THE DRONES chronicled the development and usage of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, which were then making inroads in how America waged war. In many respects, BIRDS OF PREY, published in 2010, is an updated reworking of that earlier title.

In 160 well-illustrated pages, Yenne concisely traces the development of UAVs from the World War II drones that served as targets for AA gun crews to the ultra-sophisticated Predators, Reapers, Global Hawks, etc. that not only police the battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan, for example, but also directly participate through air strikes. As documented in Yenne's book, some mourn the growing dominance of UAVs at the cost of manned aircraft. Yet UAVs have greatly aided the War Against Terror without risking a single pilot. Interestingly enough, one of the major UAV players is General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, headed by former Admiral Tom Cassidy. For you Vietnam air war buffs, Cassidy was the Navy pilot who tested a captured MiG-21 in the Have Doughnut Project.

Aside from the informative text, BIRDS OF PREY benefits from the dozens of photographs, mostly color, that fill the book. After so many years of blurry or doctored pix, it's wonderful to see so many, top-notch photographs of UAVs American and otherwise.

For anyone interested in those long-legged and lethal warbirds, BIRDS OF PREY is an excellent, nicely-illustrated overview of the oddly-shaped aircraft that are changing the face of air warfare. Recommended.

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