Military Aircraft, 1919-1945

An Illustrated History of Their Impact

Justin D. Murphy, Matthew A. McNiece

• Publisher: ABC-CLIO
• Year: 2008
• Print ISBN: 9781851094981
• eBook ISBN: 9781851094042
• Edition: 1
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

An in-depth history of the time when airpower became the great equalizer, changing military strategy forever and bringing once-safe targets in reach. Military Aircraft, 1919–1945: An Illustrated History of Their Impact covers a crucial era in modern warfare technology. Ranging from the development of airpower doctrines in the aftermath of World War I to the aircraft and missions that put those doctrines into action during World War II, it provides an expert summing-up of the decades when the use of aircraft in battle came of age. In chapters covering both the history of air power and specific types of aircraft (fighters, bombers, reconnaissance and auxiliary planes), Military Aircraft, 1919–1945 introduces key theorists and designers, describes important changes in technology and production, and recreates spectacular episodes from Pearl Harbor to the London Blitz to the Enola Gay. Readers will see the dramatic impact of the first generation of modern military aircraft on land and sea. They will also see how the expansion of war to the skies brought economic opportunity to some home fronts, and looming terror and devastation to others.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Contents
• Introduction to Weapons and Warfare Series
• Preface and Acknowledgments
• CHAPTER ONE: Military Aviation in the Interwar Years, 1919–1939
• CHAPTER TWO: Military Aviation in World War II, 1939–1945
• CHAPTER THREE: Fighter and Attack Aircraft
• CHAPTER FOUR: Bomber Aircraft
• CHAPTER FIVE: Reconnaissance and Auxiliary Aircraft
• CHAPTER SIX: Naval Aircraft
• Aircraft by Country
• Aircraft in Alphabetical Order
• Glossary of Terms
• A Selective Bibliography of Military Aircraft, 1919–1945
• Index
• About the Authors