<div>To bale out of a stricken airplane is a pilot's or aircrew's final chance to escape death. It is a traumatic and hazardous exercise that is only practiced in extremis and is in itself full of danger with no guarantee of survival. Many struggled free of a flaming and spinning aircraft only to see their parachute alight above them, some were machine gunned to death by their opponents as they drifted to earth, some landed in mine-fields and were blown apart and many landed in forests and died suspended from the treetops. And yet many survived, some to fight again and some to become prisoners of war. This book relates the experiences of many airmen who survived to tell the tale, some quite remarkable because of pure good luck, some because of ingenuity and some through pure determination to survive at all costs.This book includes escapes from crippled German, British and US aircraft; stories of the first pilots to use parachutes in WW1; amazing escapes from aircraft in the inter-war years.</div>

Baling Out

<div>The book describes some of the most daring air attacks of World War II. Some were outstanding successes and some were unmitigated disasters.  North Sea Battle: In the early weeks of World War II, Britain and Germany were determined to attack one another's warships in their respective naval bases. Both RAF and Luftwaffe learned the folly of sending unescorted bombers into enemy territory.  Flames over France: In May 1940, the RAF and French Air Force launched a series of desperate hit-and-run attacks on the German armored columns advancing into France and Belgium. The cost was appalling.  Precision Attack:  In August 1940, a newly-formed Luftwaffe unit called  Erprobungsgruppe 210 (Test Group 210), equipped with bomb-carrying Messerschmitts, was assigned a mission to wipe out British radar stations in a series of lightning low-level attacks.  Carrier Strike: In November 1940, a force of Fairey Swordfish torpedo-bombers crippled the Italian fleet in a daring night attack on the naval base at Taranto.   By Daylight to Germany: In the summer of 1941, Blenheim squadrons of No 2 Group RAF launched a series of daring low-level attacks on power stations and naval facilities in northern Germany. The principal target was Bremen, at the extreme limit of the bombers' range.  Plus ...  Mission to Augsburg, Target Tokyo, Dead on Time, Extreme Danger Mission, The Raid That Failed, The Anniversary Raids, Mosquito Mission, The Luftwaffe's Last Fling</div>

Hit & Run

<div><B>An in-depth look at some of the 20th century&rsquo;s notoriously terrible aircraft.</B><BR /><BR /> Many aircraft, some famous and some rare, gained a reputation for being difficult to fly and sometimes downright dangerous. This book looks at some of the worst culprits over a period spanning World War I to the age of supersonic flight. The following aircraft are included . . .<BR /><BR /> B.E.2: The Royal Flying Corps went to war in it in 1914. The B.E. was easy to fly and very stable&mdash;but it was difficult to maneuver and very easy to shoot down.<BR /> Tarrant Tabor: The Tabor was grotesque, a massive misfit of an experimental bomber that predictably came to grief on its first flight.<BR /> Avro Manchester: The twin-engine Manchester would fly all the way to Berlin and back&mdash;only to burst into flames over its own base.<BR /> Messerschmitt Me 210: The Me 210 was developed as a successor to Goering&rsquo;s Destroyer, the Bf 110. It was a disaster with a phenomenal accident rate.<BR /> Martin B-26 Marauder: They called the B-26 the &ldquo;widowmaker,&rdquo; fast and powerful, with some savage characteristics.<BR /> Reichenberg IV: The manned version of the V-1 flying bomb was a desperation weapon, and its pilots intended to fly suicide missions against Allied shipping.<BR /> Tu-144: Rushed prematurely into its test program to beat the Anglo-French Concorde, the Tu-144 was intended to be Russia&rsquo;s supersonic dream.</div>

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Infamous Aircraft

<div>During the last century the British aircraft industry created and produced many outstanding aeroplanes. These aircraft were world leaders in advanced technology, utilizing inventions by British engineers and scientists such as radar, the jet engine, the ejector seat and vertical take-off and landing. This book describes the design-history, development and operational careers of twenty-two legendary military and civil aeroplanes. Each one has played a significant part in aviation history.Sopwith Camel, SE.5, Bristol F2B Fighter and the Airco DH4 were all great successes in the relatively early days of flight. In the thirties the Bristol Bulldog fighter was an outstanding export success and the Short 'C' Class flying boat, later to become the Sunderland of World War II fame, pioneered the long-distance routes to the Empire. The pugnacious foreign policy of Hitler's Reich rung sudden alarm bells, rapid advances in fighting aircraft for the RAF became a premium objective. The brilliant Geodic construction of the Vickers Wellington bomber helped it survive terrible punishment throughout World War II, both the Hawker Hurricane and the Supermarine Spitfire saved England from invasion and the Bristol Beaufighter, de Havilland Mosquito and Avro Lancaster took the war to enemy soil. The Gloster Meteor became the word's first operational jet fighter and the English Electric Canberra became the RAF's first jet bomber and was manufactured under licence in the USA as the Martin B-57. In post-war years the Vickers Viscount became the world's first turboprop airliner and eventually became Britain's best selling commercial aircraft, whilst the de Havilland Comet became the world's first jet airliner. Despite Britain's recessionary years in the 50s and early 60s, military success came with the beautiful Hawker Hunter, the super-sonic Fairey Delta experimental aircraft that broke the World Air Speed Record and the Vickers Valiant that pioneered the operational techniques to deliver Britain's nuclear deterrent. Later, there followed the Mach 2 English Electric Lightning and the ill-fated TSR-2, the cancellation of which is still regarded as one of the greatest mistakes ever made in British aviation history. Finally, the Harrier, the world's first vertical take-off and landing jet fighter that is still in service and now only being built in the USA.Finally the Harrier, the world's first vertical take-off and landing jet fighter, still in service and now being further developed in the USA.</div>

Britain's Greatest Aircraft

<div>This is the fascinating story of army fixed-wing cooperation units who were made up of specially trained volunteer army personnel.  These men were trained to fly, to reconnoiter across the front line in search of enemy forces and then guide artillery gunners onto the target.From its earliest days in World War I, small low-flying aircraft have flown unarmed into combat and relayed vital information to aid accurate fall of shot and to advise front-line ground troops of enemy strength and position.  They were frequently attacked by fighter aircraft and had to avoid ground-fire, often flying below treetop height.  They relied purely on flying skill to outwit the enemy and yet little is known of these unsung heroes of many wars.  This book redresses the balance.</div>

Army Wings

<div>The fifty-ton British Centurion tank, developed during the darkest days of the Second World War, was designed to outgun and outperform the latest German tanks, such as the formidable Panzer V Panther. It was one of the most successful tanks ever produced, and this volume in the TankCraft series by Robert Jackson is the ideal introduction to it.The Centurion came into service too late to test its ability in action with German armor, but in the postwar world it earned a fearsome reputation in action during the many conflicts of the Cold War era, from the Middle East to Vietnam. Nearly 4,500 were built, serving with the armies of some twenty nations. The Centurions chassis was also adapted to fulfill a variety of tasks, including armored recovery, bridge-laying and guided weapons carrier.As well as tracing the history of the Centurion, Robert Jackson's book is an excellent source of reference for the modeler, providing details of available kits and photographs of award-winning models, together with artworks showing the color schemes applied to these tanks. Each section of the book is supported by a wealth of archive photographs.</div>

Centurion

<div>This is the story of the fighter aces who flew throughout the war in many different operational theatres. The book opens with the first Polish Aces during the German invasion and continues with Finlands pilots in the Winter War against the Soviets. There follows the battle for France with the experiences of RAF, Luftwaffe and French Aces and then the legendary Battle of Britain. North Africa became a critical area, together with the heroic defense of Malta and air battles over Greece and the Balkans that were fought in 1941. The Eastern front opened with operation Barbarossa where German aces were created by the dozen, flying superior aircraft against an ill-trained Soviet air force  and then in the north when pilots battle for air supremacy over Leningrad and the Russian seaports. When Japan entered the fray in 1942 their first aces flew over Singapore, Java and Sumatra and the early US Marine aces earned their spurs at Guadalcanal. Back in Europe RAF fighter pilots were taking the war to the enemy and in the southern theatre, the desert and Balkan air forces struck into the southern belly of the Reich. After D-Day British and American fighter units supported the Allied land advance and also defended London against Hitlers V-1s, whilst in the east Soviet aces battled over Berlin. In the closing stages of the war Germany introduced its first jet fighter aces and then finally in the days before the atomic bombs we read of the Japanese aces flying in desperate defense of their homeland as it comes under air attack for the first time.</div>

Through the Eyes of the World's Fighter Aces

<div>Von Kleist, one of Hitlers best panzer leaders, described the T-34 as The finest tank in the world. There could have been no finer accolade from a commander whose panzer divisions experienced the full fury of its devastating attacks on the Eastern Front. Without doubt, the T-34 was one of the best tanks of all time, and in this volume in the TankCraft series Robert Jackson tells its story. He describes its conception in the 1930s, its development during the Second World War, and its postwar deployment to over thirty countries within the Soviet sphere of influence.His book is an excellent reference work for the modeler, providing details of available kits, together with artworks showing the color schemes applied to the T-34 by its operators throughout the world. Photographs, many in color, illustrate the T-34 in action and there is a section dealing with the range of armored vehicles that were built using the T-34 chassis.Robert Jackson's introduction to the T-34 is necessary reading for tank enthusiasts and tank modelers alike.</div>

T-34

<div>The story begins in 1940 when Harvey Heyworth was leading No. 79 Squadron RAF defending north-eastern England from Luftwaffe raids made by bombers based in Norway and Denmark and then later in the Battle of Britain when the unit moved south. During late 1940 and up to June 1941 Heyworth led his squadron in defense of Bristol and Swansea operating by night and day. By 1942 he had amassed 4,000 flying hours. Harvey then joined Rolls-Royce test flying early British jet aircraft including the famous Gloster-Whittle and test-bed Wellington bombers powered by the new jet engines.In 1944 Harvey's brother Jim also joined Rolls, having flown with No. 12 Squadron in Bomber Command.  The story then unfolds into the development of the Trent turboprop and the Avon jet engines. Development work on a variety of test-bed aircraft was ongoing and included some weird combinations of airframe and engine.Jim succeeded his brother as chief test pilot in 1958 and flew 82 different aircraft types. He recounts his experiences of piloting the Vulcan bomber, Lightning and the 'Flying Bedstead' VTOL test rig.</div>

Men of Power

<div>The struggle with Communist terrorists in Malaya known as The Emergency became a textbook example of how to fight a guerrilla war, based on political as much as military means. This book deals with both the campaign fought by British, Commonwealth and other security forces in Malaya against Communist insurgents, between 1948 and 1960, and also the security action in North Borneo during the period of Confrontation with Indonesia from 1962 to 1966. Both campaigns provided invaluable experience in the development of anti-guerrilla tactics, and are relevant to the conduct of similar actions which have been fought against insurgent elements since then. The book written with the full co-operation of various departments of the UK Ministry of Defence contains material that untilrecently remained classified.This is the first full study to cover the role of airpower in these conflicts. It will be of relevance to students at military colleges, and those studying military history, as well as having a more general appeal, particularly to those servicemen and women who were involved in both campaigns.</div>

The Malayan Emergency & Indonesian Confrontation

<div>The Panzer I and II played a significant part in the blitzkrieg campaigns that brought Germany such extraordinary success in the early years of the Second World War, and this highly illustrated volume in the TankCraft series is the ideal introduction to them.The Treaty of Versailles forbade Germany to manufacture tanks so the Panzer I had to be developed in strict secrecy, but by the time of the invasion of Poland the Wehrmacht had over 1400 of these light tanks. The Panzer II was an interim design, bridging the gap between the Panzer I and subsequent, far more viable armored fighting vehicles like the Panzer III and IV.As well as tracing the history of the Panzer I and II, Robert Jackson's book is an excellent source of reference for the modeler, providing details of available kits, together with artworks showing the color schemes applied to these tanks. Each section of the book is supported by a wealth of wartime photographs as well as diagrams showing the technical changes that were made to these tanks in the course of their careers.</div>

Panzer I & II

<div>The famous Messerschmitt Bf 109 single-seat fighter was one of the most important warplanes of the Second World War. Originally designed during the 1930s, and a contemporary of the equally-legendary Supermarine Spitfire, it was vitally important to Germanys Luftwaffe and was flown in combat by the highest-scoring fighter pilots in history.It was in service throughout the Second World War and was built in a number of significant versions that proved to be worthy adversaries of the very best of the Allied warplanes that it flew against. Bf 109s operated in all the major areas of conflict where German forces were engaged in combat and, in modified form, the type even had a post-war career in several countries that extended well into the 1950s.</div>

Messerschmitt Bf 109

<div><B>A guide that blends the history behind this Soviet, Cold War-era battle tank with resources for military vehicle modeling enthusiasts.</B><BR />  <BR /> During the Cold War, the T-54/55 series of tanks represented the most serious threat to NATO land forces in Europe. Available in huge quantities, it formed the core of the Warsaw Pact armored warfare doctrine, which envisaged massed tank attacks against the weakest point in NATO&rsquo;s front-line defenses.<BR />  <BR /> Yet the T-54/55 could be stopped by smaller numbers of tanks which had the benefit of better technology and training, as was demonstrated during the Yom Kippur War of 1973 when Israeli tanks dealt out appalling punishment to T-55s of the Syrian army. Despite these limitations, the T-54/55 was one of the most successful tanks ever produced, and this volume in the <I>TankCraft</I> series by Robert Jackson is the ideal introduction to it.<BR />  <BR /> As well as tracing the history of the T-54/55, his book is an excellent source of reference for the modeler, providing details of available kits and photographs of award-winning models, together with artworks showing the color schemes applied to these tanks. Each section of the book is supported by a wealth of archive photographs.</div>

T-54/55

<div><B>A history of these versatile vehicles, with photos and useful information for modelers.</B><BR />  <BR /> Among the most successful armored vehicles produced by American industry&mdash;known as the Arsenal of Democracy&mdash;during the Second World War were the M2 and M3 half-tracks. They served on every battlefront and were as recognizable as other famous American wartime vehicles like the Sherman and the Jeep, and around 40,000 were produced between 1941 and 1945.<BR />  <BR /> They were easy to assemble, operate and maintain, and their versatility allowed them to fulfill a variety of purposes. This volume traces the design, development, and manufacturing history of the M2/M3 and describes its operational role within the Allied armies. A selection of archive photographs showing the M2/M3 in action gives a graphic impression of how adaptable these vehicles were and records the range of equipment they could carry. The book is also an excellent source for the modeler, providing details of available kits, together with specially commissioned color profiles demonstrating how the M2/M3 used by different units and armies appeared.</div>

M2/M3

<div><B>&ldquo;</B><B>A well-thought out, well-produced, authoritative introduction to the Tank . . . Excellent for both the modeler and military or vehicle historian.&rdquo; &mdash;</B><B><I>Army Rumour Service</I></B><BR />  <BR /> The British Chieftain&mdash;designed in the late 1950s as the replacement for the Centurion&mdash;was perhaps the best main battle tank in service with Nato during the 1960s and 1970s. Its 120mm rifled main gun and advanced armor made it one of the most formidable tanks of its time, and Robert Jackson&rsquo;s book is an authoritative introduction to it.<BR />  <BR /> Although it was intended to fight Soviet armor on the plains of northern Germany, it was in the heat and sand of the Middle East that the Chieftain fought its major battles during the Iran&ndash;Iraq War of the 1980s, and it proved to be very effective during the Gulf War of 1991. Variants of the Chieftain were exported to Iran, Oman, India, Kenya and Nigeria, and its chassis was adapted to fulfill a variety of tasks, including armored recovery and bridge-laying.<BR />  <BR /> As well as tracing the history of the Chieftain, Robert Jackson&rsquo;s work provides an excellent source of reference for the modeler, providing details of available kits and photographs of award-winning models, together with artworks showing the color schemes applied to these tanks. Each section of the book is supported by a wealth of archive photographs.<BR />  <BR /> &ldquo;As usual these books are a great reference for both modelers and war gamers, it contains a plethora of photographs, along with detailed information on the tanks and the regiments that served with the Chieftain.&rdquo; &mdash;Musket, Sword and Paint</div>

Chieftain

<div><B>A guide that blends the history behind this British tank with resources for military vehicle modeling enthusiasts.</B><BR />  <BR /> One of the most versatile fighting vehicles in the British army and many other forces for a quarter of a century, the Universal Carrier&mdash;more popularly known by its original title of Bren Gun Carrier&mdash;was developed as a fast and agile infantry-support vehicle. In this volume of Pen &amp; Sword&rsquo;s LandCraft series, Robert Jackson traces its design and manufacturing history and describes its operational role throughout its long career.<BR />  <BR /> The Bren Carrier served in every theater of the Second World War, from northwest Europe, North Africa and the Soviet Union to the Far East. Then, with the war over, it was operated by many belligerents in a string of other conflicts around the world, including Israel&rsquo;s struggle for independence and the war in Korea.<BR />  <BR /> A selection of archive photographs showing the Bren Carrier in action gives a graphic impression of how adaptable it was and records the variety of equipment it could carry. The book is an excellent source for the modeler, providing details of available kits together with specially commissioned color profiles which illustrate how the Bren Carriers used by different units and armies appeared.</div>

Bren Gun Carrier

<div><B>An illustrated history of the renowned fighter aircraft, ideal for modelers and aviation enthusiasts: “Highly recommended.” —<I>AMPS Indianapolis</I></B><br/><br/>The North American P-51 Mustang was one of the most successful and effective fighter aircraft of all time. It was initially produced in response to a 1940 RAF requirement for a fast, heavily armed fighter able to operate effectively at altitudes in excess of 20,000 feet. North American built the prototype in 117 days, and the aircraft, designated NA-73X, flew on October 26, 1940. The first of 320 production Mustang Is for the RAF flew on May 1, 1941, powered by an 1,100hp Allison V-1710-39 engine. RAF test pilots soon found that with this powerplant the aircraft did not perform well at high altitude, but that its low-level performance was excellent.<br/><br/>It was when the Mustang airframe was married to a Packard-built Rolls-Royce Merlin engine that the aircraft’s true excellence became apparent. Possessing a greater combat radius than any other Allied single-engine fighter, it became synonymous with the Allied victory in the air.<br/><br/>During the last eighteen months of the war in Europe, escorting bomber formations, it hounded the Luftwaffe to destruction in the very heart of Germany. In the Pacific, operating from advance bases, it ranged over the Japanese Home Islands, joining carrier-borne fighters such as the Grumman Hellcat to bring the Allies massive air superiority.<br/><br/>Yet the Mustang came about almost by accident, a product of the Royal Air Force’s urgent need for new combat aircraft in the dark days of 1940, when Britain, fighting for survival, turned to the United States for help in the island nation’s darkest hour. This is its story, including plentiful photos and information for modelers.</div>

P-51 Mustang

<div><B>A guide to the plane that changed commercial aviation: “A whopping 109 color photos shows kits in various stages of completion . . . Enjoyed it.” —<I>Historical Miniatures Gaming Society</I></B><br/><br/>No airliner in the history of commercial aviation has had a more profound effect than the Douglas DC-3. Reliable and easy to maintain, it carried passengers in greater comfort than ever before.<br/><br/>Its origins stem from a design by the Douglas Aircraft Company of Santa Monica, California. Known as the Douglas Commercial One, or DC-1, this new aircraft was revolutionary in concept. It was quickly developed into the DC-2, which led to Douglas’ domination of the domestic air routes of the United States, and of half the world.<br/><br/>Experience with the DC-2 led to an improved version, the Douglas Sleeper Transport (DST), first flown on December 17, 1935. This in turn evolved into a 21-seat variant, the DC-3, featuring many improvements. The first American Airlines DC-3 entered service in June 1936, and within three years of its introduction the aircraft accounted for a staggering 95 percent of all US commercial air traffic. From commencement of service to the attack on Pearl Harbor, the DC-3 increased domestic revenue passenger miles more than fivefold. Of the 322 aircraft operated by the country’s airlines in December 1941, 260 were DC-3s. At the pre-war peak, 30 foreign airlines operated the DC-3. On the eve of war, the DC-3’s scheduled flights represented 90 percent of international air traffic.<br/><br/>In addition to over 600 civil examples of the DC-3, 10,048 military C-47 variants were built, as well as 4,937 produced under license in the USSR as the Lisunov Li-2 and 487 built by Showa and Nakajima in Japan as the L2D. After the war, thousands of surplus C-47s were converted for civilian use. These aircraft became the standard equipment of almost all the world’s airlines, remaining in frontline service for many years. The ready availability of cheap, easily maintained ex-military C-47s, large and fast by the standards of the day, jump-started the worldwide postwar air transport industry.<br/><br/>The full remarkable story of the DC-3, and its ancestor the DC-2, is told in these pages, providing a wealth of information for the modeler and the enthusiast alike.</div>

Douglas DC-3

<div><B>This detailed study of Japan’s fearsome WWII fighter covers its legendary combat career along with color images and technical information.</B><br/><br/>The quality of Japan’s Mitsubishi A6M Zero shocked Allies Forces at the outbreak of the Pacific War. Armed with two 20mm cannon and two 7.7mm machine-guns, it was highly maneuverable and structurally very strong, despite being lightweight. When it first took flight in 1939, it was far superior to any other fighter in the skies.<br/><br/>During the first months of the Pacific War, the Zeros carved out an impressive combat record. For example, in the battle for Java alone, they destroyed 550 Allied aircraft. But it eventually outclassed by American fighters such as the Grumman F6F Wildcat and Vought Corsair. In the latter months, many were fitted with bombs and expended in Kamikaze suicide attacks.<br/><br/>This book provides a detailed overview of the design and combat career of a fighter that made history. Ideal for modelers and military history enthusiasts, it offers a wealth of technical information, photographs and color profiles.</div>

A6M Zero Mitsubishi

<div>On 27 April 2005, an aircraft lifted away from the runway of Toulouse-Blagnac Airport under the power of six massive Rolls-Royce Trent 900 turbofan engines. It carried a six-man crew, it was making its first flight, and it was making history. For this was the Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft in the world.  Airbus Industrie was a latecomer to the commercial airliner market, and initially struggled to win orders away from the well-established US giants, Boeing and McDonnell Douglas. Part of Airbus’s strategy for success was to offer customers distinct families of aircraft that could be tailored to meet a wide range of performance and capacity demands. Before 2005, the largest and arguably most important members of this family strategy were the Airbus A330 and 340 high-capacity airliners; then along came the A380.  With air traffic continuing to double every 15 years, the A380 was designed to meet the needs of the passengers and airports, while also delivering the level of efficiency necessary to protect the environment for future generations. The design incorporated two full-length decks with wide-body dimensions, meaning its two passenger levels offered an entire deck’s worth of additional space compared to the next largest twin-engine jetliner. With more seats than any other aircraft, the A380 offered solutions to overcrowding; needing fewer journeys to carry 60 percent more passengers, making it the perfect solution to airport congestion, fleet planning optimization and traffic growth. Typical seating capacity was 525, although the aircraft was certified to carry up to 853 passengers.  By mid-2019, fifteen airlines were operating 238 aircraft throughout the world, the original customer being Singapore Airlines, which launched its first A380 service in October 2007. Production of the A380 peaked at 30 aircraft per year in 2012 and 2014. Then, in February 2019, the biggest customer, Emirates, announced that it was to reduce its latest order by 39 aircraft in favour of two other Airbus Models, the A350 and A330neo, a version using the same engines as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. For Airbus, it was the last act. The Company announced that production of the A380 would cease by 2021.</div>

Robert Jackson
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Books By Robert Jackson (20 Books)