Combat In The Sky

Fought in the skies over North Vietnam, the air war between Vietnamese People’s Air Force (VNPAF) and U.S. airpower lasted nearly eight years with hundreds of thousands of combat missions carried out and nearly four hundred dogfights. Combat in the Sky: Airpower and the Defense of North Vietnam, 1965-1973 is the English edition of the definitive North Vietnamese work on Vietnam War airpower. In this book, Đồng Sỹ Hưng depicts the relevant events in chronological order from the first air battles such as the one at Dragon’s Jaw Bridge (April 1965), to the Linebacker II Campaign—or as it was known by the North Vietnamese—the ”Điện Biên Phủ in the Air Campaign” (December 1972). Dong then writes about the signing of the Paris Peace Accords (January 1973), and the VNPAF’s attacks on Tân Sơn Nhất Airfield (April 1975). The air war in Vietnam was the first modern conflict in which the two opposing sides used jet combat aircraft equipped with air-to-air missiles. In addition to his analysis of the strategic calculations, especially by the North Vietnamese, and the operations carried out, the author also details the technical characteristics of the weaponry used, as well as the changes in tactics applied in each phase of the war. In doing so, Dong provides the most unique perspective of this aspect of the conflict available in the English language.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The definitive history of combat aviation and fighter aircraft, from World War I to present INCLUDES 32 PAGES OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND 12 MAPS Lords of the Sky is the “dramatic, fast-paced, and definitive" (Michael Korda) history of fighter pilots and aircraft and their extraordinary influence on modern warfare, masterfully written by "one of the most decorated pilots in Air Force history” (New York Post). A twenty-year USAF veteran who flew more than 150 combat missions and received multiple Distinguished Flying Crosses, Lt. Colonel Dan Hampton draws on his singular firsthand knowledge, as well as groundbreaking research in aviation archives and rare personal interviews with little-known heroes, including veterans of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Hampton (the New York Times bestselling author of Viper Pilot) reveals the stories behind history's most iconic aircraft and the aviators who piloted them: from the Sopwith Camel and Fokker Triplane to the Mitsubishi Zero, Supermarine Spitfire, German Bf 109, P-51 Mustang, Grumman Hellcat, F-4 Phantom, F-105 Thunderchief, F-16 Falcon, F/A-18 Super Hornet, and beyond. In a seamless, sweeping narrative, Lords of the Sky is an extraordinary account of the most famous fighter planes and the brave and daring heroes who made them legend.

Combat in the Sky vividly portrays the heart-stopping drama of aerial combat in over 85 full-color paintings and illustration paintings by the world's leading aviation artists from North America and the United Kingdom. Artwork from the world's famous artists include Keith Ferris, James Dietz, William Phillips, and Craig Kodera. This artful time capsule offers a glimpse at history-making planes such as the Enola Gay, through the fighters and bombers of the Korean and Vietnam wars, to the high-tech aerial weaponry of Desert Storm and the modern era. While these stunningly captivating works of art serve as the book's core, descriptive captions for each painting and an authoritative and informative text create a cohesive whole.

“From the training camps to the combat missions, this is war from the perspective of the young Americans who lived through it: the pilots, the bombardiers, the navigators, and the gunners of all the combat services in both Europe and in the Pacific. It is an engaging and vivid portrayal of war in the skies from 1941 to 1945.”—Craig L. Symonds, Author of World War II at Sea John C. McManus, author of The Dead and Those About to Die and September Hope, reveals the terror and triumph that shared the fiery skies of World War II—from the first dogfights over Europe to the last Kamikaze attacks over the Pacific. This insightful chronicle takes readers inside the experiences of America’s fighter pilots and bomber crews, an incredible assortment of men who, in nearly four years of warfare all over the globe, suffered over 120,000 casualties with over 40,000 killed. Their stories span the earth into every corner of the combat theaters in both Europe and the Pacific. And the aircraft explored are as varied, tough, and legendary as the men who flew them­—from the indomitable heavy-duty warhorse that was the B-17 Flying Fortress to the sleek, lethal P-51 Mustang fighter. In Deadly Sky, master historian John C. McManus goes beyond the familiar tales of aerial heroism, capturing the sights and sounds, the toil and fear, the adrenaline and the pain of the American airmen who faced death with every mission. In this important, thoroughly-researched work, McManus uncovers the true nature of fighting—and dying—in the skies over World War II.

Death in the Midnight Sky By: Joe Berardino I closed my eyes, raised my chin to heaven, and felt the words surround me. They filled my heart with love, encouragement and boundless hope. I dreamt of marching over Russian tanks, freeing the Jews in Europe, opening schools in Africa. My chest filled with pride. I knew I could do anything; I could live the dream of my young President…My fate was sealed. I knew I had to become part of the greatest challenge of my generation, the new generation. Patriotism served as the inspiration for Joe Berardino’s tour in Vietnam, flying the mighty gunship. Like countless other American servicemen, hard work, perseverance, and tenacity became ingrained in Joe’s character, allowing him to accomplish his life’s goals, including earning a scholarship to attend Michigan State University. Death in the Midnight Sky is about the bravery and honor of the U.S. serviceman; about their honor and integrity; and about their inherent truth and honesty.

By covering the full chronological span of m ilitary aviation, this book tells of pilots from the Great W ar firing pistols at one another to the Gulf War Tornadoes u sing computer-guided weaponry. '