{"title":"Series: Combat Aircraft","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCombat Aircraft\u003c\/strong\u003e invites readers to explore the engineering marvels and history of military aviation. This series offers detailed insight into the design, technology, and significance of various combat planes, appealing to enthusiasts of military history and aerospace innovation alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith a focus on both the technical and cultural aspects of these formidable machines, the collection provides an engaging perspective that connects the evolution of combat aircraft with broader themes in history and technology. Perfect for those fascinated by aviation and its impact on modern warfare.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"a-6-intruder-units-of-the-vietnam-war-by-rick-morgan-9781849087551","title":"A-6 Intruder Units of the Vietnam War","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe complete story of A-6 combat operations during the Vietnam War, illustrated throughout.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDesigned in the years following the Korean War and then manufactured for over 30 years starting in 1960, the A-6 quickly became the most capable attack aircraft in the US Navy's stable. The first squadron, VA-75, made its initial deployment directly into combat in south-east Asia in 1965, and, over the next eight years, ten US Navy and four Marine Intruder squadrons would conduct combat operations throughout Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAfter initial problems and a high loss rate, the type proved itself beyond all doubt as the Naval services' best night and foul-weather platform, particularly during the region's notorious monsoon season. The A-6 Intruder became a true classic of naval aviation over the skies of North Vietnam, but the cost was high as 69 Intruders were lost in combat to all causes during the war.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eA-6 Intruder Units of the Vietnam War\u003c\/em\u003e tells the complete story of these aircraft in combat during the Vietnam War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46848166527212,"sku":"9781849087551","price":54.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781849087551.jpg?v=1758965962"},{"product_id":"a-7-corsair-ii-units-1975-91-by-peter-mersky-9781472840639","title":"A-7 Corsair II Units 1975-91","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the \u003ci\u003eA-7 Corsair II\u003c\/i\u003e’s peak in the mid-1980s, some 30 US Navy squadrons flew various versions of the aircraft, including six Naval Air Reserve units, and these many of these units saw action across the Middle East.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBy the time the jet saw combat in Operation \u003ci\u003eDesert Storm\u003c\/i\u003e (1991), there remained only two fleet squadrons—many fleet squadrons having either disestablished or transitioned to the F\/A-18 Hornet—but both of these units (VA-46 and VA-72) played a major role in the campaign to free Kuwait.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe book details the technological development and improvements that were introduced to the airframe post-Vietnam (the FLIR targeting pod from 1979 and AGM-88 HARM missile from 1983 being the most important), and how they shaped operational employment of the aircraft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe jet’s combat experiences in conflicts during the 1970s (Cambodia), 1980s (Lebanon, Grenada, Libya and Iran), and 1990s (Iraq) are explained in detail, and Peter Mersky’s expert analysis is supported by numerous first-hand accounts from naval aviators that saw action with the A-7 during these campaigns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46848176292076,"sku":"9781472840639","price":34.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/10543913482712.jpg?v=1758966327"},{"product_id":"b-26-marauder-units-of-the-eighth-and-ninth-air-forces-by-jerry-scutts-9781855326378","title":"B-26 Marauder Units of the Eighth and Ninth Air Forces","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe medium bomber 'workhorse' of the Ninth Air Force, Martin's much-maligned \u003cem\u003eB-26 Marauder\u003c\/em\u003e recovered from its poor start with the Eighth Air Force to go on and equip no less than eight bomber groups in the ETO.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough initially dubbed 'the widow maker', a change of tactics from low- to medium-level bombing for the Marauder soon improved the crews' chances of survival. 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Having first flown in March 1948, the Skyknight’s first taste of war came in September 1952, when Marine Night Fighter Squadron 513 [VMF(N)-513] deployed to Korea. The most important job assigned to VMF(N)-513 was the escorting of USAF B-29 bombers over northern Korea. Whereas Chinese and North Korean MiG-15s relied on ground-controlled intercept radar for steering guidance into firing positions, the F3D, with its own onboard radars, was autonomously lethal – it could detect, track, and target MiGs all on its own. Skyknight crews ended the Korean War with six nocturnal kills in exchange for one combat loss.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the war, 35 Skyknights were converted into electronic warfare (EW) aircraft. As US air operations over North Vietnam intensified in early 1965, the need for a tactical EW jet to provide electronic countermeasures (ECM) protection to accompany strike packages north became apparent. 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Assigned to the Harrier GR 7\/9 Force, the aircraft undertook No Fly Zone patrols over northern Iraq, supported UN forces in the Balkans, and embarked in Royal Navy carriers to bolster the RAF presence ashore in the Arabian Gulf.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHarrier GR 7s also flew from HMS \u003ci\u003eIllustrious\u003c\/i\u003e over Sierra Leone in 2000 and were involved in the second Gulf War during early 2003, acting as Close Air Support for Coalition forces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eUsing first-hand accounts from his extensive service contacts, supported by both official and personal photographs and 30 artwork profiles illustrating the wide range of colours worn and ordnance employed by the ‘jump jet’, Michael Napier provides a rare insider’s look at the deployment of Harrier GR 7\/9 up to its withdrawal from RAF service in 2010.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMoreover, Napier also covers the numerous upgrades received by the aircraft over the years, from more powerful engines to the creation of the GR 9\/9A variants in 2005.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46849230962924,"sku":"9781472857613","price":38.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/10713653482712.jpg?v=1759029295"},{"product_id":"he-111-kampfgeschwader-in-the-west-by-john-weal-9781849086707","title":"He 111 Kampfgeschwader in the West","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginally designed in the mid-1930s as a fast airliner that could be easily adapted for the bombing role, the He 111 first saw action in Spain with the Legion Condor during the civil war. 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