Air-To-Air Missiles Volumes 4: Development And Combat Across 80 Years. Third Generation And Widening

Air-To-Air Missiles. Development and Combat Across 80 Years Volume 4 Third Generation and Widening Acceptance , 1961 1972 is the fourth of six volumes detailing the 80-year history of air-to-air missiles (AAM) as combat aircraft weapons and is the only comprehensive book on this subject. The first volume laid down the technical understanding for subsequent volumes. It describes how AAM are developed and fielded, the tactics for employing them, and an appreciation for why so many AAM shots miss their target. Volume 4 describes the development and fielding of AAM during the middle Cold War period by all countries participating. Each new missile type and model of the period are described with the motivation to undertake the program, details of development including flight testing, a general description, advantages and disadvantages, production and fielding where applicable, and service experience. A table of characteristics, technical diagrams, and photographs of the weapons and installation on fighter aircraft are provided. Each missile is also illustrated with a profile line drawing with scale. The combat record with these earliest missiles is reviewed with background on the conflict, the aircraft in combat with the AAM, and tables of 'kills.' Period photographs of the combat aircraft with AAM are included, along with the @War series signature colour profiles. All this lends an appreciation of the evolution of AAM, technologically and via combat experience, as supported by this first generation of missiles. AUTHOR: William J. Norton is retired from a flight test engineering career that spanned 40 years, including 20 as a US Air Force officer. He held numerous positions in many organizations on dozens of aerospace programs spanning all aircraft types. He has penned scores of technical papers, 17 books, and a multitude of magazine articles. Bill holds a Masters in Aeronautical Engineering and has taught courses at the college-level. He is a civil pilot with numerous ratings, restored and operated a DHC-1 Chipmunk, and built and flight-tested a Rutan Long-EZ. Bill is married to the lovely and talented Anya Victoria Eriksson. 78 b/w illustrations, 46 b/w photos, 92 colour illustrations, 62 colour photos, 12 colour profiles, 1 colour map, 32 fig