Chasing the Silver Bullet: U.S. Air Force Weapons Development from Vietnam to Desert Storm

For a general audience, this is a very good book about USAF's major hardware/platforms between Vietnam and the 1991 Gulf War. Author's selections indeed serve as good explanation of USAF's success in the modern time. The writing style is concise and clear. In addition, the book describes basic project history and discusses the performance in a meaningful context. However, if you have studied air power for a while, this book doesn't add any new insights. In other words, if you are one of those people who buy periodicals like "International Air Power Journal" regularly and have books such as "Storm over Iraq" and "ransformation of American Air Power" on your bookshelf, you are better off spending the money elsewhere - there isn't really any "shocking frankness" or special revelations for air enthusiasts.

Kenneth Werrell has written an excellent account of the US Air Force development in the years 1965 - 1991 and presents a welth of information regarding not only the aircraft but also the various weapons and the tactics used. Although the writer is an expert professional in the field of military aviation the book succeeds marvellosuly in keeping reader's interest with its excellent flow, the numerous little known facts, the strartling technical information and the constant presentation of problems found in real battle and their attempted solutions. It is easily read, well edited and can be surely used as a reference for every enthusiast of the modern jet fighters.