The Encyclopedia of the World's Combat Aircraft

This is an excellent overview of the main types of combat aircraft in use from WW1 to the mid 1970's. Although time has dated it severely (the F-15, 16 and 18 were new when it was written, for example) it provides accurate descriptions and technical data for those aircraft in active use prior to its publication. The information is equally accessible and understandable to the aviation enthusiast and the newcomer to the field of military aviation. Anybody wanting a reasonable-sized reference for the period 1914-1975 would be well-advised to seek a copy of this book. Types regarded as "classics" are accorded a two-page cutaway. Other less classical aircraft are accorded colour (or sometimes B & W) diagrams/pictures, although there are no photographs as such. Less common types get 3-view line drawings. Information given for each type includes a description of the aircraft's development and/or combat history (if they saw combat, which some between-wars types did not), a description of most major subtypes and information as to technical detail such as armament, physical dimensions, weights and so on. This would be a book well worth updating in 2001 for a 25th anniversary edition.