Photographs, illustrations, and plane specifications help trace the development of military aircraft from balloons to stealth bombers and unmanned fighters.

Except in a few instances, since World War II no American soldier or sailor has been attacked by enemy air power. Conversely, no enemy soldier orsailor has acted in combat without being attacked or at least threatened by American air power. Aviators have brought the air weapon to bear against enemies while denying them the same prerogative. This is the legacy of the U.S. AirForce, purchased at great cost in both human and material resources.More often than not, aerial pioneers had to fight technological ignorance, bureaucratic opposition, public apathy, and disagreement over purpose.Every step in the evolution of air power led into new and untrodden territory, driven by humanitarian impulses; by the search for higher, faster, and farther flight; or by the conviction that the air way was the best way. Warriors have always coveted the high ground. If technology permitted them to reach it, men, women andan air force held and exploited it-from Thomas Selfridge, first among so many who gave that "last full measure of devotion"; to Women's Airforce Service Pilot Ann Baumgartner, who broke social barriers to become the first Americanwoman to pilot a jet; to Benjamin Davis, who broke racial barriers to become the first African American to command a flying group; to Chuck Yeager, a one-time non-commissioned flight officer who was the first to exceed the speed of sound; to John Levitow, who earned the Medal of Honor by throwing himself over a live flare to save his gunship crew; to John Warden, who began a revolution in air power thought and strategy that was put to spectacular use in the Gulf War.Industrialization has brought total war and air power has brought the means to overfly an enemy's defenses and attack its sources of power directly. Americans have perceived air power from the start as a more efficient means of waging war and as a symbol of the nation's commitment to technology to master challenges, minimize casualties, and defeat adversaries.

U.S. Army aviation expanded dramatically in both size and breadth of activities after its inception in 1942, but much of its post-World War II history, particularly after the establishment of the Air Force as an independent service by the national Security Act of 1947, has been relatively neglected. Despite a certain amount of jockeying for position by both services, particularly in the early years after their separation, the Army was able to carve out a clear transport and operational combat role for its own air arm. "A History of Army Aviation - 1950-1962" examines the development of the Army's air wing, especially for air support of ground troops, both in terms of organization and in relation to the ongoing friction with the Air Force. After describing the rapid expansion of purely Army air power after 1950 and the accompanying expansion of aviation training, the book delves into the reorganization of aviation activities within a Directorate of Army Aviation. It also provides a valuable account of the successful development of aircraft armament, perhaps the most significant advance of this period. In particular, intensive experimentation at the Army Aviation School led to several practical weapons systems and helped to prove that weapons could be fired from rotary aircraft. This arming of the helicopter was to have a profound effect on both Army organization and combat doctrine, culminating in official approval of the armed helicopter by the Department of the Army in 1960. "A History of Army Aviation - 1950-1962" also explores the development of new aircraft between 1955 and 1962, including the UH-1 medical evacuation, transport, and gunship helicopter and the HC-1 cargo copter. In addition, the book discusses the Berlin Crisis of 1961 as an impetus for immediate and unexpected expansion of army aviation, quickly followed by the beginnings of intervention in Vietnam by the end of 1962.

This book--the first English translation of Clm̌ent Ader's L'Aviation militaire--contains Ader's ideas about flight formed in the last decade of the nineteenth century, arranged in manuscript form by Ader in 1907, and published in 1909 in Paris by Berger-Levrault. The text is reproduced in its entirety, including notes added by Ader and explanatory notes and a bibliographical note by the editor and translator, Lee Kennett. Ader explains his ideas about the development of airplanes based on creatures in nature. He studied the bat and the bird, especially the vulture. Chapters detail the design of bases for aircraft, runway construction, naval airplanes, vertical artillery, air lanes, schools of aviation, and strategy for waging war in the air.

.spellbinding history., the how, what, when, where and why.some never told and certainly not always understood. This is a story that has begged to be told, .with sources and substance heretofore missing. Historians, military scholars, and aviators, .will rely on this work for years. Carl H. McNair, Jr., Major General, U.S. Army (Retired) 'This is worth a good read.a welcome and long overdue history of Army Aviation." Joseph L. Galloway, senior military correspondent, Knight Ridder Newspapers and co-author, We Were Soldiers Once.and Young Soldiers, scholars, and aviation enthusiasts alike can learn much from this comprehensive examination.. .successfully blends lively and insightful historical narrative with astute analysis. .unfailingly honest assessment of.contributions to our national defense. Carol Reardon, Pennsylvania State University, author of LAUNCH THE INTRUDERS .tightly written and focused.traces the aviation branch from its inception through two world wars, the loss of a major portion to the new Air Force, .up through its current role.. .required reading for anyone who desires to understand.Army aviation. Darrel Whitcomb, author of The Rescue of Bat 21, and Combat Search and Rescue in Desert Storm .tells the whole story concisely by addressing seven key themes. .crisp prose and well-chosen illustrations.. This old ground-pounder owes his life to.brave crews of Army birds. Henry Gole, Ph.D./Colonel (ret.), author of Soldiering

An expert examination of the evolution of military aviation and its profound impact on warfare—from the employment of balloons during the French Revolutionary wars to the use of aircraft in World War I. Military Aircraft, Origins to 1918: An Illustrated History of Their Impact is a detailed, authoritative exploration of the role and development of military aviation, from its beginnings to the conclusion of World War I. Military history scholar Justin Murphy carefully illustrates the impact of aircraft on military warfare, examines the different types of aircraft, and includes a wealth of photographs and descriptions. Organized thematically, the work covers everything from the origins of military aviation and the impact of aircraft on World War I to the role of reconnaissance missions, auxiliary aircraft, fighters, and bombers. Each chapter highlights key individuals, advancements in aviation technology, industrial organization and aircraft production, and the influence of aircraft on military tactics and strategy. Murphy also demonstrates how aircraft contributed to the development of total war and blurred the lines that had traditionally separated combatants and noncombatants.