Fitting in more than competently with similar books from this publisher, this is a guide to post-WW2 military aircraft. After a brief context-setting regarding the Iron Curtain and the Berlin airlift, the text is generally hardcore aviation history, concerning what flew for whom where and why, with the side-on schematics of the aircraft peppering most of the pages, complete with their databanks and three lines max of further, individual discussion. Probably anything desired is given the right-seeming level of aviation detail, from the Six-Days War to Korea etc. If you come here and are surprised to find Messerschmitt making helicopters, or the '60s Luftwaffe flying around in Fiats, or a Spitfire with Egyptian air force markings, you may find a lot to learn. It won't be for everybody, and I have no idea how this might compare to a Jane's effort along similar lines, should one exist, but this is academic enough to appease any buff. What the Polish air forces used in the Cold War, what plane was with which US aircraft carrier, how European theatre camouflage differed from that flown over Saudi Arabia and Aden – this is rich in data yet still very pictorial.

This is a well collated and thorough reference for details of aircraft used during the cold war period 1945 - 91. The book is organised in chapters covering geographic regions as well as global themes such as "Strategic Bombers" and "Air Power at Sea". Within the chapters there is a chronological sequence providing details and pictures of each aircraft used as well as a narrative covering the context of East versus West confrontations. and specifics of equipment used.
I did like this approach to presenting what must be hundreds of aircraft since it makes it easy to compare the capabilities of both sides of a conflict as well as to see the development of aircraft and functions over time as needs evolved. I would say this is a must for the reference shelf of any serious student of wartime aircraft!
Many thanks for NetGalley and the publishers for providing me access to review this book.

Another in a series of books that provide brief design and operational histories of airplanes of a particular type or, in this case, during a specific time period. The focus on cold war aircraft makes this book somewhat unique, as I'm not aware of a lot of books that focus exclusively on this time period.

Another in a series of books that provide brief design and operational histories of airplanes of a particular type or, in this case, during a specific time period. The focus on cold war aircraft makes this book somewhat unique, as I'm not aware of a lot of books that focus exclusively on this time period. Excellent side views with some two-page artistic renderings of the most significant aircraft of the period.