Using diagrammatic paintings and pinpoint line artwork, the author illustrates the often complex maneuvers of air combat, and tells the stories of fighter aces such as Baron von Richthofen, Albert Ball, Saburo Sakai, "Sailor" Malan and Joseph McConnell. The book includes strategy and tactics from World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Falklands and the Gulf.
…primer for those who are looking to improve their air combat skills in flight simulators. It follows the history of air combat from WW1 to today's modern jets, and for each conflict it highlights the tactics used by pilots as they match their plane against the enemy. Norman Franks selects particular dogfights in each war to serve as examples of how fighter pilots put their aircraft's strengths to good use when battling in the skies. Speed, maneuverability, guns, durability ... all of these are taken into account.…how aerial combat has evolved since its earliest years. World Wars I and II, of course, are covered extensively, with information about the pilots and their tactics and equipment. Some of the topics included are the birth of fighter tactics and the "ace" system, the zeppelin problem, "Spitfire meets 109," etc. The information may be hard to find elsewhere, so aviation enthusiasts will enjoy this.
Other books are better for more detailed histories of air to air combat but as a start point this book is great. Well written, easy to understand and with excellent illustrations. Great place to start if you want a basic understanding of the history of air to air combat from WWI to Desert Storm.