Synopsis

From its first use in 1914 to bomb Zeppelin sheds to its current use as a means of enforcing peace, the bomber has become one of the world's most effective and feared weapons. In World War I bombers flew as tactical weapons on the battlefield due to its short range and lack of power. By the mid 1930s there came a major change as the bomber's capabilities were dramatically increased. Engines became more powerful, and sleek all-metal monoplanes with enclosed cockpits and internal bombloads, like the Heinkel He III and Dornier Do 17, were deployed, proving their effectiveness in the early campaigns of World War II. Yet while the Germans concentrated on tactical bombing, the Allied nations made strategic bombing a major part of their war effort. Losses were heavy as the German air defences took their toll, but by 1944 the bombing efforts by Boeing B-17s and Avro Lancasters were seriously degrading Germany's ability to wage the war.

The dropping of two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 finally turned the bomber into a weapon of grand strategic capability. Throughout the Cold War, the United States and Soviet Union produced ever more capable turbine-powered bombers, like the giant B-52 and Tupolev Tu-95 Bear, that later added missile launching to their repertoire. Today only the US can afford to continue development, production, and deployment of strategic bombers like the highly advanced B-2 Stealth aircraft.

Magnificently illustrated throughout with photographs and full-color artworks, The World's Great Bombers details the development, unique features, and operational capabilities of the major bomber types. Each artwork is accompanied by the relevant technical specifications for the aircraft, including armament, powerplant, performance, and dimensions. The book provides a mass of information on one of the most decisive weapons of the last 100 years.