Aircraft of the Cold War: 1945-1991 (The Essential Aircraft Identification Guide) Hardcover – April 1, 2010

I have just recently discovered this Essential Aircraft Identification series, beginning with the World War I volume. I must say the entire series came as a pleasant surprise, even for an old military aircraft history buff such as myself. Great profile drawings of well known and not-so-well known aircraft are prolific throughout the pages of these books, and the text, while scant in some areas, is rather enlightening in others. I'm always eager to discover new and oddball facts about the historic military aircraft that I've studied for so many years, and these volumes do not disappoint.The British authorship of these books is readily apparent in the "Allied Fighters 1939-45" and "Allied Bombers 1939-45" volumes. The first 100 pages of each of these volumes begins with, naturally, British aircraft, and the remaining 82 pages of each volume covers, secondly, US aircraft, and then the rest of the Allies' aircraft. It's as if the author's intent was to write a book about British fighters and bombers 1939-1945 but then decided, "Oh, yeah, there were these other countries that had aircraft, too!" I can't fault this, though; the books are so well done, and there are so many other plentiful resources out there, that this becomes only a very minor irritant in the overall enjoyment of these series.My favorites in the series, however, are the "Aircraft of World War I 1914-1918" and the "Aircraft of the Cold War 1945-1991" volumes, the latter of which I am actually reviewing. The World War I volume has so much interesting data about the well known and not-so-well known wood and wire aircraft of this era, not to mention background data on the famous and not-so-famous battles in which they fought, that it was almost a complete history lesson on the Great War in itself. The Cold War volume is, likewise, a valuable history lesson of the reasons behind the Cold War and all the numerous back-water battlegrounds that one doesn't normally get to read about in other historic aircraft material. The many excellent aircraft profiles, of course, add greatly to these history lessons.I recommend this historic aircraft series to everyone who is interested in military aviation history, novice and veteran historian alike.

Could be much better with only a little effort.

Informative book with a few errors; (F102 specifications given for F-106). 3-views would help for a complete picture of the aircraft.

Not showing scheme for A4 in Navy, F104 in Europe and Viggen and Draken in Sweden is not acceptable. Cold Wari is not only about Meteor and Mig21...

A good book of planes with some interesting facts.

Excellent source for military history buffs, covers all major countries involved in the cold war. Good combination of ilustrations and aircraft data.

Fantastic!

I enjoyed this book for the good over all review of the Cold War's Aircraft. However, the author and publisher have failed the uninformed reader by messing up the data specs on 10+% of the aircraft! There are also errors in the writing and all of this could have been solved if this book was properly proofread and checked! Get a copy of Jane's next time and double check your work!

The Cold War lasted a long time and involved a considerable number of wars and other forms of military action. This book can only give a brief sample of the various planes operating in the period but it is still a very welcome addition to the subject. The drawings are well executed in profile and include some eclectic choices (Indian planes used in the post-independence Congo for example).

I am very satisfied with this purchase.

Zum Rumblättern und kurz anlesen ganz ok. Einiges ist interessant, vieles fehlt. Von Flugzeugen des klaten Krieges im Titel zu sprechen und dann die MiG-25 nicht einmal abbilden ist schon seltsam. Sie hätte im Chapter Libyen reingehört, da es sich ganz einfach um einen der Höhepunkte des kalten Krieges handelte.Auch die Beschränkung auf die Seitenansicht der Flugzeuge bei den Abbildungen läßt vieles ungezeigt und unerwähnt. (eine SR-71 sieht in der Seitenansicht aus wie eine umgefallene Kerze ^^. Interessant wird's doch erst mit der Draufsicht.)Hinterläßt also einen unvollständigen Eindruck. Gerade noch 3 Sterne... eigentlich nur 2 1/2...