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Hannants http://alpha.hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF116 Boeing F4B Biplane written by retired Navy Captain Richard S. Dann. With 408 b&w photos and 24 drawings filling its 160-pages. After three years of intensive research, author Richard S. Dann has finally produced the definitive history of the Boeing F4B, the Navy's iconic Golden Age fighting plane. The Boeing F4B, a favorite of pilots who flew it, still draws interest of hobbyists and historians alike, primarily due to the striking paint schemes worn by these aircraft during their service. Boeing, a company in existence since 1916, had produced a number of fighter aircraft for both the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. Derived from the company's successful PW-9 series for the Army, Boeing developed what can be considered the first truly successful carrier fighter with their FB series. First flown in 1925, the FB set the stage for the development of several follow-on aircraft for the Navy, namely the F2B and F3B. These aircraft were manufactured using state-of-the-art techniques, being constructed with welded tube fuselages and wooden wing structure, with fabric covered surfaces. These standard construction methods were also used in the Boeing Models 83 and 89, which were built on speculation, tested by the Navy in 1928 and subsequently purchased as the XF4B-1. Sufficiently impressed with their performance, the Navy ordered 27 F4B-1s with deliveries commencing in 1929. A second version, the F4B-2 was developed with improvements over the initial model and also put into production with 27 built. As the decade of the 1930s began, the use of traditional construction techniques of welded tube fuselages gave way to airframes manufactured using lightweight aluminum alloys. Use of semi-monocoque, stressed skin aluminum offered lighter airframes and subsequently, higher performance. In the F4B series, this was first seen on the company-funded Model 218 prototype, which bridged the gap between the earlier and later versions of the F4B. The later versions of the F4B, the F4B-3 and F4B-4 were partially constructed of aluminum alloys as first used on the Model 218 in place of steel tubes, offering high strength and light weight. Just 21 F4B-3s were built before Boeing switched production to the F4B-4, of which 92 were built. Boeing's F4B dominated U.S. Navy fighter and some bomber squadrons from 1931 to 1935, with the last squadrons of F4Bs transitioning in 1938. As F4Bs were phased out of front-line service, they were turned over to the training command, and later, as unmanned aerial targets used for training shipboard anti-aircraft gunnery crews as part of Project FOX. The last F4Bs were withdrawn from service in 1942. The first half of this 160-page monograph covers the developmental history of the F4B. Each version from F4B-1 to F4B-4 is covered, as well as the Boeing Model 218, which served as the prototype for the F4B-3 and F4B-4. 408 photographs and 24 drawings provide an in-depth study of each version. Much of the data for this section comes from period test reports and specification documents. In addition, a history of each airframe is provided, including squadron assignments, mishaps, strike dates, final disposition and total hours of flight time, if known. This is followed by an operational history of each Navy and Marine Corps squadron that operated the F4B as well as other Navy/Marine Corps commands that operated the type. Also included is a history of the Boeing Models 256 and 267, export variants that were sold to Brazil and the F4B-4A, which consisted of P-12s given to the Navy. Just two F4Bs found their way to civilian operators, and their civilian use is also included in this book. The final chapter dedicated to the aircraft discusses eight new-build Boeings that have been under construction in Gardnerville, Nevada since 1993. The first of these aircraft is expected to fly in late 2023 or early 2024. As with nearly all Ginter books, the final chapter is devoted to model kits. In the latest book of Steve Ginter's Naval Fighters series, you'll find many interesting facts you may not have known about the F4B.. Price:£37.50 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF116 Sat, 04 Nov 2023 09:54:16 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF228 Northrop F-20 Tigershark By Northrop Test Pilot Paul Metz with Tigershark Voices quoted from 8-other Test Pilots/Engineers. ISBN#979-8-9854726-6-0 144-pages, 296 color photos, 20 b&w photos, and 135 illustrations. The F-20 was conceived as the next evolution of the Fighter for Export (FX), a concept that had been in place for over 50 years and a formalized U.S. government policy for over 25 years. Northrop invested $1.2 billion of its own money on that policy. However, no production contract followed, not because of any technical deficiency but because of a changing government policy on what our allies would receive in U.S. military aid. This book traces the development of the 3 generations of a 1955 design called the N-156 which became the T-38 and the F-5A/B. The F-5A/B evolved into the F-5E/F and finally the F-20 Tigershark. Each step in that progression was to keep up with the latest Soviet fighters. The F-20 was designed to counter the Mig-29 and Su-27, 4th generation fighters. The book reveals the unique design goals that produced a reliable, easily maintained, easy to fly, agile fighter-bomber that was affordable for many allied air forces in the wake of WW II. The story is told from the first person accounts ("Tigershark Voices") of the struggles and triumphs to create a new type fighter in a world of increasingly complex, expensive and maintenance-intensive fighters. Other "Tigershark Voices" bring the reader into the F-5 and F-20 cockpits as the pilots describe flying this breed of fighters. This definitive Tigershark book features original documents and photographs, most in color and previously unpublished. Original documents of USAF struggles to name the Tigershark the F-20, Presidential directives to build a fighter for export and limitations on sales, performance with no government funding are a few of the many examples of original documents pivotal to the F-20 story. Also included are the various F-20 follow-on proposals: RF-20A/B, F-20B/C/E/F and Lavi fighters. As with all Ginter books, the F-20 Tigershark also presents information of interest to the scale modeler. Beyond the detailed color photos, the book has many detailed factory drawings of the F-5 and F-20 with 3-views, cross section cuts and inboard drawings showing structure and equipment in great detail. The cockpit comparison drawings are masterpieces of the graphic arts.. Price:£49.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF228 Sun, 25 Jun 2023 17:50:51 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF227 North-American YF-93A Penetration Fighter Air Force Legends 227 By William Simone 52-pages, 4-color and 87-b&w photos, with 39 draqwings. North-American's oft-forgotten YF-93A (NA-157) was an advanced version of the F-86A Sabre day fighter designed for the penetration fighter reqirement. It was originally designated the F-86C and was designed around NACA flush inlets and a 8,000 lb thrust J48 afterburning engine with three times the fuel of the F-86A, which gave it extremely long range. The two other penetration fighter candidates (the XF-88 and XF-90) had flown much earlier than the YF-93. All three types were not developed beyond the prototypes as the penetration fighter requirement was dropped by the Air Force. The aircraft sported F-86-style wings and tail mated to a new beffy fuselage with added electronics and 6-20mm cannon. The increased weight of the design led to a redesigned and strengthened dual-wheel main undercarrige. Only two-aircraft were built and the NACA flush intakes were replaced on ship one with conventional ram intakes resulting in increased overall performance. After retirement the two YF-93As were utilized at Moffett Field, CA, for further NACA testing before being scrapped.. Price:£20.80 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF227 Tue, 07 Mar 2023 10:57:27 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF115 McDONNELL FH-1 PHANTOM 64-pages, perfect bound, color covers, 159-b&w photos, 4-color photos, 25-drawings, 6-insignias. By Steve Ginter The US Navy's first purpose-built carrier jet fighter was the McDonnell FD-1/FH-1 Phantom, first ordered in January 1943. The small elegant aircraft had a long gestation period due to the delay in development of its Westinghouse jet engines. Originally six and even eight small 300 lb thrust engines buried in the wing were considered as powerplants, before two 1,600 lb thrust engines were settled on. These were mounted just outside of the wing roots and allowed conventional flaps and ailerons of any size to be utilized on the wing. It was fitted with tri-cycle landing gear, tailhook, and catapult equipment. The 500 mph aircraft first flew in 1946, and two XFD-1 protoypes were built along with 60 FD-1/FH-1 production Aircraft with half the FH-1s going to Navy carrier squadron VF-17A/VF-171 and half to Marine squadron VMF-122. The Navy operated its full squadron operationally aboard the USS Saipan (CVL-48) and the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB-42) proving the feasibility of jets and carriers. The Marines fielded a FH-1 Flight Demonstration Team, "The Flying Leathernecks" too. The FH-1 had no vices in the air and with new engines the Phantom was re-engineered into the larger and very successful Korean War carrier fighter, the F2H Banshee. The Phantoms were relegated to the reserves from 1950. Price:£29.95 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF115 Wed, 02 Nov 2022 11:24:29 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF226 Martin XB-48 48-pages, 96 b&w photos, 3 color photos, 26 b&w illustrations. In 1944, the Army issued requirements for a jet-propelled medium bomber which eventually spawned four aircraft. These were the North-American B-45 (see Air Force Legends 224), Convair XB-46 (see Air Force Legends 221), Boeing B-47, and the Martin XB-48 the sudject of this book. Specifications were somewhat general and called for an 80,000 to 200,000 lb aircraft with a 45,000 ft ceiling, range of 3,000 miles and a maximum speed of 550 mph. The Martin designwas a three-place, straight wing, six-jet, high wing, all metal medium bomber. The unique landing gear developed by Martin consisted of dual wheel main gear located in tandem with outrigger single type wing gear. This gear arrangement allowed for a huge continuance bomb bay with quick acting doors capable of carrying a 22,000 lb "Grand Slam" bomb. The other unique feature of the airplane was instalation of the six J35 engines. Each engine (three on a wing) had its own squarish nacelle seperated with by-pass ducts framed by a thin airfoil plate across the bottom of the three engines mounted under each wing. Two aircraft were produced and were tested at the Naval air Test Center, NAS Patuxent River, MD, about 70 miles from Martin's New River plant before being accepted by the Air Force. The XB-48 was not accepted for production, those contracts going to the B-45 and B-47. The second XB-48 finished its life as a landing pilot training plane for future B-47 pilot's.. Price:£18.30 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF226 Fri, 19 Aug 2022 19:21:01 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF225 The Bell XFM-1/YFM-1 Airacuda Bomber Destroyer Air Force Legends 225 48-pages 131 b&w photos, 7 drawings Author Steve Ginter The Bell XFM-1/YFM-1 Airacuda was the first airplane designed and built by Larry Bell's new Bell Aircraft Corp. (founded in July 1935). This was to be a futuristic and innovative Allison V-1710 powered twin pusher bomber destroyer armed with 37mm canons mounted in the forward engine nacelles. The aircraft carried a crew of five and had both .30cal and .50cal defensive armament. It was also the first fighter to have an Auxillary Power Unit (APU). Fourteen aircraft were built: one XFM-1, nine YFM-1s, three YFM-1A (with tricycle landing gear) and two YFM-1Bs. The Airacuda's first flight was on 28 September 1939 with all aircraft being withdrawn from service in 1941.. Price:£16.60 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF225 Wed, 22 Jun 2022 11:22:33 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF307 SMOKIN' TIGERS A Pictorial History of Reconnaissance Attack Squadron ONE (RVAH-1)by Michael Grove and Angelo Romano On 1 Nov 1955, Heavy Attack Squadron ONE (HATRON ONE or VAH-1) was established and temporarily based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville, Florida. On the same day, CDR P.F. Stevens assumed the command of the squadron. He was a highly decorated patrol-bomber pilot during World War II. In 1956, VAH-1 underwent an intensive training schedule in anticipation of the receipt of the new jet, Douglas A3D-1 Skywarrior. Designed with an eye toward the Heavy Attack mission, the A3D was an atomic bomber, fully capable of carrier operations. On 31 Mar 1956, the squadron received five A3D-1s, thereby becoming the first fleet unit to take delivery of the jet-powered nuclear bomber. The squadron's initial deployments were to the Mediterranean and North Atlantic area onboard USS FORRESTAL (CVA-59) and USS INDEPENDENCE (CVA-62). Following their return from their Apr-Aug 1962 cruise, the SMOKIN' TIGERS began transitioning to the North-American A-5A Vigilante. On 22 Jan 1963, the first A-5A was accepted for service by the squadron at NAS Sanford, Florida, and in March of that year, VAH-1 became the first squadron to win a monthly bombing contest while flying the A-5A. The squadron also completed one deployment with the heavy attack version of the Vigilante on the INDEPENDENCE during Aug 1963-Mar 1964, participating on several NATO and Sixth Fleet exercises. Upon returning to Sanford, VAH-1 began transitioning to the RA-5C, with squadron skipper CDR J. W. Taft delivering the first example from the North-American plant at Columbus on 10 July 1964. On 1 Sep 1964, the squadron was redesignated RVAH-1. The SMOKIN' TIGERS logged their first combat deployment to Southeast Asia during May-Dec 1965, completing 308 combat missions. Over the course of the next 13 years, RVAH-1 alternated between the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, completing three additional combat cruises. Like all RA-5C squadrons, it shifted homeports from Sanford to NAS Albany, Georgia, in 1968, and in 1974 moved to NAS Key West, Florida. The second fleet squadron to operate the Vigilante, RVAH-1 disestablished on 29 Jan 1979. Pages: 120 Size: 8.5 X 11 (inches) Format: Soft bound Illustrations: 140 color and 93 B&W photos, 73 color profiles, 10 drawings and 24 patches.. Price:£41.60 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF307 Tue, 18 Jan 2022 11:37:36 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF107 Sikorsky HR2S-1/CH-37C Deuce H-37A/CH-37B Mojave Heavy-Lift Helicopter. 137-pages, 138 color photos, 145 B&W photos and 48 drawings. The USMC Deuce was originally designed as a heavy-lift assault helicopter capable of delivering 36 combat troops or equipment (up to two jeeps or field artillery) from ship to shore. It was quickly adapted by the Army which purchased almost twice as many as the Marines. During its early testing it set both speed and weight lifting records for helicopters. Once in service, it was also used to recover small aircraft and other helicopters by both the Army and Marines in Vietnam. Many of its features including its 72 foot main rotor blades were used as the successful basis of its replacement, the CH-53 which is still in use today.. Price:£37.50 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF107 Fri, 26 Jun 2020 05:35:08 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF219 Republic XF-84H Thunderscreech. The XF-84H was derived from the RF-84F as a supersonic propeller test vehicle driven by an afterburning Allison XT-40 turboprop engine. Two aircraft were built and briefly tested as noise produced by the propeller even at idle was too severe for safe ground crew activities. The sickening noise gave the aircraft its nickname "Thunderscreech". It was the 1st U.S. aircraft built with a Ram Air Turbine (RAT) which provided emergency electrical and hydraulic power in subsequent U.S. aircraft, but provided needed power for the XF-84H when landing. Another novel feature was a "take-off fin" or "vortex gate" aft of the cockpit to overcome the effects of the propeller torque. The flight program lasted from June 1955 until October 1956 with the program being taken over by the McDonnell XF-88B which flew until January 1958. The XF-88B had both turbojet and turboprop engines and could taxi and take off without the turboprop operating, thus without subjecting the ground crew to the painful noise. 40-pages, 77 b&w and 4 color photos, 21 drawings. Price:£12.40 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF219 Sun, 18 Feb 2018 10:40:09 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF106 Vought SB2U Vindicator by Steve Ginter with Joe Weathers, Jr. 248-pages, 89-color photos, 22-duotone photos, 506 b&w photos and 25-drawings. The Vought SB2U Vindicator Scout Bomber was the Navy's second production carrier monoplane to fly after the Douglas TBD and for a time was the fastest aircraft in the Navy's inventory. The extremely clean aircraft was a unique blend of the old stick-and-rudder fabric covered construction and that of the new all-metal monoplanes that followed. About half the aircraft was metal skined and half fabric covered and each fuselage structure was individually hand made from steel tubing. The SB2U was built in three models. The very simular SB2U-1 and SB2U-2 for the US Navy, and the long range SB2U-3 for the Marines. Aircraft were also supplied to France and the United Kingdom and are covered in the book. Equipped with folding wings and capable of carrying a 1,000 lb bomb, they were in service from 1938 to 1943. By the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, the Navy Vindicators had all been assigned to the Atlantic fleet, but the Marine SB2U-3 were on the East Coast and at Pearl Harbor and aboard the Lexington for delivery to Midway. The VMSB-241 Vindicators at Midway saw the planes only combat on 4-to-6 June 1942 during the Battle of Midway and Henderson Field was named after the squadron CO who lost his life during the squadron's attack on the Japanese fleet on 4 June. Maj Hendersons replacement Maj Norris was also lost on 4 June during the squadron's 2nd attack. On 5 june, Capt Fleming was also lost during his attack on the cruiser Mikumo, for which he received the Medal of Honor for his actions. This book has extensive first person narative from Vought test pilots and USN/USMC pilots as well as the French V-156-F commander gathered by Joe Weathers in 1966 through 1974 when their minds were still sharp and their memories strong. All of which are gone today. A truly interesting read.. Price:£43.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF106 Fri, 16 Feb 2018 17:11:07 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF105 CONSOLIDATED PB4Y-1/1P LIBERATOR by Steve Ginter 241-pages, 4-color cover images, 72 drawings, and 511 b&w photos. The Navy's acquisition of the B-24D as a long range patrol bomber/sub hunter (PB4Y-1) and as a long range photo recon platform (PB4Y-1P) marked a major shift in patrol doctrine and the eventual end to the flying boat patrol plane. The Navy Liberators became a one ship strike forces as they roamed thousands of miles on sector searches and destroyed over a 1,000 ships and hundreds of aircraft. The original under-gunned early B-24Ds were up-gunned with bow turrets from Consolidated, ERCO, MPC, and Emerson and with Sperry ball turrets in their bellys when search radar was not fitted. The B-24Ds were replaced with B-24Js, B-24Ls, and B-24Ms all designated PB4Y-1/1Ps. The PB4Y-1P photo planes were used to map and surveil Japanese strongholds before invasions and discover new airfields and fleet movements. No mission was too far or too dangerous. It was in a remote control PB4Y-1 flying bomb that Joe Kennedy was killed over England. After the war, photo squadrons continued to operate the photo version into the early 1050s. The book covers all engineering details and structures and covers all the PB4Y-1 squadron's historys and most combat operations. 13-pages of modeling options are also provided.. Price:£41.60 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF105 Mon, 30 Oct 2017 17:23:32 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF302 FROM BATS TO RANGERS A Pictorial History of Electronic Countermeasures Squadron Two (ECMRON-2) Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Two (VQ-2) by Angelo Romano and AMHC (AW) John D. Herndon, USN, Ret. This Pictorial History of US Navy's Electronic Countermeasures Squadron Two (ECMRON-2 or VQ-2), later designated Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Two (FAIRECONRON TWO or VQ-2) by Angelo Romano and AMHC (AW) John D. Herndon, USN, Ret. is the second title of the new U.S. Navy SQUADRON HISTORIES by GINTER BOOKS. The photo coverage of the history of the Electric Bats, also known as the Rangers, is comprehensive, both in terms of photography and in terms of historical content. Much of the squadron's mission was top secret, as were many of its cold war missions, but the authors were able to utilize official (declassified) documents and first-hand accounts to write this book. For completeness, it is also a history of the U.S. Navy Electronic Intelligence gathering activities going back to WWII, beginning with the creation of the Cast Mike (Counter Measures) Project in 1942 and the deployment of early XARD receivers aboard aircraft like the Consolidated PBY Catalina and PB4Y Liberator. After WWII, the Navy started to use the Privateers as dedicated ELINT platforms and assigned them to two special units operating jointly with the National Security Group. One of these units, designated Port Lyautey Patrol Unit (NPU), was based at Naval Air Activities Port Lyautey, in French Morocco. It was first assigned modified PB4Y-1s and later, the Martin P4M-1Q Mercator. The NPU teamed with the Naval Security Group's Naval Communications Unit 32 George (NCU32G), which provided the ELINT equipment installed on board and the crew to operate them, mostly for covert operations around Europe and the Mediterranean. When the NPU reached its full complement of four P4M-1Qs, the unit and NCU32G, needed to have an administrative identity for budgetary and logistics purposes. Airborne Early Warning Squadron TWO (VW-2), based at NAS Patuxent River, was therefore selected to be its "mother" squadron. On 1 May 1953, NPU Port Lyautey became VW-2 Detachment A (or DET ABLE). In 1955, the Navy decided to establish a dedicated squadron for the unique mission rather than continue with a detachment: Electronic Countermeasures Squadron TWO (ECMRON TWO) was established on 1 Sep 1955. ECMRON TWO was assigned the alphanumeric designation "VQ-2". Its mission was to conduct electronic-search in support of fleet operations to obtain adequate and timely information on enemy radar, communications, and other emissions in support of fleet operations. The Squadron inherited the P4M-1Qs from VW-2 DET A and acquired a Lockheed P2V Neptune for utility purposes. On 1 Jan 1960, EMCRON TWO was redesignated Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron TWO (FAIRECONRON TWO) but still retained the alphanumeric designation "VQ-2". In 1956, VQ-2 received its first Douglas A3D-1Q Skywarrior, followed in 1957 by one A3D-1. In 1958, the Squadron received the Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune to augment the P4M-1Qs. The more capable A3D-2Q/EA-3B arrived in 1959 followed by the big Lockheed WV-2Q/EC-121M Constellation in 1960. The first Lockheed EP-3E ARIES arrived in 1971 and the squadron continued to fly this aircraft until disestablishment in 2012. The VQ-2 history and all worldwide events surrounding it are very well described and documented. This 242-page book contains 180 B&W and 444 color photos, most never published before. Thirty-seven superbly detailed aircraft color profiles show the evolution of the color schemes and markings and the different aircraft types and sub-types, providing very useful information for the benefit of both modelers and aviation historians. The inclusion of many squadron patches completes this masterpiece. THE AUTHORS Angelo Romano Angelo has authored six books: Wings from Coral Sea (Golden Wing Publications, 1986), Naval Fighters (Osprey, 1990), Naval Air Weapons Meet 1956-1959 (Model Publishing, 2006), First and Foremost - An illustrated History of Carrier Air Wing One - CVW-1 Part One 1934-1957 (Model Publishing, 2006), CVW-1 Part Two 1957-1973 (Model Publishing, 2008), and Black Knights Rule! (BKR) - A Pictorial History of VBF-718 / VF-68A / VF-837 / VF-154 / VFA-154 - 1946-2013 (Ginter Books, 2014). John D. Herndon AMHC (AW) Retired U.S. Navy John joined the U.S. Navy in 1978, Assigned to VQ-2 a total of 13 years E-1 to E-7, deployed to six Aircraft carriers in support of the EA-3B aircraft. Additionally deployed to locations all around the world in support of the EP-3E aircraft, Maintenance Control, Aircraft Division and Detachment Leading Chief Petty Officer. Retired out of VQ-2 his last tour which ended in 2000, went on to civilian life, employers ATA and American Airlines and finally the FAA as an Aviation Safety Inspector, currently the Boeing 787 Fleet Program Manager overseeing United Airlines safety compliance. Very involved over the years in collecting VQ-2 information/ history, assisted in raising funds and restoring a VQ-2 EA-3B Aircraft in Fort Worth Texas Ranger 15 BuNo 146453.. Price:£58.30 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF302 Tue, 01 Aug 2017 11:06:10 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF104 Brewster F2A Buffalo, Richard S. Dann; Ginter Publishing, Simi Valley, CA, 2017; softcover, 176 pages, 391 photos, 22 illustrations. This comprehensive monograph covers the entire history of Brewster's much maligned Buffalo fighter aircraft. The book starts out with the background of the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation and the events that led to the selection of the F2A as the Navy's first monoplane fighter. Following this, each variant of the aircraft is covered in detail including all three major variants purchased by the U.S. Navy as well as the versions purchased by Belgium, Finland, Great Britain, and the Netherlands. Indivdual squadron histories are also included as they relate to the F2A. Many interviews are included with pilots who flew the Buffalo, some with glowing comments on its performance, while others cast a less than stellar light on the Brewster. It is up to the reader to draw his own conclusions as to where the F2A sits in the history of modern aerial warfare. It is interesting to note that the Brewster 239, as used by the Finnish Air Force during the 1939-1945 period achieved the highest kill ratio of any fighter plane of the war with an impressive 26-1 score. Finland produced many Aces with the Buffalo, including the all-time high scoring Buffalo Ace, Hans Wind with 39 aerial kills, and followed closely by Ilmari Juutilainen with 34. The book is lavishly illustrated with over 300 photos, many of which have never been published. 22 illustrations are also included. This is the ultimate history of the Brewster Buffalo.. Price:£33.30 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF104 Tue, 25 Jul 2017 11:59:08 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF103 Sikorsky S-43/JRS-1 Amphibian By Steve Ginter 100-pages perfect bound 3 color and 232 b&w photos, 8 drawings. 53 S-43/JRS-1 "Baby Clippers" were produced (31 civil, 15 Navy, 2 Marine, and 5 USAAC). The book covers all users including civilian and post war users. 10 of the Navy's JRS-1s were at Pearl Harbor on December 7th, all survived the attack and one, BuNo 1063, is undergoing restoration at the Smithsonian today. Two civil S-43s have also survived, one originally owned by Howard Hughes and one at the Pima Air and Space Museum (painted as a Marine JRS-1).. Price:£24.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF103 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 15:44:27 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF221 Consolidated Vultee XB-46 64-pages, By Steve Ginter 115 b&w photos and 4 color photos. 25 illustrations. The Consolidated Vultee (Convair) XB-46 was a four-jet medium bomber built to a 1944 USAAF requirement. It was the largest of the four different bombers built to this requirement. The other three were the North-American XB-45, the Boeing XB-47 and the Martin XB-48. The winner of the competition was the XB-45, but Boeing was allowed to continue development of their offering with swept wings. Because of this only one XB-46 was built. It was to be the first all-pneumatic aircraft built with pneumatics operating the landing gear, brakes, and bomb bay doors. This system was highly successful as it saved a lot of weight and allow the quickest activation of landing gear and bomb bay doors seen to that date. First flight was on 2 April 1947 and the aircraft was utilized until November 1950. The aircraft biggest legacy was its beauty!. Price:£18.30 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF221 Tue, 29 Nov 2016 17:12:09 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF102 Grumman S-2F/S-2 Tracker and WF-2/E-1B Tracer Part Two. 248-pages, 608 B&W photos, 16 color photos, 201 squadron and station patches. The book covers the operational history of the aircraft in squadron service including the reserves and training squadrons and as a squadron utility and command aircraft at Naval Air Stations and facilities. It is authored by Douglas Siegfried, Tailhook Association Archivist and former S-2 pilot, and Steve Ginter.. Price:£43.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF102 Fri, 17 Jun 2016 12:32:09 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF101 Grumman S-2F/S-2 Tracker Part One, Development, Testing, Variants, and Foreign Users. 200 pages. 110 drawings, 374 b&w photos and 14 color photos.By Robert J Kowalski and Tommy H. Thomason. Price:£39.20 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF101 Tue, 02 Feb 2016 00:00:00 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF95 Douglas R4D-8/C-117D Super Gooney by Steve Ginter with Norm Tayler & Amgelo Romano. 15-color and over 300 b&w photos and text cover its usage as a transport, VIP carrier, station hack, a trainer with VT-29, and its usage in Antarctica with VX-6 from 1952 into the 1980s. The DC-3S was a Douglas venture to add capability and life to the post war fleet of surplus DC-3s, C-47s and R4Ds. It was an remanufactured aircraft with a stretched fuselage, new taller and wider tail group, new square tip outer wings, larger engines and fully enclosed main gear housings. It did not find favor with the airlines which instead turned to Convairs and Martins, but found a home in the Navy and Marines. 96 aircraft were eventually re-manufactured as R4D-8s and 4 as R4D-8Zs. 136 pages, 15-color and over 300 B&W photos of history and drawings.. Price:£27.40 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF95 Mon, 01 Feb 2016 14:44:04 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF96 Consolidated P2Y Ranger (patrol flying boat) by Steve Ginter. The book begins with a 24-page in depth review of the origins of the patrol flying boat covering most Curtiss boats (except the NC boats), the Naval Aircraft Factory PN boats and their derivatives (Douglas PD-1, Keystone PK-1, Martin PM-1/2), the Boeing PB-1, and the Hall PH-1/2/3 and XP2H-1. 13 3-view drawings by Lloyd Jones help illustrate this section. The book then goes on to cover the Consolidated XPY-1 Admiral, Consolidated Model 16 Commodore, Martin P3M-1/2 and XP2M-1 before detailing the Consolidated's P2Y Ranger development and squadron usage. The P2Y was the aircraft that put Consolidated on map of great aircraft manufacturers and led to the PBY and PB2Y flying boats that served with such distinction during WWII.. Price:£27.40 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF96 Wed, 30 Sep 2015 22:26:08 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF99 Douglas AD/A-1 Skyraider Part Two, U.S. Navy Squadrons. By Steve Ginter. 272-pages, 13-color photos, 589 b&w photos, and 138 patches. The Douglas AD/A-1 Skyraider Part Two covers Skyraider Fleet and Utility squadrons with text on each squadron and photos and squadron patches/insignia when available. Because the Skyraider's service life bridges from post WWII, through the Korean War and into the Vietnam War, the AD/A-1 squadrons went through all the confusing redesignations and disestablishments of the 50's. In some cases the same squadron designation was applied three times during the life of the Skyraiders in the Navy. This volume covers 95 squadrons that flew this amazing aircraft.. Price:£46.60 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF99 Tue, 13 Jan 2015 17:01:24 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF98 Douglas AD/A-1 Skyraider Part One Covers: Development, Testing, Variants, Test/R&D, CAG, FASRONs, Training Squadrons, Base/Carrier/Air Group/Squadron Hacks and Marine Skyraiders. By Steve Ginter 256-pages, Color Covers, 169 illustrations, 472-photos. The Douglas Skyraider entered fleet service with VA-19A in February 1947 and was retired in 1969. A single engine attack aircraft able to carry more tonnage of bombs than a WWII B-17 all while operating from a aircraft carrier. Marine Squadron VMA-121 routinely struck enemy targets with bomb loads in excess of 9,000 lbs. The 3,180 Skyraiders were produced in 20 different versions and modified further into at least 7 other variants. Furthermore, Douglas created conversion kits for the AD-5 allowing it to be modified at squadron level into a four-seat or ten seat COD aircraft, a target tug, an air ambulance, a cargo aircraft, or a aerial tanker. As an attack aircraft, it became the weapon of choice for close air support and ground attack in Korea because of its ability to loiter for hours with a variety of bombs, rockets and napalm and its ability to take hits and bring its pilot's home. It repeated these tasks in Vietnam where it also became the RESCAP aircraft of choice due to its ability to stay airborne for up to 12-hours.. Price:£43.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF98 Tue, 12 Aug 2014 16:23:44 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF217 Curtiss XP-55 Ascender By Gerry Balzer, 72-pages, 148-b&w photos, 4-color photos. The Curtiss XP-55 Ascender was a tailless swept-wing WWII pusher fighter design born out by the USAAC 1940 fighter competition. The USAAC was looking for a fighter to counter the threat of the German Bf-109 and the Japanese Zero and replace the obsolete P-35s, P-36s and the front line P-40s just entering service. From this competition three unusual pusher prototypes were ordered, the Consolidated XP-54, Curtiss XP-55, and the Northrop XP-56. A low powered full scale flying model (model CW 24B)was built out of wood and cloth to substantiate the flying qualities, and was first flown on 2 December 1941. The XP-55 mock-up was completed in August 1942, and the first of three XP-55s was completed on 26 June 1943 with its first flight being conducted on 13 July 1943. The first aircraft was destroyed on 15 November 1943. Changes deemed necessary were incorporated in the second airframe in which performance testing began on 16 September 1944. Although the much more capable P-38, P-47, and P-51 had entered service, research into the XP-55s unusual design continued. The third XP-55 had entered flight testing in April 1944 and was used at Eglin Field for armament tests before being lost during a war bond rally display on 27 May 1945. By then the program had been terminated. Today, the second XP-55 presides in restored condition at the Kalamazoo Air Museum.. Price:£20.80 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF217 Thu, 03 Apr 2014 18:07:48 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF97 Martin PBM Mariner. By Steve Ginter. The Martin PBM Mariner flying boat with its distinctive gull wing was proposed to the Navy in 1937 as a replacement for the very successful Consolidared PBY. The major differences were: it was to be a true blue water, open ocean flying boat; capable of extremely long range; with enough offensive armaments to function as a sub hunter or patrol bomber; and enough defensive armament to protect itself. It racked up an impressive wartime record as a sub killer in the Atlantic and as a ship killer in the Pacific. The 1,366 production PBMs were built as PBM-1s, PBM-3s, PBM-3R transports, PBM-3Cs, PBM-3Ds, PBM-3Ss, PBM-5s, PBM-5Rs, PBM-5Ss, PBM-5S2s, PBM-5G and PBM-5A amphibians. In addition to development, testing, variants, and detailed aircraft systems, the book tells each squadrons history and covers usage by the U.S. Coast Guard, the Netherlands, Columbia, Argentina, Uruguay, RAF, RAAF, and civilians. The last PBM was retired from Navy service in 1956 and the last Coast Guard PBM-5G was retired in 1958. 256 pages, 755 black and white, 5-color photos and 61 drawings [PBM-3/5 PBM-5/5A]. Price:£43.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF97 Fri, 25 Oct 2013 16:14:49 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF94 Vought F7U-1 Cutlass. Price:£24.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF94 Mon, 03 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF92 Grumman F6F Hellcat. The Grumman F6F Hellcat was a carrier-based fighter aircraft developed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat in United States Navy (USN) service. Although the F6F resembled the Wildcat, it was a completely new design powered by a 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800. Some tagged it as the 'Wildcat's big brother'. First 60 pages are about the development & testing written by the late Corky Myers. The day to day operational history of were and with what squadron the Hellcat served with. 224 pages of history and photos. Price:£41.60 sales@hannants.co.uk http://alpha.hannants.co.uk/product/NF92 Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT