Strap yourself in - Aircraft of the Aces and Combat Aircraft relaunch

Late last year we mentioned the fact that we were planning a major relaunch for the Aircraft of the Aces and Combat Aircraft. Now the ground crew have been prepped, the chocks removed and both series are preparing to taxi to the runway. In July Aircraft of the Aces and Combat Aircraft are taking off armed with their new Rolls Royce Griffon engines.

Well not quite.

But they are arriving with a brand new cover look and sparkling new interiors, and today you can get your first glimpse at what we have changed and some of the covers for the new books. The first book to get the internal design overhaul is Combat Aircraft 110 Dornier Do 24 Units... and actually so far it is the only title that we have completed the internal designs for, so you can also get an unprecedented look at one of the most eagerly anticipated 2015 aviation titles at the same time!

So... covers first.

Here are some of the new covers for the Combat Aircraft and the Aircraft of the Aces series.

Neither of these series have had a significant design overhaul in over two decades - so we have given them a fresh new look to help them appeal to the bookshops and museums that stock them. As you can clearly see from the designs, the remit was to make the books more modern, and this fresh, younger vision for ACEs and COM has been well received by the bookshops and booksellers we spoke to.

Significantly we have also worked hard on improving the visibility of the title (essential for online sales) and have moved the author name into some nice, clear space - finally solving one of the most annoying aspects of the old covers, where the author names would often vanish into the background art.

Now the author names are clearly displayed for all to see.

We have also worked closely with the cover art illustrators to ensure the new style covers do not distract from their fabulous artwork - and don't let the cover for Combat Aircraft 112 Luftwaffe Mistel Composite Bombers fool you - some of the covers on display are still stand in versions - final artwork for those titles is coming in soon.

Now to the insides of the new books (starring Combat Aircraft 110 Dornier Do 24 Units) - which have also been overhauled.

First up, one of the first spreads in the book. Or in technical parlance... the title spread.

This is followed up with a chapter opener...

And an example of some tabular excitement...

And last, but not least... a spread with some photos...

 Aircraft of the Aces and Combat Aircraft relaunch in July. But it won't just be the new books getting an overhaul. Selected bestselling older titles in the series will also be treated to a new cover!