Need some inspiration for gifts this Christmas? Check out today’s blog post for a list of books that make the perfect gift for the armchair general, aviation enthusiast or history buff in your life and are available for a great price! Click on any of the covers below to order your copy.
Aviation
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To Defeat the Few: The Luftwaffe’s campaign to destroy RAF Fighter Command, August–September 1940 by Douglas C. Dildy and Paul F. Crickmore
A Battle of Britain book like no other, this is a vital addition to the library of any World War II aviation fan. Doug Dildy and Paul Crickmore break new ground in this detailed and rigorous analysis, complete with maps, diagrams and contemporary photographs, which lays bare the Luftwaffe’s campaign to establish air superiority over Britain from the German perspective.
P-51B Mustang: North American’s Bastard Stepchild that Saved the Eighth Air Force by James William ‘Bill’ Marshall and Lowell F. Ford
Designed and built to solve the problem of Germany’s layered defence strategy during World War II, the P-51B played a pivotal role at the forefront of the fight against the Third Reich. Examining the technical aspects of the aircraft and the complex history behind its development and deployment, this fascinating title is a must-have for all Mustang lovers.
In Cold War Skies: NATO and Soviet Air Power, 1949–89 by Michael Napier
Written by an ex-RAF pilot who saw front-line service during the Cold War, this fascinating study examines the development and deployment of the various air forces used by the major powers throughout the 40 years of the conflict. Featuring first-hand accounts of operational flying and numerous high-quality images, this lavishly illustrated large-format book will appeal to aviation enthusiasts and those with a fascination for the Cold War.
Armour
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Hitler's Tanks: German Panzers of World War II by Chris McNab
The Panzers that rolled over Europe were Germany's most famous fighting force, and are some of the most enduring symbols of World War II. However, at the start of the war, Germany's tanks were nothing extraordinary and it was operational encounters such as facing the Soviet T-34 during Operation Barbarossa which prompted their intensive development.
Drawing on Osprey's unique and extensive armour archive, in this highly illustrated survey perfect for any armour enthusiast, Chris McNab details the development and operational history of the fearsome tanks that transformed armoured warfare and revolutionized land warfare forever.
The History of the Panzerwaffe: Volume 3: The Panzer Division by Thomas Anderson
The third volume in Thomas Anderson’s detailed History of the Panzerwaffe series focuses on the most important units in the Panzerwaffe, and some of the most famous units in the history of warfare: the Panzer Divisions. It details their pre-war origins and how they developed over the course of World War II, covering all the specialized units and how they operated on the battlefield. Using original German documents and rare and previously unpublished images, this study sheds new light on the subject for even the most knowledgeable German armour fans.
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Naval:
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The Master Shipwright's Secrets by Richard Endsor
A comprehensively researched and beautifully illustrated history of 17th-century shipbuilding practice. The Master Shipwright’s Secrets uses the construction of King Charles II’s warship Tyger, as well as the Mordaunt, St Albans and associated ships, to reveal the techniques employed by those who created the Restoration Navy.
For over 40 years, Warship has been the leading annual resource on the design, development, and deployment of the world's combat ships. Featuring eleven articles on diverse subjects from a panel of distinguished international contributors, this latest volume combines original research, new book reviews, warship notes, an image gallery, and much more.
The Battleship USS Iowa by Stefan Draminski
This detailed study of one of the greatest US warships, the USS Iowa, whose four decades in service took her from the Pacific War in World War II to the Persian Gulf in the late 1980s, is filled with contemporary photographs, scaled plans of the ship and hundreds of superb 3D illustrations to bring every detail of this historic battleship to life.
World War II
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Winning World War II was about more than military force. It required guile, and tremendous acts of bravery by Special Forces and intelligence operatives who had the odds stacked against them. Using hundreds of documents and images from The National Archives, including some that have never been seen in print before, this book reveals some of World War II's most audacious missions from the plot to assassinate SS General Reinhard Heydrich to the celebrated deception of Operation Mincemeat.
Sent by the Iron Sky: The Legacy of an American Parachute Battalion in World War II by Ian Gardner
From the moment they entered the war in June, 1944, the men of 3rd Battalion were faced with brutal fighting against horrendous odds.Their heroic defence of Bastogne saw their division awarded a Unit Citation, and they subsequently fought on across Europe, finishing the war occupying Hitler's mountain retreat of Berchtesgaden.
Drawing on years of research and interviews with veterans of some of the toughest battles of World War II, together with maps and over 200 vintage images, Ian Gardner brings to life some of the most bitter fighting of the war in Europe, laying bare the horrors of war, the deprivations of day-to-day living and the chaos of the front line in this highly readable illustrated narrative.
World War II Battle by Battle by Nikolai Bogdanovic
This compact gift book takes thirty of World War II's most significant clashes, both the famous and the lesser known, and presents their stories in a concise, easy to digest format, accompanied by beautiful Osprey artwork plates in full colour that illuminate a key moment in each battle.
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