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US Navy S-2 Tracker Units 1954-76

This volume focuses on the Grumman S-2 Tracker and its long career on board US Navy aircraft carriers. The S-2 was a critical and frequently overlooked carrier-based warplane during the Cold War period. Twenty regular US Navy squadrons flew the S-2 over a 23 year period from a variety of aircraft carriers, performing anti-submarine warfare, airborne early warning and cargo-carrying missions.

Arado Ar 234 Blitz Bomber

When the revolutionary Arado Ar 234 jet bomber first appeared in the skies over northwest Europe in December 1944, it represented the state-of-the-art in terms of aeronautical and technical development as well as providing the Allied ground and air forces with a rude shock. The aeroplane was used successfully by the Luftwaffe as both a bomber and a high-speed reconnaissance aircraft in the final months of the war in Europe.

Israeli F-16 Units in Combat

Operating some 362 F-16s since the early 1980s, Israel has been the leading export customer for the highly successful American fighter-bomber. These aeroplanes, known as the Netz (F-16A/B), Barak (F-16C/D) and Sufa (F-16I) have seen near constant combat since 1981, claiming more than 40 aerial victories in that time and performing precision strikes against targets in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank.

Wellington Squadrons of World War 2

The most advanced twin-engined bomber in frontline service with the RAF at the start of World War 2, the aircraft remained in production for almost a decade. With more than 11,000 examples built, the Wellington, in its myriad guises, served with both Bomber Command and Coastal Command, as well as with units in North Africa and the Far East.

F-4 Phantom II Wild Weasel Units

The Soviet development of the surface-to-air missile and long-range detection and guidance radar prompted the USAF, in particular, to create a dedicated platform to neturalise these threats. The ubiquitous F-4 Phantom II was chosen for this remanding role during the Vietnam War, with the type making its combat debut in June 1968. Post-war, the more sophisticated F-4G, with a dedicated equipment fit and better armament capability, entered service in 1978. They duly became a vital component in the US tactical air forces of Europe and the Far East well into the early 1990s.