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Books about individual aircraft types can be found on our aircraft data pages.

 
The Other Ninth Air Force: Ninth US Army Light Aircraft Operations in Europe 1944-45
by Ken Wakefield
Hardcover, 192 pages

The Other Ninth Air Force takes a detailed look at how the Artillery Air Section of a US Army Headquarters functioned during the Second World War in Europe. It relates how its Air Observation Post aircraft were procured, crewed and operated as recorded by the officer responsible for such matters. In this instance, the HQ was that of Ninth US Army and the officer concerned was the late Lt-Col. Robert M. Leich. As Artillery Air Officer, Leich maintained a daily journal and this is the principal source on which this book is based. The result is a book of a different kind, covering both operational and administrative matters. Also revealed is the close cooperation that existed between Ninth Army and the two USAAF 'air' units attached to it, namely the 125th Liaison Squadron and the 50th Mobile Reclamation and Repair Squadron.
 

Chasing Planes: Adventures of an Airplane Fanatic
by Gordon R. Page
Paperback, 192 pages
(also available in Hardcover)

Starting at an early age, Gordon Page was obsessed with anything that had to do with airplanes. Compelled to always look up to see what was flying overhead, he quickly developed the ability to identify anything with wings. Since then, Gordon has spent his life chasing planes. Gordon chronicles stories from his life as a pilot, consultant, broker, and aircraft appraiser that detail real life experiences and valuable lessons learned. Gordon's anecdotes reveal a variety of circumstances that include white-knuckle moments in the cockpit as he faced electrical failure in the skies over western Nebraska, survived an unforgettable helicopter tour of northern Israel as a passenger, and prepared to crash into a cornfield in a small plane in South Korea with a Top Gun obsessed pilot at the controls. Included are stories about how Gordon helped keep a giant bomber in the sky, assisted a film crew in recording a flight test of the G-II, and helped coordinate the sale of several Me 262s after a one-hour visit to Meacham, Texas, years earlier. Chasing Planes encapsulates the fascinating life journey of a pilot and airplane aficionado after he looked to the skies and found his true calling.
 

 
Hidden Warbirds - Epic Stories of Finding, Recovering, and Rebuilding WWII's Lost Aircraft
by Nicholas A. Veronico
Hardcover, 256 pages

This book explores the romantic era of World War II Warbirds and the stories of some of its most famous wrecks, including the "Swamp Ghost" (a B-17E that crashed in New Guinea in the early days of World War II and which was only recently recovered), and "Glacier Girl" (a P-38, part of "The Lost Squadron," that crashed in a large ice sheet in Greenland in 1942). The author provides a history of the aircraft, as well as the unique story behind each discovery and recovery with ample illustrations. Great reading!
 

 
Hidden Warbirds II - More Epic Stories of Finding, Recovering, and Rebuilding WWII's Lost Aircraft
by Nicholas A. Veronico
Hardcover, 256 pages

The engaging follow-up to the critically acclaimed "Hidden Warbirds." Aviation historian Nicholas A. Veronico further explores the romantic era of World War II warbirds and the stories of some of its most famous wrecks and recoveries. The long-lost aircraft featured in this much-anticipated sequel include a Hawker Tempest being restored in Texas; the sole surviving Brewster F3A Corsair, rescued from a swamp; and a Junkers 88 recovered from the icy waters of Norway.
 

Surplus WWII U.S. Aircraft
By William T. Larkins
Paperback, 224 pages

At the end of WWII, the USA disposed of thousands of warplanes. This detailed and concise book covers the disposition of this huge fleet, with hundreds of photos and careful research backing up the narration.

Ghosts of the Skies: Aviation in the Second World War
By Phillip Makanna
Hardcover, 160 pages

The author's dazzling photography and superb writing bring the aircraft of World War II to life. Includes inspirational quotes and historical information.

Ghosts II: A Time Remembered
By Phillip Makanna
Hardcover, 128 pages

Another collection of some of the best warbird photography available. Phillip Makanna's books are truly inspirational and serve as great reference books for vintage aircraft lovers.

Warbird Recovery: The Hunt for a Rare WWII Plane in Siberia, Russia
By Gordon R. Page
Hardcover, 210 Pages

The author takes you on a true, harrowing adventure to the east and west coasts of Russia in his hunt for rare WWII aircraft. Encountering greed and bribery at every turn, Page risks his safety for a lifelong dream.

These three books are useful guides to many of the aircraft that served in World War II. Both combat and non-combat aircraft are chronicled. Text includes each type's origin, history and variants, followed by a full technical specification.

Behind the scenes at the RAF's premier classic aircraft display flight. The world famous RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (RAF BBMF) operates five Spitfires, two Hurricanes, a Lancaster and a Dakota, which perform at flying displays all over Britain during the summer season. Photographer Keith Wilson has been granted full official access to 'the Flight' to give readers a unique behind-the-scenes 'how it's done' look at all its activities - from the aircraft and their crews, to ground crews and support staff, and from air display planning to major overhauls of the aircraft.
 

Surviving Bomber Aircraft of World War Two: A Global Guide to Location and Types
By Don Berliner
Hardcover, 127 pages

This is a guide to the existing WWII bomber aircraft in aviation museums throughout the world. Each double-page spread contains a color photo of an example of the aircraft as viewed in an aviation museum, examples of different marks and a textual resume of the type with statistics. The aircraft can be viewed in the USA, UK, France, Czechoslovakia, USSR, Canada, Australia, Finland, Holland, Poland, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden and Spain.

The follow-on the the previously-released book (above), this time focusing on fighter-type aircraft.

Take a look inside some of the rarest aircraft in the world.

In 1998, Paul G. Allen began acquiring and preserving a selection of iconic warriors and workhorses, many of which are the last of their kind. Allen's passion for aviation and history, and his awareness of the increasing rarity of original WWII aircraft, motivated him to restore these artifacts to the highest standard of authenticity.

Photographs in the book include cockpit shots, exterior museum shots, historic photographs, and breathtaking contemporary flying shots from photographers like award-winning John Dibbs. "Flying Warbirds" is the definitive guide to everything you want to know about this fascinating period in aeronautics and military history.
 

With the aid of 116 extraordinarily detailed and accurate line drawings, this book shows how a wide selection of classic military aircraft were put together, inside and out. Showing how aircraft developed during the war, each complex line drawing is annotated with an exhaustive key with everything from air ducts to the nosewheel leg pivot mounting. The illustrations are complemented by color photographs with extended captions, plus detailed information about each aircraft's operational specifics. From the Messerschmitt Bf109K-4 to the North American B-25 Mitchell, this book is an invaluable reference guide for anyone interested in how classic aircraft worked.
 

A collection of many of the extraordinary aircraft cutaways that originally appeared in the pages of the highly-respected publications "Flight," "The Aeroplane," and "Aeroplane Monthly." These fine cutaways, which have set exacting standards for technical drawings over the years, feature virtually every major combat type. All the major Allied and Axis combat types of World War II are covered, and the cutaways are accompanied by the best photography from the huge "Aeroplane" picture archive, individual specifications, and a history of each type and of the artists themselves.
 

Country by country, aircraft by aircraft, this magnificently huge and visually-splendid encyclopedia presents all the planes that waged deadly battle in the skies during World War II. Through a combination of large-size contemporary color and original black-and-white photography, the ever-changing strategies and course of the air war from 1939-46 emerges, accompanied by each plane's specifications, performance, histories, and the clashes in which they participated.

Rolls-Royce Merlin Manual: 1933-50 Owner's Workshop Manual: An Insight into the Design, Construction, Operation and Maintenance of the Legendary WWII Aero Engine
By Ian Craighead
Hardcover, 160 pages

The Rolls-Royce Merlin liquid-cooled V-12 piston aero engine is considered an icon of British engineering with a worldwide recognition. It was one of the most successful aircraft engines of the Second World War period, and its incremental development ran hand-in-hand with that of the legendary Supermarine Spitfire to which it was fitted from the very beginning.

Merlin engines powered many more of the best-known Allied combat aircraft of the war including the Hawker Hurricane, P-51 Mustang, Avro Lancaster, Handley Page Halifax, and the de Havilland Mosquito.

The Packard V-1650 was a license-built version of the Merlin made in the United States. When Merlin production finally ceased in 1950, almost 150,000 engines had been delivered.

This book is a detailed history of the engine, rather than the technical manual that its name implies.
 

R-4360: Pratt & Whitney's Major Miracle
By Graham White
Paperback or Hardcover, 208 pages

Aviation technology progressed at a blindingly fast pace during the first half of the 20th century. Aircraft were asked to fly higher, fly faster, carry heavier loads, take off and land on shorter runways, fly greater distances, and consume less fuel with each new generation, and with perfect dependability. Pratt & Whitney's R-4360, or "Wasp Major" as it was known in the commercial marketplace, was a very large engine, displacing 4,360 cubic inches and generating up to 4,000 horsepower. At one time, it represented the largest and most sophisticated of its breed. By the end of the piston-engine era Pratt & Whitney had placed into mass production the largest and most powerful engine ever built in quantity. This book provides a detailed account of the inner workings of the R-4360. Also covered is the engine's development history, variations, and its military, commercial, and racing applications.
 

This is a fascinating story of a remarkable time in aviation history, when American businesses helped fund the arsenal of democracy that helped defeat the Axis powers. Warbird Factory tells this story with over 200 photographs, many of which come directly from the NAA/Boeing archives, where they have resided since WWII. This is an essential book for anyone interested in warbirds, aviation, Boeing/NAA, WWII, and/or the history of Southern California!
 

Few industrial phenomena have been as dramatic as the United States’ mid-20th-century shift from peacetime to wartime production. The "American Aircraft Factory in World War II" documents the production of legendary warbirds by companies like Boeing, North American, Curtiss, Consolidated, Douglas, Grumman, and Lockheed. It was a production unmatched by any other country and a crucial part of why the allies won the war.

Author Bill Yenne considers the prewar governmental acts that got the plants rolling, as well as the gender shift that occurred as women entered the work force like never before. He also describes the construction of mega-factories like Willow Run, factory design considerations, and the postwar conversion back to peacetime production. Illustrated with 175 period photographs—including 50 rare color photos never before seen in print.
 

Over 250 rare photographs depict one of the greatest industrial feats of World War II: the massive production of American military aircraft. Photos show teams of workers turning out Boeing B-17 bombers in Seattle, huge B-24D Liberators at the Ford plant in Willow Run, F6F Grumman Hellcat fighters in Long Island, and much more.

A detailed photo essay of many of the United States' 300,000 combat aircraft being built from 1940 to 1945. Contains over 400 b/w photos and textual descriptions.

"If you believe that real airplanes have round engines, if you thrill to the sound of those mighty radial engines of the World War II era and the late 1940s and early 1950s, this book is a 'must-have.' Feast your eyes on these beautiful airplanes and the superb photography with which they are captured, and let your imagination wander.

You will find examples of the venerable Douglas DC-3 (including the C-47 Skytrain/Dakota, Navy RC-4, and C-117 (Super DC-3) Douglas Skymaster (in its DC-4, C-54, and RD-5 incarnations), Curtiss C-46 Commando, Lockheed Constellation (C-69) and Super Constellation (C-121), Fairchild C-119 Packet (now a rarity), along with less-common types, such as the Junkers Ju-52, Avro Anson, De Havilland DH-89 Dragon Rapide/Dominie, De Havilland Drover, De Havilland Dove and Heron, and Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer. Post-War types such as the Boeing C-97, Douglas DC-6 and DC-7, Lockheed Super Constellation and Starliner, Convair 340/440 (C-131 Samaritan), and Martin 4-0-4 are given their due as well." (From a reader review.)
 

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum holds the United States' premier collection of historic aircraft, but visitors must view these impressive vehicles at a distance.

The book captures the feeling of helming these historic craft with big, gorgeous four–color photographs that will give flight enthusiasts a true pilot's eye view of many of history's most important domestic and military airplanes, jets, and helicopters. Each entry includes archival images of the craft and authoritative text that places each one in the context of the development of aviation technology and world history.
 

The follow-up to "In the Cockpit," this gorgeously-designed book focuses specifically on the interiors of World War II aircraft. In the Cockpit II features rare aircraft from the Smithsonian’s collection and a visual viewpoint of cockpits that museum-goers never get to see, plus a foreword by distinguished pilot Robert A. Hoover.

This book gives readers unprecedented photographic access to 39 once-secret aircraft cockpits from the U.S., U.K., the Soviet Union, Sweden, Canada, and more. Each featured aircraft includes a pilot perspective on what it was like to fly these legendary aircraft.

The best reference book ever published about the history of Cessna's relationship with the military. Covers everything from the UC-78 "Bamboo Bomber" and the Cessna Helicopter to the venerable T-37 "Tweet." A fun read.

The inside story of the WWII Lend-Lease program and the pilots who flew P-39 Airacobras, P-63 King Cobras, and other aircraft along the Alaska-Siberia (ALSIB) Ferrying Route. Containing a fascinating collection of short stories and more than 140 black and white and color photos from both American and Russian sources, this book presents a unique dual-language look at one of the most dangerous missions of WWII.

Shot To Hell: The Stories and Photos of Ravaged WWII Warbirds
By Cory Graff
Paperback, 127 pages

World War II aviation buffs will cringe but be fascinated by the images of once-glorious U.S. Army Air Corps aircraft mangled and battered during combat action. The author provides the harrowing details and sometimes surprising twists behind each photo.

A fascinating full-color glimpse inside the aircraft and gun stations of WWII. Also includes many personal anecdotes from the men who served in this dangerous role.

Thorough research and wonderful photography highlight this tribute to the classic airliners of the past. If you like DC-3's, DC-4s, DC-6s, Constellations, and similar planes, you'll love this book.

Wrecks and Relics: The Indispensable Guide to Britain's Aviation Heritage, 24th Edition
By Ken Ellis
368 pages

Wrecks & Relics is the biennial 'bible' of the UK preservation movement. Expanded and completely revised, the 24th edition of this series provides even more details on a vast array of aircraft including their build and retirement dates. It now highlights how long exhibits have been with museums and major collections.

A large, comprehensive history of U.S. military warplanes! Covers just about every airplane you can think of. Lavishly illustrated, this book is a fantastic reference source.

Illustrated histories of over 300 of the world's best-known military aircraft. Contains lots of photos, specifications, text histories, technical details, and lore. A wonderful reference source for airplane fanatics and history buffs.

Nicaraguan strongman General Anastasio Somoza is making room for the modern jets sent down by his Cold War ally, the United States. Will Martin, a 34-year-old civilian pilot, has just suffered the loss of his family business in Chicago and is looking to make a fresh start. So I Bought An Air Force is the wild but true tale of how Martin buys the Nicaraguan Air Force's fleet of P-51 Mustangs, P-47 Thunderbolts, and C-45 Expeditors, and his struggles to get his planes back to the USA. With stunning color photographs from the author's personal archive, this book gives the reader a vivid look at the rough-and-tumble world of 1960s Latin America from the cockpit of some of the hottest American aircraft ever built.
 

Stunning warbird images from the cameras of some of the most talented photographers in the business.

A photographic record of New Zealand's greatest airshow, hosted each year by prolific warbird collector Sir Tim Wallis.

There are few books that a WWII aviation enthusiast must have. This one of them. It is a very detailed history of eleven aircraft types which formed the backbone of the U.S. fighter force in World War II. Lots of supplementary information, including over 650 rare photographs and 200 tables and graphs which compare the various aircraft. This is a large, indispensable reference book!

AMARG: America's Military Aircraft Boneyard
By Nicholas Veronico and Ron Strong
Paperback, 144 pages

AMARG is the largest US military aircraft storage center. Numerous photographs taken both from the air and on the ground show the reader vistas of the 4,000 total airplanes stored at this site, while a detailed appendix gives a comprehensive listing of all the aircraft types.

Bowen's photographic skill has consistently given us some remarkable photos of many historic aircraft types. He's known for hanging out the back end of a B-25 bomber in order to get just the right angle, and this impressive coffee-table book is a beautiful tribute to the machines themselves, and to the people who people who flew (and still fly) them.

This small-but-thick book (448 pages!) packs a lot of information between its covers. It includes most of the world's airworthy warbird aircraft types. Each entry has a recent photo, history, and specifications. (Great for quick reference when you can't make it online to Warbird Alley!)

A complete history of the final resting places of the USA's greatest fighters, bombers, transports and trainers. Many fascinating photos!

An interesting color photo tour through America's largest military aircraft repository located in Tucson, Arizona. Many of today's highly-prized warbirds escaped certain doom here.

This is the story of people whose passion is recovering lost airplanes, including one team's amazing efforts to recover a B-29 bomber from the ice in Greenland.

 
Spitfires, Thunderbolts, and Warm Beer: An American Fighter Pilot over Europe
By Phillip D. Caine
Hardcover

In 1941, before America entered World War II, determined young LeRoy Gover signed on with Britain’s Royal Air Force to fly the plane of his dreams, the fast, sleek Spitfire. When America joined the fight, he transitioned to the powerful P-47 Thunderbolt. Former USAF pilot and aviation historian Philip D. Caine has skillfully selected from the young flyer’s letters and diary entries to create a vivid portrait of the kind of man who helped win the war. A story of great courage, Spitfires, Thunderbolts, and Warm Beer is a testament to the many other brave men who served.
 

 
Warbirds
By Max Haynes
Paperback

A photographic history spanning a century of innovation in military aviation, this book features forty of America’s greatest combat aircraft from World War I and World War II to the modern era--the true warbirds. This collection captures the “greatest generation” of warbirds—the restored B-17 Flying Fortresses, B-24 Liberators, P-38 Lightnings, P-47 Thunderbolts, P-51 Mustangs, transports, trainers, bombers, and fighters—close-up at rest or flashing in action by premier air-to-air aviation photographer Max Haynes. Each of the 250 photographs—200 in color—is accompanied by detailed information on the pictured aircraft, its pilot, crew, and unique history, making this volume the ultimate resource on combat aircraft in the twentieth century.
 

Disc 1 - The Fighters: P-51 Mustang, P-47 Thunderbolt, P-38 Lightning, P-40 Warhawk (Extra: Fighter Tactics 101)
Disc 2 - The Bombers: B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator, B-29 Superfortress. (Extra: Allied Airmen, POWs)
Disc 3 - Axis and Allies Fighters of the RAF, Defenders of the Reich, Attack Air.

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