An illustrated A-Z encyclopedia of over 170 aircraft, including early planes used in WW1, fighters from the inter-war years and WW2, and the highly powered supersonic jets of today. A guide to the different types of weapons used in air combat; machine-guns. cannons, rockets and missiles. Specification boxes for each aircraft provide an at-a-glance information about the planes' country of origin, first flight, power, armament, size, weights and performances. Features over 600 photographs from the Imperial War Museum Photographic Archive, many never previously published. Includes facts and anecdotes about battles and fighter aces, and a glossary explaining key aviation terms and abbreviations...