Ultima modifica di Admin il Mar Ago 01, 2017 10:01 pm - modificato 4 volte.
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Secret Projects
Admin- Admin
- Numero di messaggi : 60
Data d'iscrizione : 24.08.08
- Messaggio n°1
Secret Projects
Ultima modifica di Admin il Mar Ago 01, 2017 10:01 pm - modificato 4 volte.
michele- M1.0
- Numero di messaggi : 1046
Data d'iscrizione : 29.08.08
Località : Reggio Emilia
- Messaggio n°7
Re: Secret Projects
Introduction and Acknowledgements
This volume completes a trilogy of British Secret Projects titles that covers the design and development of British fighters and bombers from approximately the end of the biplane era to the start of the new millennium.
The subtitle dates, 1935 to 1950, embrace the rearmament period right through to the last first flights of types developed during the war.
In other words the book begins with projects prepared in the knowledge that war was probably coming and ends with some aircraft which were essentially wartime designs, such as the Venom and Sea Hawk, but which did not get airborne until after the conflict had ended.
In fact the Venom did not fly until 1949 but, as a development of the Vampire, it is fully representative of wartime aerodynamics, structure and technology.
Perhaps the Hawker Sea Hawk, with its bifurcated intake and jet pipes developed specifically to solve the problems of jet propulsion, represents the last word in World War Two technology and thus connects this volume to the post-1950 books.
Finding a demarcation line has been difficult and some readers may disagree with the decision to omit, or discuss only briefly, some 1933/34 period designs.
However, an official post-war report noted that 'even the pre-1936 heavy and medium bombers (such as the Whitley and Hampden) could only partially be adapted to 1938 standards.
The Whitley was depicted as being 'still too slow and lumbering', and so I feel that a more thorough coverage of such aeroplanes really belongs to a review of 1920s and early 1930s developments.
Once war had broken out some of the pre-war ideas, such as the turret fighter, were found to be flawed, but they still form an important part of the story.
Certain post-war flying boat projects pro-posed in the late 1940s for service in the 1950s are also mentioned briefly.
Had any of these types been put into service they should have carried 1950s weaponry but when they were designed the concept of the large military flying boat had become out of date, so they were omitted from the post-war fighter and bomber volumes and held back until now.
I have tried to ensure that each chapter describes a specific category of aeroplane but at times there has been some overlap, for example similar RAF and RN requirements, single and twin engined fighters in competition, light/medium bombers, so when this happens the projects concerned are described in the most convenient place.
Once again extensive use has been made of previously unpublished primary source material held by museums and record offices and in company and private collections.
Much of this has actually been declassified for twenty or thirty years but rarely accessed by researchers, often because it was previously inaccessible.
To keep in line with the earlier volumes, particular emphasis was yet again placed on the design competitions between projects from different companies;
however the war did witness a good number of types put into the air with little or no competition and jet aircraft are perhaps the best example of this.
Sadly, unlike the overall situation for post-war British projects, many designs from World War Two and before have now been lost forever.
In some cases archives stored 'for safe keeping' during the war were ruined while in store but, quite understandably, it also appears that some companies soon destroyed some of their piston aircraft archives because they had been made obsolete by the advent of the jet.
Nevertheless many designs have survived and a high percentage of those reproduced here have never been published before;
as a consequence they form the most complete record yet written.
Project data throughout is the manufacturer's estimates; if submitted to the Ministry, the figures would normally be reassessed by specialists and often changed (weights in particular would regularly increase) but using company data as much as possible provides a common factor to present the figures.
The interest which was generated by both of my previous books on British Secret Projects has been very pleasing and rewarding and has been very much appreciated.
Completing this volume has been another fascinating and enjoyable experience and I hope those of you who sample it gain as much pleasure as I have in learning about these wonderful designs.
Acknowledgements Once again I am greatly indebted to an enormous number of people who have helped me to put this work together.
As before the lists of unbuilt projects in the Putnam series of books on British Aircraft Manufacturers, and selected other titles listed in the bibliography, gave the framework from which to begin my own research.
michele- M1.0
- Numero di messaggi : 1046
Data d'iscrizione : 29.08.08
Località : Reggio Emilia
- Messaggio n°8
Re: Secret Projects
During the final years of World War 2, Japan was desperate for technical advances to combat the high-altitude B-29 bombers and planned invasion of the homeland.
As cities were flattened and antiquated aircraft such as the infamous Zero fighter bravely fought on only to be shot out of the skies by superior Allied aircraft, the Japanese military, like their German counterparts, sought innovative designs as time and resources drew to a close. Japanese Secret Projects looks in detail at the multiplicity of aeronautical designs and concepts that the Japanese developed to try to counter the Allied onslaught.
The book is divided into two sections dedicated to the air forces of the 1JA and UN with over 42 aircraft examined in their historical and political context, each with its variants, performance and combat records laid out in an easy to read fashion.
Beautifully illustrated by the world's leading aviation artists, this book is complemented by stunning color renditions of aircraft in combat including profiles of genuine markings and camouflage schemes.
Notable emphasis is placed upon the transonic rammer aircraft, strategic long-range bombers, high-altitude fighters, Kamikaze aircraft and the methods in which the Japanese military adapted German technology to their particular needs such as the Messerschmitt 262 jet fighter and 163 Komet rocket interceptor.
Secret Japanese armaments are also covered in detail with information on guided missiles, aerial rockets and unique bombs.
With an incredible range of interesting and bizarre aircraft designs and access to previously unpublished information, Japanese Secret Projects is a gripping and educational read for aviation and military enthusiasts around the world.