Before Centuries

The tensions of the Cold War may never have simmered so ominously as they did in the immediate aftermath of World War II, when the Iron Curtain was beginning its descent. For U.S. Air Force pilots and crews in Europe, the situation made for hour after hour of boredom—punctuated by seconds of absolute terror. Ready to take to the sky at a moment's notice with a device so devastating it was referred to only as the "special" weapon, these men were right on the edge of the sword.
Pressed into service during these years was a variety of aircraft that preceded the famed F-100 Centuries. These jets were early developments in what would be a forty-five-year struggle for the technological advantage in a global conflict.
In this book, USAFE veteran and noted historian David Menard presents meticulous photographic documentation of the fighter wings and squadrons that flew in Europe. His comprehensive collection, the result of more than thirty-five years of effort, chronicles the diverse early jets that kept the Soviet threat at bay and the markings that adorned them. He provides detailed squadron histories as well. What emerges from his exhaustive research is a complete history of USAFE fighter aircraft of the period.
Within these pages, you'll see brand new P-80 Shooting Stars being towed through the streets of vanquished Bremen by Army jeeps, checkered F-84E Thunderjets soaring above the Alps, and gleaming F-86 Sabres flying alongside the Eiffel Tower in textbook formation. The brilliant color schemes and detailed insignias that tagged these aircraft tell their own side of the story: the Luftwaffe-style serial and buzz numbers on U.S. jets, for example, reflect a German civilian population with a radically altered mission; an F-47D "Jug" carrying Soviet insignia for a film shoot announces the arrival of a new and more enduring enemy; a squadron insignia depicting an atomic bomb in mid-burst evokes the ever-present chill of the atomic age.
An indispensable reference for USAF historians and model builders alike, Before Centuries is a trove of salvaged material and a sweeping recollection of the aircraft and symbolism that staved off enemy action—and secured a resounding victory in the Cold War.


by David W. Menard
Published by Airlife 1999 1st edition. 128pp profusely illustrated with much colour. 29x23 landscape, mint including d/j.






Note:
"Long" descriptions, where shown, may have been taken from the book's dust jacket notes, and as such are relevant to the date of publication (e.g. any references to "previously unpublished photographs" etc.) and not the present.

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