Aircraft of the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939

Ref: 5230

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{detailed description}Aircraft of the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939 describes, for the first time in a single volume, all the multifarious types of aircraft known to have taken part in the war. Until recently, ideological propaganda, censorship, the disappearance of many vital records and the continued closure of archives have made the task of researching the air war in Spain almost impossible. For since the majority of the 3,500 or so aircraft involved were imported clandestinely during the course of the war - some 500 were literally smuggled into Spain by devious routes and under ingenious disguises - there is no consensus even over such basic questions as the relative sizes and strengths of the opposing air forces. Gerald Howson has spent fifteen years researching the subject and this book contains a wealth of information that will be new to most readers and some of it new even to specialists in the subject. More than 280 types of aircraft representing every major aircraft industry in the world, with the exception of the Japanese, are described. The variety is astounding for it includes not only familiar aircraft like the Avro 504K, Bristol Bulldog, Heinkel He 111 and Messerschmitt Bf 109, but also a remarkable selection of lesser known types such as parasol- and gull-wing fighters (Dewoitine D.372 and Loire 46) and French Multi-place de Combat machines (Bloch MB 210 and Potez 54). In addition, a surprising number of prototypes, 'one-offs', racers and once famous record breakers of the 1930s took part. Aircraft of the Spanish Civil War is a book of intriguing interest for all those concerned with the history of military and civil aviation.
Cover illustration: An original painting by Keith Woodcock depicting an incident on 22nd September, 1938, over Corbera. While Heinkel He IIIs of the Condor Legion attack Republican troops trying to enlarge their bridgehead across the Ebro river, two Republican I-16s of the 3a Escuadrilla, flown by the commander Francisco Tarazona (in CM-193) and his wingman Manuel Montilla, try to corner one of the escorting Nationalist C.R. 32s, No 3-122, flown by Pedro Martinez de Irujo of the famous 2-G-3 Group led by Capitan Morato.
{Author / Publisher / Date}by Gerald Howson
1990 1st edn. 310pp (large format)
{condition}fine, d/j slightly rubbed edges
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