Some Future Titles of Interest for SPF Members

[Arjen]

@Dagger Not an FJ-3, the US Navy used a number of (Q)F-86F aircraft.

Aircraft Photo of 562875 | North American QF-86F Sabre | USA - Navy | AirHistory.net #243568

Aircraft photo of 562875 / 30 - North American QF-86F Sabre - USA - Navy (PMTC - Pacific Missile Test Center), taken by Dan Stijovich at Point Mugu - NAS / Naval Bases Ventura County (KNTD / NTD) in California, United States on 13 October 1990 during the NAS Pt Mugu Air Show 1990.

www.airhistory.net

From wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_F-86_Sabre#Variants_2 :

QF-86F
About 50 former Japan Self-Defense Forces (JASDF) F-86F aircraft converted to drones for use as targets by the U.S. Navy

 

[AL]

I think the Fury had 4 cannons instead of 6 50's.

 

[Dagger]

@Dagger Not an FJ-3, the US Navy used a number of (Q)F-86F aircraft.

OK, good to know.
(I thought the 881 on the nose referred to an FJ-3 with bureau number 135881).

 

[Owens Z]

This forthcoming book Soviet Cold War Pilot: Memoirs of a Soviet Air Defence Fighter Pilot by Oleg Petrovich Vydrenok might be of interest; see: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Soviet-Cold-War-Pilot-Hardback/p/53329

 

[Owens Z]

He writes informative books but how big can this upcoming book be?

Norman Friedman wrote two volumes successfully on the technical history of British submarines. Unlike submarines, the UK invented the aircraft carrier (and the angled deck, the ski jump, etc.), so I expect two fat volumes on British carriers could be easily filled with welcome info, especially because of the detail for which Dr Friedman is famous. But we'll see.

 

[starviking]

Norman Friedman wrote two volumes successfully on the technical history of British submarines. Unlike submarines, the UK invented the aircraft carrier (and the angled deck, the ski jump, etc.), so I expect two fat volumes on British carriers could be easily filled with welcome info, especially because of the detail for which Dr Friedman is famous. But we'll see.

And the book these volumes build on, British Carrier Aviation, was published in 1988.

We’ve 37 years of development of UK carriers, their aviation, operational use, and roads not taken.

 

[alberchico]

A well written detailed book on air safety by an ex-NTSB investigator.

Amazon.com

 

[martinbayer]

A well written detailed book on air safety by an ex-NTSB investigator.

Amazon.com

That should be required and mandatory tested reading for any aerospace engineering student around this here globe. My only quibble is that there should be a particular special hell hole space section as well (and I'm looking at you, wretched STS).

 

[Owens Z]

After many years of collecting information, thousands of hours of work and visits to archives, today Wings of Argentina was finally ready, the complete history of the Military Aircraft Factory (today FAdeA). By mid-year it will be published by Crecy Publishing.

The long-awaited Hikoki book Wings of Argentina: Argentina's Aircraft Industry Since 1927 now looks like May 2025. Perhaps of special interest are Kurt Tank's Pulqui II jet fighter, the IA-63 Pampa, and Falklands War vet Pucará (I had seen a war trophy at Duxford), although presumably this 384p book will include plenty that I, and maybe you, have never heard of.
P.S. I haven't yet read it, but co-author Santiago Rivas had also written the Hikoki book Wings of the Malvinas: The Argentine Air War Over the Falklands.

My preorder is in with Amazon-US.

It's hard to tell because Santiago Rivas is considered to be the leading authority as far as Argentine aviation is concerned, but [Salvador Mafé Huertas] has published several books documenting the combat history of the Mirage which are quite good. If he has good sources and writes with the same level of detail as his previous books, then it'll be a good read.

With the new book Wings of Argentina: Argentina's Aircraft Industry Since 1927 by Santiago Rivas & Fernando Benedetto now available in Europe and the Americas, anybody here read it? If so, what do you think?

 

[alberchico]

I just got my copy 2 days ago. I haven't started reading it yet, but at first glance it appears to be worth every penny. It is extensively detailed, well illustrated and covers a lot of the older projects as well as very obscure proposals that never got off the ground. It seems to do a good job documenting Argentina's struggles to build a world class aircraft that could be desired by customers abroad. Glancing through this book you realize that luck and having good timing can also make or break an aircraft program. If the Falklands War had not happened, Argentina's economic position would have been better in the early 1980's and the Pampa jet trainer could have gotten into service earlier thus potentially earning export orders.

 

[Hood]

With the new book Wings of Argentina: Argentina's Aircraft Industry Since 1927 by Santiago Rivas & Fernando Benedetto now available in Europe and the Americas, anybody here read it? If so, what do you think?

It's a good book and is very comprehensive, although the subtitle is potentially misleading, this is a book about the FMA (in all its forms), so other Argentine manufacturers are not included. Includes technical specs and short production listings in the appendices plus there is brief coverage of FMA's other fields such as outboard motors, cars, motorcycles and tractors!
The only nitpick I'd have is that the text needed more editing. While I know the authors are not native English speakers and make allowances for that, some of the more clunky phraseology and terminology could have been corrected in proofreading.

 

[Springtime]

Amazon.com

New info just asking because am a subscriber to his YouTube channel and it's a great channel

 

[alberchico]

New info just asking because am a subscriber to his YouTube channel and it's a great channel

I had no idea the author had a Youtube channel, thanks for pointing it out. His book on Sabena does a good job of giving you a general overview of the history of the airline and he goes into a lot of detail explaining the decline and collapse of the carrier, as well as the efforts to create a new carrier. But there is no detailed information on how Brussels Airlines is doing today, but that is understandable since that's not the focus of the book. It does complement the other book on Sabena written by Theodore Gianna quite well. BTW that author has written a history on Swissair that is also highly recommended.

 

[Mike Pryce]

You can now register your interest in my book with Penguin:

Michael Pryce

www.penguin.co.uk

New working title Jump Jet: The Secret History of the Harrier

Don't ask me about dates! Finishing my edit at the moment.

 

[FighterJock]

Excellent news Mike, looking forward to it already. Signed up for interest at Penguin.

 

[Owens Z]

I just got my copy 2 days ago. I haven't started reading it yet, but at first glance it appears to be worth every penny. It is extensively detailed, well illustrated and covers a lot of the older projects as well as very obscure proposals that never got off the ground. It seems to do a good job documenting Argentina's struggles to build a world class aircraft that could be desired by customers abroad. Glancing through this book you realize that luck and having good timing can also make or break an aircraft program. If the Falklands War had not happened, Argentina's economic position would have been better in the early 1980's and the Pampa jet trainer could have gotten into service earlier thus potentially earning export orders.

It's a good book and is very comprehensive, although the subtitle is potentially misleading, this is a book about the FMA (in all its forms), so other Argentine manufacturers are not included. Includes technical specs and short production listings in the appendices plus there is brief coverage of FMA's other fields such as outboard motors, cars, motorcycles and tractors! The only nitpick I'd have is that the text needed more editing. While I know the authors are not native English speakers and make allowances for that, some of the more clunky phraseology and terminology could have been corrected in proofreading.

Thanks for your thoughts. I only knew of Santiago Rivas and his countryman Salvador Mafé Huertas from their article "Canberras of the Fuerza Aérea Argentina" in Volume 17 of the bookazine Wings of Fame, late 1990s (Mafé Huertas had also co-written the article "A-4 Skyhawks in the Falklands" in Volume 12). The article was appropriately detailed and in good English. I'm a bit worried about poor English inside the new book Wings of Argentina: Argentina's Aircraft Industry Since 1927, and as a former book editor myself I endorse the importance of editing. But since you both give it a thumbs-up, and since it's on an untouched yet interesting subject, I will add this book to my to-buy list. I checked just now and the Argentine planes I'm most interested in (Pulqui I & II, Pucará, Pampa) were FMA products, so those must be in there.

 

[Nick Sumner]

Wings Over the Fleet | Crécy Publishing

The Royal Navy emerged from the Second World War with the second largest fleet of aircraft carriers in the world and a year later had achieved the world’s first landing and take-off by a jet-powered aircraft from an aircraft carrier. The traditional roles of reconnaissance, aerial defence of the...

www.crecy.co.uk

Just seen this. Exciting!

Is that a navalised SEPECAT Jaguar with Sea Eagles, enlarged air intakes and a big radar on the nose?

 

[Hood]

Is that a navalised SEPECAT Jaguar with Sea Eagles, enlarged air intakes and a big radar on the nose?

It is indeed. To be precise EAG.8469, a navalised version of the developed STOVL Jaguar for AST.396.

 

[alberchico]

A bit pricey but well written and illustrated. Volume 1 is also highly recommended. Also wanted to point out that since the publisher is a small magazine based in the U.S., the airlines profiled are mostly from the U.S, with a few smaller carriers from Canada and the Caribbean also mentioned.

Exploring Airline History with David H. Stringer, Volume Two, Subjects D-N: The Airways Magazine Aarticles: Stringer, David H: 9798218695590: Amazon.com: Books

Exploring Airline History with David H. Stringer, Volume Two, Subjects D-N: The Airways Magazine Aarticles [Stringer, David H] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Exploring Airline History with David H. Stringer, Volume Two, Subjects D-N: The Airways Magazine Aarticles

www.amazon.com

 

[gatoraptor]

A bit pricey but well written and illustrated. Volume 1 is also highly recommended. Also wanted to point out that since the publisher is a small magazine based in the U.S., the airlines profiled are mostly from the U.S, with a few smaller carriers from Canada and the Caribbean also mentioned.

Exploring Airline History with David H. Stringer, Volume Two, Subjects D-N: The Airways Magazine Aarticles: Stringer, David H: 9798218695590: Amazon.com: Books

Exploring Airline History with David H. Stringer, Volume Two, Subjects D-N: The Airways Magazine Aarticles [Stringer, David H] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Exploring Airline History with David H. Stringer, Volume Two, Subjects D-N: The Airways Magazine Aarticles

www.amazon.com

I have Vol. 1 and can recommend the series highly, even if you already own the magazines the articles originally appeared in. I will order Vol 2; it helps that the DC-8 on the cover looks exactly like the plane I took my first flight on back in 1960!

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

It seems to be an FJ-3 Fury.

The author Duncan Curtis already published an F-86 Sabre book (Crowood Aviation Series) in 2000 which includes a chapter on the Fury.
I'm curious about the TOC of his new book.

It could also be

It seems to be an FJ-3 Fury.

The author Duncan Curtis already published an F-86 Sabre book (Crowood Aviation Series) in 2000 which includes a chapter on the Fury.
I'm curious about the TOC of his new book.

I hate to the "ayckchully" guy here. But we're actually looking at a QF-86 drone assigned to China Lake.

https://flic.kr/p/c5UnUN

View: https://www.flickr.com/photos/howeracer/7275409962

 

[Justo Miranda]

OK, good to know.
(I thought the 881 on the nose referred to an FJ-3 with bureau number 135881).

No tailhook?

 

[Dagger]

I hate to the "ayckchully" guy here. But we're actually looking at a QF-86 drone assigned to China Lake.

It seems you are the "late" guy here, as three weeks ago Arjen already pointed that out at the top of this page.

This particular aircraft, with NWC number 881 on its nose, was painted black on the right (starboard) side to evaluate its effect on radar signature:


Taken from: http://www.chinalakealumni.org/1987/1987mo.htm#thumb

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

@Dagger , yeah yeah yeah. I'm late to the party. I know. Hey, I brought potato salad, alright.

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

Hopefully, I'm not late to the party again. Here's something coming out soon.

Flight Craft 33: Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II (Paperback)
By Ben Skipper
Imprint: Air World
Series: Flight Craft
Pages: 96
Illustrations: 100 colour illustrations, 50 mono illustrations
ISBN: 9781036121938
Published: 30th August 2025

Flight Craft 33: Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is heralded as the ultimate fifth-generation fighter, merging advanced engineering with multinational collaboration. Developed during a time of military…

www.pen-and-sword.co.uk

 

[Bruno Anthony]

Hopefully, I'm not late to the party again. Here's something coming out soon.

Flight Craft 33: Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II (Paperback)
By Ben Skipper
Imprint: Air World
Series: Flight Craft
Pages: 96
Illustrations: 100 colour illustrations, 50 mono illustrations
ISBN: 9781036121938
Published: 30th August 2025

Flight Craft 33: Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is heralded as the ultimate fifth-generation fighter, merging advanced engineering with multinational collaboration. Developed during a time of military…

www.pen-and-sword.co.uk

Puff book or warts and all?

 

[FighterJock]

I guess it will be somewhat in-between the two Bruno Anthony, I am going to play the waiting game and wait until Crecy Publishing launches a Famous American Aircraft book on the F-35. It may be a long wait though.

 

[blackstar]

Four years later and still listed as "Coming Soon."

La Jetée Press

www.lajeteepress.com

 

[GTX]

Four years later and still listed as "Coming Soon."

La Jetée Press

www.lajeteepress.com

Still waiting...patiently?

 

[alberchico]

New book on the 747 coming next year. His previous book on the Hercules is well worth a read.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0241673283?ref=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_apin_dp_QFZPWGNTEYHA2S3MZY1H&ref_=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_apin_dp_QFZPWGNTEYHA2S3MZY1H&social_share=cm_sw_r_ffobk_cso_cp_apin_dp_QFZPWGNTEYHA2S3MZY1H&bestFormat=true

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Puff book or warts and all?

Pages: 96
Its aimed at modellers. Neither.

 

[blackstar]

Still waiting...patiently?

No. I forgot about it until I stumbled upon the image. It's too bad, because that could use a good book.

 

[GTX]

No. I forgot about it until I stumbled upon the image. It's too bad, because that could use a good book.

My comment was more about my position. I am keen and waiting...but it is frustrating.

 

[blackstar]

My comment was more about my position. I am keen and waiting...but it is frustrating.

Yeah. Long ago I learned how to develop patience with these things (I once waited 15 years for something to happen). You have to train your brain to not hang up on certain issues. We don't affect the universe, we just live in it.

 

[gatoraptor]

Hopefully, I'm not late to the party again. Here's something coming out soon.

Flight Craft 33: Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II (Paperback)
By Ben Skipper
Imprint: Air World
Series: Flight Craft
Pages: 96
Illustrations: 100 colour illustrations, 50 mono illustrations
ISBN: 9781036121938
Published: 30th August 2025

Flight Craft 33: Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is heralded as the ultimate fifth-generation fighter, merging advanced engineering with multinational collaboration. Developed during a time of military…

www.pen-and-sword.co.uk

I have a problem with the cover design. The "II" should be next to "Lightning", not next to "F-35".

 

[martinbayer]

Still waiting...patiently?

Maybe they ran out of Titanium White for the printing process?

 

[Owens Z]

Well, it won't be May 2025!
Chris

Methinks your opinion of The Mighty Hunter has been clouded by what's been written in the (mainly lay) press about the AEW3 and MRA4 (I'll chuck in the Haddon-Cave inquiry as well). As for the subtitle - MR.1, MR.2 and R.1 were indeed 'outstanding in the role' they performed. Not my words; Chief of the Air Staff, Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Sir Keith A. Williamson in 1983. AEW3 and MRA4 never got a chance.
Chris

I see that Crécy Publishing's website now has a page for Chris Gibson's forthcoming book Hawker Siddeley HS.801 Nimrod: Outstanding in the Role at < https://crecy.co.uk/product/hawker-siddeley-hs-801-nimrod >. Due in May 2026. No front cover image or page count as yet.

 

[Michel Van]

Coming this October 2025

Privatizing Space

This book shows how COTS changed spaceflight, from costly models to innovation. With illustrations, it charts the move to a spacefaring future.

link.springer.com

 

[Michel Van]

coming end august 2025

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Spacecraft-Shuttles-Satellites/dp/0760395071/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0

 

[TomS]

No mention on Naval Institute Press's website yet, but this forthcoming book about ASW from 1946 through 1990 sounds interesting. Whenever I re-read Norman Friedman's authoritative U.S. Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History, I am struck that the USN's fears in the late 1940's, about a horde of Soviet high-speed submarines based on the advanced Type XXI U-boat rendering the existing fleet of destroyer escorts ineffective, have still not come to pass. As things have turned out, the fastest diesel-electric subs of the 2020's can do only a few knots more that the Type XXI's 17 knots, and that for only an hour or so. If one could catch a "slow steaming" 18-knot Maersk container ship at all, I suspect that an escorting John C. Butler-class DE armed with Hedgehog would be considered a dangerous adversary to this day.

Dr Friedman covers the period well in his fine book The Fifty Year War: Conflict and Strategy in the Cold War, which he kindly autographed for me, and he exhaustively covered ASW weapons and fire control (and the general principles of sonar, etc.) in the volumes of his big Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapon Systems, of which I own two.

FYI, this appears to be out now. I just ordered it from USNI. The 40% discount for members (from $125 to $75) would tidily cover the cost of a one-year digital membership...

https://www.usni.org/press/books/cold-war-anti-submarine-warfare