GENE : ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF MILITARY AIRCRAFT

[monse]

Book Title:

GENE : ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF MILITARY AIRCRAFT

Author:

Enzo Angelucci

ISBN:

978-0785813590

Category:

History

Format:

Hardback

Summary:

1st edition (2001)

This encyclopedic volume is a complete panorama of "flying machines" from the drawings of Leonardo Da Vinci to the most sophisticated military aircraft of the present and future. Includes detailed analyses of over 800 significant examples of military aircraft throughout history and 700 accompanying 3-D drawings.

Profiles size comparison
Aircraft insignias
Color drawings with technical datas (year, size, speed, engine, armament, range, crew)
Three views profiles, along with historical facts.
Black and white photographs
Highly detailed index

Five chapters : WW1, Military aviation between the two world wars, WW2, from 1945 to the 1980's, Late eighties.

Here are the types of planes presented in this encyclopaedia :

WW1
Planes at the start of the war : 25
Fighters 53
Bombers 35
Recon, trainer, seaplanes 48
Balloons, dirigibles 11
Engines 10

Inter war
Fighters 51
Bombers 34
Recon / trainer 16

WW2
105 fighters (more with variants)
88 bombers (more with variants)
53 recon (including seaplanes)
25 trainers
27 transport (including gliders)

Post WW2
67 fighters (more with variants)
48 bombers
24 recon
39 trainers

Late eighties
32 all types

Personal opinion :
My first book when I started being interested in WW1 planes.
I really enjoy it and consider it as a must have for everyone who wants to get general knowledges about military aircraft.
It is very complete by the number of planes presented, the detailed technical and historical datas.
It is a great to have the coloured picture of each plane and their 3 views drawings.
For each aircraft, it is not as detailed as Osprey or old Profile Publications but it is a interesting book to discover any types of military aircraft.
Some important WW1 planes are unfortunately missing, as Sopwith Dolphin, LFG Roland C.II.
About WW1, some 3 views profiles and coloured drawings only show one type of a manufacturer plane : LVG C.II (no C.V and C.VI), Rumpler C.I (no C.IV).
But there are profiles and drawings for every Albatros C type : C.I - C.III - C.V - C.VII - C.X - C.XII.