Jagdegeschwader 53 - or as it was better known, the "Pik As" (Ace of Spades) Geschwader - was one of the oldest German fighter units of World War II with its origins going back to the year 1937. This first volume, of a planned three volume set, covers the early years of the Geschwader from its founding in the spring of 1937 up to May of 1942. This book appears here for the first time in English, and contains over 200 additional photos not published in the original German language edition. The book also contains revised text and maps, and aircraft line drawings, as well as updated aerial...

Last Hope is the story of the often heroic by governments to provide their aerial warriors with the tools to evade capture when forced down in enemy controlled territory, as told by the most visible and visually stunning artifact of this effort, the Blood Chit. Illustrated with the most comprehensive collection of color photographs of Blood Chits and related evasion aids ever assembled, it provides readers an unparalleled opportunity to discover the beauty and variety of these lifesaving artifacts of war. In addition to Blood Chits, a number of the beautiful theater-made souvenir patches in...

A superb study for both the historian and modeler, this book contains 124 color profiles showing Luftwaffe single-engine fighter aircraft - Bf 109, Fw 190, Ta 152, Me 262, Me 163, and He 162 - once piloted by some of the most famous German aces of World War II. Also shown are war-era photographs of select aircraft and pilots. The book begins with a summary of Luftwaffe fighter camouflage and color schemes on the various war fronts, then explains unit markings, tactical codes, personal markings and other markings. Luftwaffe Fighter Aircraft in Profile serves as the perfect introduction to the...

Psychological Warfare is by no means a new concept in warfare. To the layman however, this particular aspect of armed conflict has seldom been greeted with understanding, or even acknowledgment. Accordingly, not enouh has been broadly or factually disseminated upon the subject to date. Seeds of Victoy explores in detail the component mechanics of an intensely orchestrated Psychological Warfare campaign, while utilizing the most recent formant of the Persian Gulf War as a case in point for understanding. The tremendous scale of the Persian Gulf War's Psychological Warfare campaign is evidenced...

Once you've finished your latest military miniature, you'll want to display it at its best. You could simply attach it to an attractive base, but just imagine posing it in a slice of terrain in which your particular soldier fought. A British paratrooper from World War II charges from a bombed-out building. A pair of Buffalo soldiers defend a waterhole in the Arizona desert. In his latest book, Kim Jones shows you in step-by-step, close-up photographs how to do just that. The artist describes his techniques for creating groundwork, foliage, and diorama settings. With this book you can use his...

In this new, extensively researched volume, U.S. Army uniforms - including enlisted soldiers, officers, insignia, and headgear - from the years 1848-1873 are examined in exacting detail. For the first time, original accounts from official reports, diaries, and other primary sources will be combined with color photographs of extraordinary surviving specimens, hundreds of important black and white images, as well as artwork from the period to tell the story of what the American soldier wore during these years. Army Blue represents more than twenty years of research in major institutions and...

The enigmatic science of military intelligence is examined in this personal record, written by Brig.Gen. Oscar W. Koch, who served during World War II as chief of intelligence for General George S. Patton, Jr., one of the most colorful military leaders in American history. General Koch traces the growth and development of the infant science through detailed accounts of the intelligence role in some of the most celebrated battles of the war, and through his personal remembrances of Patton and his relationships with members of his intelligence staff. His story moves from the African campaign...

With over 470 full-color photographs of labels from cigar boxes and a complete price guide, this book is a treasury of advertising images. Fair maidens, stylish and sedate or with a sensuous display of cleavage, are partnered with those ne'er-do-wells, railroad magnates, and political wizards of the male gender in a grand introduction to American mass marketing. Cigar box label art is a true American art form, designed to grab the buyer by the tail of his coat and spin him around, see-gar in hand, ready to buy again. The magic has not gone away Take a look for yourself.

This new book contains not only a history of the legendary Lafayette Flying Corps, but also detailed biographies of the 269 volunteer American airmen and gunners of France's Service Aeronautique who flew in sixty-six pursuit and twenty-seven bomber/observation squadrons over the Western Front - also included are the thirty-eight pilots of the Escadrille Lafayette. It is an accurate and absorbing account of the lives and combat experiences of the men who later formed the nucleus of the American Expeditionary Force squadrons. This ground breaking work contains comprehensive research, including...

Wee Warriors & Playtime Patriots engages the reader in a fascinating history of children's military-inspired fashions - handmade and commercially made replica uniforms, equipage, and toys dating from 1860-1976. An extensive collection of photographs features children in military dress from countries around the world. These touching images of a never-before-chronicled military collectibles field will mesmerize readers. Also included are dozens of nostalgic catalog pages from Sears Roebuck & Co., and Montgomery Ward touting commercially made children's uniforms that date as far back as 1918....