Books in the History of Military Aviation series

At the Dawn of Airpower: The U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps' Approach to the Airplane, 1907-1917examines the development of aviation in the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps from their first official steps into aviation up to the United States' declaration of war against Germany inApril,1917.Burkeexplainswhyeach of the services wantedairplanesandshowhowthey developedtheir respective air arms and the doctrine that guided them. His narrative follows aviation developments closely, delving deep into the official and personal papers ofthoseinvolved andteasing out the ideas and intents ofthe early pioneers whodrovemilitaryaviationBurke also closely examines the consequences of both accidental and conscious decisions on the development of the nascent aviation arms. Certainly, the slow advancement of the technology of the airplane itself in the United States (compared to Europe) in this period affected the creation of doctrine in this period. Likewise, notions that the war that broke out in 1914 was strictly a European concern, reinforced by President Woodrow Wilson's intentions to keep the United States out of that war, meant that the U.S. military had no incentive to "e;keep up"e; with European military aviation. Ultimately, however, he concludes that it was the respective services' inability to create a strong, durable network connecting those flying the airplanes regularly (technology advocates) with the senior officers exercising control over their budget and organization (technology patrons) that hindered military aviation during this period.

Fills a critical gap in Cold War and Air Force history by telling the story of General Thomas S. Power for the first time. Brent Ziarnick covers the span of both Power's personal and professional life and challenges many of the myths of conventional knowledge about him.

Chronicles the planning and conduct of Operation Inherent Resolve by US Central Command (CENTCOM) from August 2014 to mid-2018, with a principal focus on the contributions of US Air Forces Central Command (AFCENT).

A biography of Sir Robert Brooke-Popham, a key figure in the early development of airpower. The book highlights Brooke-Popham's role in developing the first modern military logistic system, the creation of the Royal Air Force Staff College and the organisational arrangements that underpinned Fighter Command's success in the Battle of Britain.

From the 1920s Afghanistan maintained a small air arm that depended heavily upon outside assistance. Starting in 2005, the United States led an air advisory campaign to rebuild the Afghan Air Force (AAF). In 2007 a formal joint/combined entity, led by a US Air Force brigadier general, began air advisor work with Afghan airmen.

Examines the Allied air war against France, especially from April through June 1944. During this period, General Dwight David Eisenhower, as Allied Supreme Commander, took control of all American, British, and Canadian air units, including the heavy bombers of RAF Bomber Command and the United States Army Strategic Air Forces.

Examines the relationships between air-intelligence organizations and key decision-makers. The book's analysis spans from pre-war planning and doctrine development, through the Eighth Air Force's independent air campaign, and culminates with the formation of the US Strategic Air Forces and its 1944 pre-invasion preparations.

From Kites to Cold War tells the story of the evolution of manned airborne reconnaissance, born of a desire for military commanders to see the terrain ahead and gain foreknowledge of enemy intent.

Simultaneously a biography of Admiral Herbert Victor Wiley and a history of the US Navy's lighter-than-air program. In its history the US Navy had four great airships. Wiley served on all four of these airships and the history of these vessels is covered through the career of Wiley.

There is no one complete study of the idea behind America's vision of strategic bombing that answers: how it originated, why it changed over time, the factors that shaped change, and how technology molded military doctrine? This book provides just such a full spectrum intellectual history of the American concept of strategic bombing.