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- Birds of Prey: Predators, Reapers and America's Newest UAVs in Combat
Although primitive unmanned TV-guided airplanes were used in combat during World War II, it is only recently that these machines have matured into the most significant new method of aerial combat since the beginning of contemporary warfare. The fact that onboard human pilots are no longer needed for these aircraft to carry out their deadly missions is fascinating for military enthusiasts and aviation historians alike. These remotely piloted vehicles are now re-writing the book on modern aerial surveillance and close air support. Delivering their lethal payloads with surgical precision, propeller-driven and jet-powered remotely piloted aircraft are guided by satellite, and flown by human operators located halfway around the world in air-conditioned trailers, isolated from the hostile combat environment of the aircraft themselves. While this book also covers the history and development of early-unmanned aerial vehicles, the focus is on all the latest impressive technology used in today's most modern remotely piloted combat aircraft.
Pages: 160
Size: 8.5 X 11 (inches)
Format: Paperback
Illustrations: b/w and color
Publisher: Specialty Press
ISBN: 9781580071536
Product Code: SP153
Reviews
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Modeling Madness
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(Posted on 8/31/2010)"It is a book that I have to say exceeded my initial expectations by quite a bit. It is interesting, timely and a book that I fully believe every aviation enthusiast should read."
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Model Aircraft Monthly
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(Posted on 11/30/2010)"This is a fascinating book, which describes not just the aircraft but also the backup necessary to make these systems work."
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Scale Aviation Modeler
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(Posted on 11/30/2010)"...this excellent book is one of the first really useful histories of the UAV, with a large portion devoted to programs that are now in development."
Bill Yenne
San Francisco-based author Bill Yenne has written more than two dozen books on military and historical topics. A member of the American Aviation Historical Society, he contributed to encyclopedias of both world wars and won the Air Force Association's prestigious Gill Robb Wilson Award. His extensive writings about aviation and aerospace include corporate histories of the Boeing Company, Convair, Lockheed, McDonnell Douglas, North American, and Rockwell International. Aviation biographies penned by Mr. Yenne include Dick Bong and Tommy McGuire in Aces High: The Heroic Story of the Two Top-Scoring American Aces of World War II, described as "The greatest flying story of all time." Mr. Yenne has appeared in documentaries for the History Channel, Smithsonian and National Geographic channels, ARD (German television), and NHK (Japanese television), and his book signings have been covered by C-SPAN.