Naval Fighters

The book covers the operational history of the aircraft in squadron service including the reserves and training squadrons and as a squadron utility and command aircraft at Naval Air Stations and facilities.

Richly illustrated and filled with anecdotes by Tracker pilots and crewmen, Grumman S2F/S-2 Tracker describes the history and service of this dependable carrier-based antisubmarine aircraft. Both in military and civilian roles. Trackers proved to be adaptable and long-serving aircraft.

The one-airplane project stemming from the swing-wing Jaguar program was only flown by one pilot, Corwin "Corky" Meyer who tells the story here.

The Kaiser Fleetwings XBTK-1 was initially designed to meet a 1943 Navy requirement for a "single-seat carrier based high performance dive bomber."

Includes brief Navy squadron histories, detail drawings, and essays on flying the Connie, Vietnam, College Eye/Big Eye, 552nd AEW, Bat Cat and AEWBARRONPAC.

The Lockheed R6V Constitution was a large, propeller-driven, double-decker transport aircraft developed in the 1940s by Lockheed as a long-range, high capacity transport and airliner for the U.S. Navy.

Lockheed had an early lock on military jet trainer production in the United States with its very successful two-seat derivative of the P-80/F-80 Shooting Star, the T-33A/TV-2. As good as the T-Bird was, Lockheed believed a much more capable trainer could be developed from the basic T-33 design.

The Lockheed Ventura PV-1 AND PV-2 Harpoon was a bomber and patrol aircraft of World War II, used by United States and British Commonwealth forces in several guises.

This new book covers the design criteria of the 1945 penetration fighter request-for-proposal and the 8 companies that submitted proposals.

First published in 1996, the XFV-1 book tells the story of one of two Navy prototypes contracted as vertical take off turboprop fighters capable of operating from LSTs, Destroyers, cruisers and larger capitol ships.

The four-engine Martin Mars flying boat was built and used throughout the Pacific as the Navy's heavy hauler into the mid-1950s when they were purchased and converted into fire bombers in Canada and used to this day.

The Martin P4M Mercator, although similar to the smaller Lockheed Neptune, was developed as a long-range patrol and mine laying naval aircraft. This high-wing, four-engine aircraft was uniquely designed to carry one jet engine and one prop engine mounted under each wing, later described as "two turning and two burning".

This book covers the complete history of the Martin P5M Marlin flying boat from development, construction, powerplants, armaments, and squadron service.

The distinctive, gull-winged Martin PBM Mariner flying boat was designed to replace the Consolidated PBY Catalina as the US Navy's first true open-ocean, extremely long range sub hunter and patrol bomber. PBM Mariners saw extensive service both in WWII and Korea.

The F2H-3/4 Banshee ("Big Banjo") was a direct outgrowth of the F2H-1 and F2H-2 series of Korean war fighter and recon jets which became the US Navy's first single seat all-weather carrier interceptor. This book also includes a chapter on Royal Canadian F2H-3s.

The McDonnell F3H Demon is probably the least remembered modern Naval fighter, even though it was the first true all-weather missile fighter. When the weather prevented the agile F8U, F4D and F11F from flying, the Demon could still be launched.

This book covers the Navy's first jet aircraft to operate from a carrier, the McDonnell FD-1/FH-1 Phantom. The underpowered twin-jet fighter proved, along with North American's FJ-1, the feasibility of operating jets from carriers.

This book has the entire Squadron and their history in the USN, USMC and USNR.

Steve Ginter tells the story of the North American AJ "Savage".

First published in 1983, the FJ-1 Fury book covers North America's first jet fighter and forerunner to the Air Force F-86 and Navy FJ-2/FJ-3 Furys. The book gives a first-hand account of flying with VF-51.

The entire FJ-2 production was assigned to the Marines which equipped six front line fighter squadrons with it. These were VMF-122, VMF-232, VMF-235, VMF-312, VMF-334 and VMF-451. The book contains short histories of each of these squadrons as well as a first-hand account of its flight testing.

The North American FJ-2/-3 Fury were a series of swept-wing carrier-capable fighters for the United States Navy and Marine Corps.

This book covers the development, testing, and squadron histories of the 33 Navy units and 13 Marine units that flew the North American FJ-4/4B Fury.

This book explains the original concept outlining the need for a remote controlled aircraft and how that concept evolved into the QF-86 program. Includes many photographs from both inside and outside the cockpit.

Covers the development of this all-purpose jet trainer from the Navy's solicitation to industry in 1956 through its operations and squadron usage with the US Navy, US Marines, Venezuela, and Greece.

Although the T-28 is not a fighter, it has cut the teeth of many a fighter pilot and seen its share of fighting in a ground support role.

Northrop BT-1 was one of many military applications, derived from the original Northrup Gamma designs, which in turn was developed into the SBD Dauntless through the interim XBT-2. Includes BT-1 assignments from the Monthly Status of Naval Aircraft Report.

It was no secret to the U.S. Navy that jet and rocket aircraft were being developed in Europe, and that once fully developed, would be of superior performance than piston engine aircraft. Because of these facts, the Navy initiated investigations into alternative solutions to counter these new jets.

The Sikorsky CH-37 Mojave was an American large heavy-lift helicopter of the 1950s and was Sikorsky's first twin-engined helicopter.

This is a rare look at the Sikorsky S-43/JRS-1 "Baby Clippers" flown by Pan American Airways in the 1930s and by the US Navy during WWII. The Navy's JRS-1 flying boats survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and currently, one of those historic surviving aircraft is now being restored by the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center.