Photographic history of the German, Soviet, French, Italian, Swedish
jet fighters of the 1940s and early 1950s.
In his previous book on early jet fighters Leo Marriott traced the
history of the revolutionary aircraft produced by the British and
Americans immediately after the Second World War; in this companion
volume he describes jet fighter development on the continent of Europe
and in the Soviet Union during the same remarkable period. Using over
200 archive photographs he covers the pioneering German designs, then
the range of experimental and operational fighters constructed by the
Soviets, the French and the Swedes. The sheer variety of the designs
that manufacturers come up with during this short, intense period of
innovation mean that the book is fascinating reading.
Several of the most famous jet fighters feature prominently in the rare
photographs and are analyzed in the expert text, including the
Messserschmitt Me 262, the Heinkel He 162, the MiGs 15, 17 and 19, the
Dassault Ouragan and the Saab J29. But perhaps the most rewarding aspect
of the book is its record of experimental projects which tested new
concepts that rapidly became established elements of jet aircraft
design. The photographs of these largely forgotten aircraft give us an
insight into the extraordinary technical challenges and the ambition and
inventiveness of the designers and manufacturers who overcame them.
