Covering one of the most radical and highly developed helicopters ever produced, this volume describes the evolution and eventual failures of the AH-56A Cheyenne. Contains detailed accounts of structural breakup in wind tunnels, factory tech photos and cutaway views, propulsion and weapons system details, rigid rotor explanation, and more. The photos in this edition are black and white.
The photos in this edition are black and white. The C-5 Galaxy was designed in the mid-1960s to transport vast quantities of material to any part of the globe. The result was the largest aircraft in the world. However, it became a symbol for government excess and production was limited to just 81 machines. Initial operations struggled with frequent breakdowns AND, in an extraordinary move, the gravely under-designed wing was replaced. Even more remarkable was the decision to reopen production after a decade for another 50 machines. Because of its incredible capacity and range, the C-5 Galaxy remains indispensable. The decision has been made to refit the aircraft for decades of more operation. This is the remarkable story of the Galaxy's controversial birth, climb to eminence, and quarter century of service.This detailed story is told with hundreds of supporting illustrations, objectively exploring controversial subjects based on thorough research. Never before have the structural and subsystem problems experienced by the C-5 during its early years been explored so succinctly in a manner suitable for popular publication. This was possible because the author's background as an aeronautical engineer involved in aircraft development and flight test. The book also lays out the jet's history and details of the currently-underway modernization program. Unique missions such as airdrop are shown in rare photographs and drawings, with hundreds of other illustrations appealing to modelers and historians.
The photos in this edition are black and white. During World War II, the need for military transports prompted the modification of bombers with varying degrees of success, yet ships remained the means for moving armies overseas. As the Cold War verged into the early 1960s, some American military planners realized the need for rapid deployment of military assets to trouble spots around the world, since not all threats could be countered with a nuclear deterrent. Airlift would be a key, but old reliable transports like the piston-engine C-124 Globemaster II were too slow for the task.Using generally proven components, Lockheed's swept-wing C-141 confirmed for the U.S. Air Force the promise of a global airlift. With the Starlifter, cargo and troops could be airlifted intercontinentally at three-quarters the speed of sound. From the 1960s to the 21st century, C-141s have been a trusted transporter of everything from troops and helicopters to returned hostages and presidential limousines. Lockheed C-141 Starlifter includes an account of the circumstances that led to the C-141, its design and structural details, flight characteristics, and development from C-141A to C-141B, and finally to C-141C.
