Hannants http://www.hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF125 CHANCE VOUGHT REGULUS II 48-pages, 48 b&w photos, 18-drawings, 5-color photos By Steve Ginter ABOUT THIS BOOK: In a time when most fighters were subsonic and a handful were supersonic Chance Vought was contracted to build a Moch 2, submarine-launched, nu-clear-armed cruise missile. The result was an airframe so fast that the Navy’s fastest fighter (also built by Vought), the F8U Crusader, could not keep up with it. The attack profile was either by high altitude or on the deck with a pitch up and then a vertical terminal 1,000 mph plus dive. The W27 nuclear warhead could be delivered with pinpoint accuracy because of the Vought developed Internal Navigation System (INS). The Regulus II program was extremely expensive because it included three specially built submarines, two diesel and one atomic boat. At the same time the Navy was developing a submarine launched Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), Polaris, a program even more expensive and technically ambitious than the Regulus II. In spite of the fact that the Regulus II was within a year of being deployed, the Navy cancelled the program in December 1958 and concentrated on the Polaris. 27 Regulus IIs had been completed. The 21 remaining partial airframes were completed as K2DU-1s target drones in 1960-1962. The drones were used by the Air Force from 1959 through 1962 as a target for the Bomarc surface-to-air missile. The Navy used them from 1959 through 1965 as targets for air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles... Price:£24.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF125 Fri, 06 Feb 2026 18:36:22 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF124 BOEING XPBB-1 SEA RANGER / LONE RANGER By Steve Ginter ISBN: 979-8-9899509-8-0 32-pages, all b&w, 12-drawings, 79-photos In 1940 the Navy awarded Boeing a contact for the XPBB-1, a large 139.8 foot wing span twin-engine flying boat with performance far superior to the four-engine PB2Y Coronado and the twin-engined PBM Mariner. The airplane was named the "Sea Ranger" and later the "Lone "Ranger" when the project was cancelled. It and the B-29 were built with virtually the same wing. The aircraft had excellent flying qualities and was capable of a 4,720 mile range. But the need for the new B-29 killed the program. B-29 production took over the newly built plant meant to build the XPBB-1.. Price:£19.95 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF124 Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:29:01 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF123 Grumman J4F-1/2 Widgeon/Gosling By Steve Ginter 40-pages, 126 b&w photos, 5-color photos, 18-drawings. ISBN: 979-8-9899509-7-3 Grummans success with its famous JRF/G-21 “Goose” was so great that Grumman saw the need for a less costly, smaller version that targeted smaller companies, executives, celebrities and sportsmen. This became the G-44 “Widgeon”. It cost about $30,000, which was 1/2 the price of a “Goose”. Thirty were built for civilian customers by 7 December 1941 after which most of these were impressed into USAAC service or the Civil Air Patrol. Just prior to WWII, the Coast guard ordered 25 as J4F-1s which differed from the G-44 by having a upper fuselage stretcher hatch instead of a cabin door. During the war the USCG used these and 11 Navy J4F-2s on anti-submarine patrols. Also 12 were purchased by Portugal, 131 J4F-2s with cabin doors went to the Navy, 17 were Lend Leased to England as “Gosling” and one was acquired by Paraguay. Brazil also received 14 J4F-2s. Post-war “Widgeons” were operated by Thailand’s and Israel’s military too.. Price:£19.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF123 Sat, 18 Oct 2025 09:46:21 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF122 USN/USMC/USCG/USAAC Loening Amphibian By Steve Ginter All b&w including covers 64-pages, 241 photos, 13 patches, 4 drawings The Loening Amphibians were a unique adaptation of design for a “shoehorn” fuselage bi-plane equiped with retractable landing gear. It could virtually operate from anywhere. First ordered by the Army in 1924, it was quickly ordered by the Navy/Marines and finally by the Coast Guard. It was in fact the 1st aircraft purchased by the USCG. Its many variants were acquired in small numbers, but had a major impact in service. It became the major aircraft for use in air survey and exploration into the 1930s. It was used in the Arctic Survey by LCDR Byrd (later ADM) of 1926, the Cuban and Venezuela 1926 surveys, the 1st Alaskan Survey of 1926 by LT Ben Wyatt, the 1926-1927 Pan-American Goodwill Flight by the U.S. Army, the 1929 2nd Alaskan Survey conducted by LCDR Arthor Radford (later Chief of Naval Operations), the 1932 Alaskan Survey of the Aleutians, and 1933 Alaskan Survey of the Aleutians. Pro-resin, Esoteric kits. Price:£22.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF122 Thu, 24 Jul 2025 19:21:38 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF121 Grumman FF/SF Plus G-23 Delfin/Goblin and Prototypes By Richard S. Dann 132 pages (128 B&W, plus 4 color Pages), 363 photos and drawings The Grumman FF-1 and its derivatives, namely the SF-1 and G-23, represent a paradox in naval aircraft design. On one hand, it represented the end of the line for two-seat US Navy fighters in the biplane era. On the other hand, it incorporated relatively new technologies that when brought together, gave the FF-1 a significant performance margin over existing U.S. Navy fighters. Indeed, design choices such as retractable landing gear, enclosed cockpits and all-aluminum construction existed previously, but the FF-1 incorporated all these technologies into a single airframe. In the Navy's own words, "The design of the XFF-1 marked a considerable advance in the reduction of weight and drag for this class of airplane and resulted in correspondingly high performance." The origins of the FF-1 can be traced back to early 1930, just months after the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation filed articles of incorporation. During discussions with the Navy’s Bureau of Aeronautics regarding their “A” Float, the Navy became intrigued by Grumman’s approach to retractable landing gear, the Navy asked Grumman about the feasibility of adapting their patented landing gear system to existing Navy fighters, such as the Boeing F4B and the Curtiss F8C. Grumman advised against this approach stating that adding retractable landing gear to these existing aircraft would force a complete redesign. Furthermore, being an aircraft manufacturing company, Grumman desired to design and build its own aircraft. Grumman’s Design G-5, was submitted to the Navy, and in March 1931, a contract was awarded to Grumman for the XFF-1. Naval Fighter Series NF121 is an in-depth study of the design and development of the FF-1 and its derivatives. The first half of the book describes the XFF-1, FF-1, XSF-1, SF-1, XSF-2, GG-1 and XSBF-1 in detail with photographs and drawings, while the second half of this book covers operational use. While U.S. Navy service was limited to two fleet squadrons, the FF-1 and SF-1 enjoyed long careers in Navy and Marine Corps Reserve squadrons until mid-1942. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this series was the G-23, a license-built derivative manufactured by Canadian Car & Foundry in Fort William, Ontario, Canada. A total of 52 G-23s were built, with 34 finding their way into combat use by Republican forces during the Spanish Civil War. The Spanish “Delfin”, as it was known saw extended service after the war, with the last one being retired in early 1954, nearly 22 years after the first flight of the XFF-1. 15 G-23s were accepted by the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1940 as the “Goblin”, and their service is also included in this book. This book is a fascinating in-depth study of a little-known Navy fighter that set the stage for Grumman’s dominance of carrier-based naval aircraft that lasted over 50 years. Lots of MPM/Special Hobbies kits of this have been released.. Price:£33.33 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF121 Fri, 28 Mar 2025 21:59:52 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF120 KAMAN SYNCHROPTER HTK-1/TH-43E, HOK-1/OH-43D, HUK-1/UH-43C By Tommy Thomason and Steve Ginter ISBN: 979-8-9899509-4-2 80 pages, 174 B&W photos, 8 color photos, 51 drawjngs, 15 patches In 1945, there were several aircraft companies involved in helicopter design, test and production in America. The smallest and least well financed one had just been incorporated by a 26 year old Charles Kaman to pursue a synchropter design and flight control concept which featured a pair of intermeshing rotors with small sero-tabs attached to the blades to twist them in flight. This design proved the Kaman’s to be much easier to control in a hover than a conventional helicopter and eliminated the need of a tail rotor. After flight testing two company-funded prototypes, Kaman sold or leased a handful of these synchropters primarily for use as crop dusters. Fortunately, just as the fledgling company was on the brink of bankrupcy in 1949, the Navy became interested. The Navy ended up purchasing for itself and the Marines; 29 small 3-place HTK-1/TH-43E trainers, 83 4-place Marine HOK-1/OH-43D observation and rescue helicopters, and 24 5-place HUK-1/UH-43C transport and utility helicopters. These aircraft were operated into 1965 and the design was eventually developed into the turbine powered H-43B/F Huskie used by the USAF in Vietnam. AMPs has a 1/48 model kit of the HOK/HUK. Price:£24.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF120 Thu, 13 Feb 2025 09:56:32 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF229 Douglas XB-42/42A Mixmaster and XB-43 Jetmaster Air Force Legends number 229 ISBN: 979-8-9899509-3-5 88-pages, 182 b&w photos, 3-color, 40 drawings During WWII, the unsolicited Douglas Aircraft proposal for a contra-rotating pusher propeller powered light bomber would become the most unusual and iconic U.S. military aircraft built during the war. Shades of “Buck Rogers” to be sure. Amazingly, no major problems were encountered by this challenging design. The XB-42 “Mixmaster” performed well, even setting a transcontinental speed record. It’s fuselage housed two Allison V-1710 engines and their long propeller driveshafts. This gave the fuselage enough width to house two jet engines and the all-jet XB-43 proposal was born. Where the XB-42 was designed, built, and flown within a year of Douglas first proposing it, the XB-43 “Jetmaster” took many years to complete, mostly waiting for its promised J-35 engines to be delivered.. Price:£29.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF229 Mon, 21 Oct 2024 17:28:24 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF119 Curtiss XF15C-1 “Stingaree” 36 b&w pages with color covers, 87 b&w and 4 color photos. During WWII, the Navy ordered two carrier capable composite powered fighters (each equiped with one prop and one jet engine) to counter the land based all jet aircraft being developed by the Germans. The first was the small Ryan FR-1 “Fireball” followed by the much larger Curtiss XF15C-1 “Stingaree” heavy fighter. Three XF15C-1s, BuNos 01213-01215 and a static airframe were ordered on 7 April 1944. They were powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-2800-34W prop engine of 2,100 hp in the nose and an Allis-Chalmers H-1B (J36) (British “Goblin’) jet engine of 2,700 lbs thrust in the tail. Ship one’s first flight was made on 27 February 1945. All three ships were completed with a conventional tail group. During flight testing of ship one it was decided to retrofit ships two and three with “T”-tails to improve overall performance and to increase the number of aircraft that could be spotted on the carrier’s deck and hangar deck. The first aircraft was lost to fuel starvation caused by a faulty gage. The other two XF15C-1s were delivered to the Naval Air Test Center where they were flown until the program was cancelled in October 1946 by which time the Navy decided to go with the all-jet FD/FH-1 Phantom.. Price:£16.60 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF119 Mon, 05 Aug 2024 07:34:09 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF118 USN / USCG / USMC Beech Expeditor JRB / SNB / C-45 1940 through 1972. ISBN: 979-8-9899509-1-1 89-pages, 275 b&w photos, 13 color photos, 30 drawings, 41 patches. limited to 1,000 copies. By Steve Ginter. Over 1,600 “Twin Beech” aircraft were given BuNos and operated by the Navy, Marines and Coast Guard. 8-versions were originally built. From the 8-versions, 21-different sub-versions were created which showed the versatility of this aircraft. It was used operationally as a trainer, transport, photo ship, hack and drone director. At some point it was operated by every NAS, NAAS, NAF, MCAS, and MAF, as well as many squadrons and ships. Its history lies in the photos of these assignments to places rarely heard of.. Price:£28.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF118 Wed, 22 May 2024 07:45:01 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF117 USN / USMC Fairchlid R4Q / C-119 "Packet" / "Flying Boxcar" By Nicholas M. Williams 72-pages, 140 b&w photos, 5 color photos, 22-patches, and 19 drawings. In 1949 the US Navy was looking for a tactical assault transport for its Marine Corps units and arrangements were made to divert 8 off the shelf C-119Bs from the USAF to the USMC. These 8 aircraft and the 31 C-119Cs that followed were designated R4Q-1s. A small number of these R4Q-1s were operated in Korea during the war before they were replaced by upgraded R4Q-2s/C-119Fs of which 58 were acquired. The R4Q-2s were later retrofitted with a nose mounted weather radar. The R4Q/C-119 were twin engine, twin boom transport / paratrooper aircraft equiped with a 36 ft 11 in long, 9 ft 2 in wide, 9 ft 10 in high cargo fuselage with clamshell aft facing doors capable of loading artillery or small vehicles. As a transport, 42 troops could be carried or 35 liters could be used. The main difference between the R4Q-1 and R4Q-2 were the engines used. The R4Q-1/C-119C used the R-4360 and the R4Q-2/C-119F used the R-3350. The R4Q/C-119 was a follow-on design of the C-82 and was operated into 1972.. Price:£24.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF117 Thu, 01 Feb 2024 11:15:54 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF116 Boeing F4B Biplane written by retired Navy Captain Richard S. Dann. With 408 b&w photos and 24 drawings filling its 160-pages. After three years of intensive research, author Richard S. Dann has finally produced the definitive history of the Boeing F4B, the Navy's iconic Golden Age fighting plane. The Boeing F4B, a favorite of pilots who flew it, still draws interest of hobbyists and historians alike, primarily due to the striking paint schemes worn by these aircraft during their service. Boeing, a company in existence since 1916, had produced a number of fighter aircraft for both the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy. Derived from the company's successful PW-9 series for the Army, Boeing developed what can be considered the first truly successful carrier fighter with their FB series. First flown in 1925, the FB set the stage for the development of several follow-on aircraft for the Navy, namely the F2B and F3B. These aircraft were manufactured using state-of-the-art techniques, being constructed with welded tube fuselages and wooden wing structure, with fabric covered surfaces. These standard construction methods were also used in the Boeing Models 83 and 89, which were built on speculation, tested by the Navy in 1928 and subsequently purchased as the XF4B-1. Sufficiently impressed with their performance, the Navy ordered 27 F4B-1s with deliveries commencing in 1929. A second version, the F4B-2 was developed with improvements over the initial model and also put into production with 27 built. As the decade of the 1930s began, the use of traditional construction techniques of welded tube fuselages gave way to airframes manufactured using lightweight aluminum alloys. Use of semi-monocoque, stressed skin aluminum offered lighter airframes and subsequently, higher performance. In the F4B series, this was first seen on the company-funded Model 218 prototype, which bridged the gap between the earlier and later versions of the F4B. The later versions of the F4B, the F4B-3 and F4B-4 were partially constructed of aluminum alloys as first used on the Model 218 in place of steel tubes, offering high strength and light weight. Just 21 F4B-3s were built before Boeing switched production to the F4B-4, of which 92 were built. Boeing's F4B dominated U.S. Navy fighter and some bomber squadrons from 1931 to 1935, with the last squadrons of F4Bs transitioning in 1938. As F4Bs were phased out of front-line service, they were turned over to the training command, and later, as unmanned aerial targets used for training shipboard anti-aircraft gunnery crews as part of Project FOX. The last F4Bs were withdrawn from service in 1942. The first half of this 160-page monograph covers the developmental history of the F4B. Each version from F4B-1 to F4B-4 is covered, as well as the Boeing Model 218, which served as the prototype for the F4B-3 and F4B-4. 408 photographs and 24 drawings provide an in-depth study of each version. Much of the data for this section comes from period test reports and specification documents. In addition, a history of each airframe is provided, including squadron assignments, mishaps, strike dates, final disposition and total hours of flight time, if known. This is followed by an operational history of each Navy and Marine Corps squadron that operated the F4B as well as other Navy/Marine Corps commands that operated the type. Also included is a history of the Boeing Models 256 and 267, export variants that were sold to Brazil and the F4B-4A, which consisted of P-12s given to the Navy. Just two F4Bs found their way to civilian operators, and their civilian use is also included in this book. The final chapter dedicated to the aircraft discusses eight new-build Boeings that have been under construction in Gardnerville, Nevada since 1993. The first of these aircraft is expected to fly in late 2023 or early 2024. As with nearly all Ginter books, the final chapter is devoted to model kits. In the latest book of Steve Ginter's Naval Fighters series, you'll find many interesting facts you may not have known about the F4B.. Price:£37.50 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF116 Sat, 04 Nov 2023 09:54:16 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF228 Northrop F-20 Tigershark By Northrop Test Pilot Paul Metz with Tigershark Voices quoted from 8-other Test Pilots/Engineers. ISBN#979-8-9854726-6-0 144-pages, 296 color photos, 20 b&w photos, and 135 illustrations. The F-20 was conceived as the next evolution of the Fighter for Export (FX), a concept that had been in place for over 50 years and a formalized U.S. government policy for over 25 years. Northrop invested $1.2 billion of its own money on that policy. However, no production contract followed, not because of any technical deficiency but because of a changing government policy on what our allies would receive in U.S. military aid. This book traces the development of the 3 generations of a 1955 design called the N-156 which became the T-38 and the F-5A/B. The F-5A/B evolved into the F-5E/F and finally the F-20 Tigershark. Each step in that progression was to keep up with the latest Soviet fighters. The F-20 was designed to counter the Mig-29 and Su-27, 4th generation fighters. The book reveals the unique design goals that produced a reliable, easily maintained, easy to fly, agile fighter-bomber that was affordable for many allied air forces in the wake of WW II. The story is told from the first person accounts ("Tigershark Voices") of the struggles and triumphs to create a new type fighter in a world of increasingly complex, expensive and maintenance-intensive fighters. Other "Tigershark Voices" bring the reader into the F-5 and F-20 cockpits as the pilots describe flying this breed of fighters. This definitive Tigershark book features original documents and photographs, most in color and previously unpublished. Original documents of USAF struggles to name the Tigershark the F-20, Presidential directives to build a fighter for export and limitations on sales, performance with no government funding are a few of the many examples of original documents pivotal to the F-20 story. Also included are the various F-20 follow-on proposals: RF-20A/B, F-20B/C/E/F and Lavi fighters. As with all Ginter books, the F-20 Tigershark also presents information of interest to the scale modeler. Beyond the detailed color photos, the book has many detailed factory drawings of the F-5 and F-20 with 3-views, cross section cuts and inboard drawings showing structure and equipment in great detail. The cockpit comparison drawings are masterpieces of the graphic arts.. Price:£49.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF228 Sun, 25 Jun 2023 17:50:51 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF227 North-American YF-93A Penetration Fighter Air Force Legends 227 By William Simone 52-pages, 4-color and 87-b&w photos, with 39 draqwings. North-American's oft-forgotten YF-93A (NA-157) was an advanced version of the F-86A Sabre day fighter designed for the penetration fighter reqirement. It was originally designated the F-86C and was designed around NACA flush inlets and a 8,000 lb thrust J48 afterburning engine with three times the fuel of the F-86A, which gave it extremely long range. The two other penetration fighter candidates (the XF-88 and XF-90) had flown much earlier than the YF-93. All three types were not developed beyond the prototypes as the penetration fighter requirement was dropped by the Air Force. The aircraft sported F-86-style wings and tail mated to a new beffy fuselage with added electronics and 6-20mm cannon. The increased weight of the design led to a redesigned and strengthened dual-wheel main undercarrige. Only two-aircraft were built and the NACA flush intakes were replaced on ship one with conventional ram intakes resulting in increased overall performance. After retirement the two YF-93As were utilized at Moffett Field, CA, for further NACA testing before being scrapped.. Price:£20.80 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF227 Tue, 07 Mar 2023 10:57:27 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF115 McDONNELL FH-1 PHANTOM 64-pages, perfect bound, color covers, 159-b&w photos, 4-color photos, 25-drawings, 6-insignias. By Steve Ginter The US Navy's first purpose-built carrier jet fighter was the McDonnell FD-1/FH-1 Phantom, first ordered in January 1943. The small elegant aircraft had a long gestation period due to the delay in development of its Westinghouse jet engines. Originally six and even eight small 300 lb thrust engines buried in the wing were considered as powerplants, before two 1,600 lb thrust engines were settled on. These were mounted just outside of the wing roots and allowed conventional flaps and ailerons of any size to be utilized on the wing. It was fitted with tri-cycle landing gear, tailhook, and catapult equipment. The 500 mph aircraft first flew in 1946, and two XFD-1 protoypes were built along with 60 FD-1/FH-1 production Aircraft with half the FH-1s going to Navy carrier squadron VF-17A/VF-171 and half to Marine squadron VMF-122. The Navy operated its full squadron operationally aboard the USS Saipan (CVL-48) and the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB-42) proving the feasibility of jets and carriers. The Marines fielded a FH-1 Flight Demonstration Team, "The Flying Leathernecks" too. The FH-1 had no vices in the air and with new engines the Phantom was re-engineered into the larger and very successful Korean War carrier fighter, the F2H Banshee. The Phantoms were relegated to the reserves from 1950. Price:£29.95 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF115 Wed, 02 Nov 2022 11:24:29 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF226 Martin XB-48 48-pages, 96 b&w photos, 3 color photos, 26 b&w illustrations. In 1944, the Army issued requirements for a jet-propelled medium bomber which eventually spawned four aircraft. These were the North-American B-45 (see Air Force Legends 224), Convair XB-46 (see Air Force Legends 221), Boeing B-47, and the Martin XB-48 the sudject of this book. Specifications were somewhat general and called for an 80,000 to 200,000 lb aircraft with a 45,000 ft ceiling, range of 3,000 miles and a maximum speed of 550 mph. The Martin designwas a three-place, straight wing, six-jet, high wing, all metal medium bomber. The unique landing gear developed by Martin consisted of dual wheel main gear located in tandem with outrigger single type wing gear. This gear arrangement allowed for a huge continuance bomb bay with quick acting doors capable of carrying a 22,000 lb "Grand Slam" bomb. The other unique feature of the airplane was instalation of the six J35 engines. Each engine (three on a wing) had its own squarish nacelle seperated with by-pass ducts framed by a thin airfoil plate across the bottom of the three engines mounted under each wing. Two aircraft were produced and were tested at the Naval air Test Center, NAS Patuxent River, MD, about 70 miles from Martin's New River plant before being accepted by the Air Force. The XB-48 was not accepted for production, those contracts going to the B-45 and B-47. The second XB-48 finished its life as a landing pilot training plane for future B-47 pilot's.. Price:£18.30 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF226 Fri, 19 Aug 2022 19:21:01 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF225 The Bell XFM-1/YFM-1 Airacuda Bomber Destroyer Air Force Legends 225 48-pages 131 b&w photos, 7 drawings Author Steve Ginter The Bell XFM-1/YFM-1 Airacuda was the first airplane designed and built by Larry Bell's new Bell Aircraft Corp. (founded in July 1935). This was to be a futuristic and innovative Allison V-1710 powered twin pusher bomber destroyer armed with 37mm canons mounted in the forward engine nacelles. The aircraft carried a crew of five and had both .30cal and .50cal defensive armament. It was also the first fighter to have an Auxillary Power Unit (APU). Fourteen aircraft were built: one XFM-1, nine YFM-1s, three YFM-1A (with tricycle landing gear) and two YFM-1Bs. The Airacuda's first flight was on 28 September 1939 with all aircraft being withdrawn from service in 1941.. Price:£16.60 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF225 Wed, 22 Jun 2022 11:22:33 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF113 Douglas F4D-1 / F-6A Skyray By Nick Williams 256-pages, over 600 b&w photos and drawings, 23-pages of color (86-color photos). The radical tailless F4D Skyray built by Douglas in the early 1950s was the product of flying wing research work originally done by Jack Northrop and Germany's Alexander Lippisch of Me-163 fame. Since no horizontal tail was present, longitudinal and lateral control was maintained by trailing edge "elevons" that functioned as both elevators when used together, and as ailerons when used opposite one another. These were supplemented with a set of wing root "trimmers". This carrier fighter interceptor was originally scheduled to be powered by the J40 which proved inadequate and thus entered the Fleet with the J57 instead. The F4D Skyray set World 3Km and 100Km speed records and Time-to-Climb records. As an intercepter it was armed with four 20mm wing mounted canons supplemented with rocket pods and later Sidewinder missiles. It was operated for about 10-years until 1964 by 29 Navy squadrons and testing units and 11 Marine squadrons and units.. Price:£49.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF113 Wed, 02 Mar 2022 21:27:33 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF307 SMOKIN' TIGERS A Pictorial History of Reconnaissance Attack Squadron ONE (RVAH-1)by Michael Grove and Angelo Romano On 1 Nov 1955, Heavy Attack Squadron ONE (HATRON ONE or VAH-1) was established and temporarily based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Jacksonville, Florida. On the same day, CDR P.F. Stevens assumed the command of the squadron. He was a highly decorated patrol-bomber pilot during World War II. In 1956, VAH-1 underwent an intensive training schedule in anticipation of the receipt of the new jet, Douglas A3D-1 Skywarrior. Designed with an eye toward the Heavy Attack mission, the A3D was an atomic bomber, fully capable of carrier operations. On 31 Mar 1956, the squadron received five A3D-1s, thereby becoming the first fleet unit to take delivery of the jet-powered nuclear bomber. The squadron's initial deployments were to the Mediterranean and North Atlantic area onboard USS FORRESTAL (CVA-59) and USS INDEPENDENCE (CVA-62). Following their return from their Apr-Aug 1962 cruise, the SMOKIN' TIGERS began transitioning to the North-American A-5A Vigilante. On 22 Jan 1963, the first A-5A was accepted for service by the squadron at NAS Sanford, Florida, and in March of that year, VAH-1 became the first squadron to win a monthly bombing contest while flying the A-5A. The squadron also completed one deployment with the heavy attack version of the Vigilante on the INDEPENDENCE during Aug 1963-Mar 1964, participating on several NATO and Sixth Fleet exercises. Upon returning to Sanford, VAH-1 began transitioning to the RA-5C, with squadron skipper CDR J. W. Taft delivering the first example from the North-American plant at Columbus on 10 July 1964. On 1 Sep 1964, the squadron was redesignated RVAH-1. The SMOKIN' TIGERS logged their first combat deployment to Southeast Asia during May-Dec 1965, completing 308 combat missions. Over the course of the next 13 years, RVAH-1 alternated between the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, completing three additional combat cruises. Like all RA-5C squadrons, it shifted homeports from Sanford to NAS Albany, Georgia, in 1968, and in 1974 moved to NAS Key West, Florida. The second fleet squadron to operate the Vigilante, RVAH-1 disestablished on 29 Jan 1979. Pages: 120 Size: 8.5 X 11 (inches) Format: Soft bound Illustrations: 140 color and 93 B&W photos, 73 color profiles, 10 drawings and 24 patches.. Price:£41.60 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF307 Tue, 18 Jan 2022 11:37:36 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF107 Sikorsky HR2S-1/CH-37C Deuce H-37A/CH-37B Mojave Heavy-Lift Helicopter. 137-pages, 138 color photos, 145 B&W photos and 48 drawings. The USMC Deuce was originally designed as a heavy-lift assault helicopter capable of delivering 36 combat troops or equipment (up to two jeeps or field artillery) from ship to shore. It was quickly adapted by the Army which purchased almost twice as many as the Marines. During its early testing it set both speed and weight lifting records for helicopters. Once in service, it was also used to recover small aircraft and other helicopters by both the Army and Marines in Vietnam. Many of its features including its 72 foot main rotor blades were used as the successful basis of its replacement, the CH-53 which is still in use today.. Price:£37.50 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF107 Fri, 26 Jun 2020 05:35:08 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF219 Republic XF-84H Thunderscreech. The XF-84H was derived from the RF-84F as a supersonic propeller test vehicle driven by an afterburning Allison XT-40 turboprop engine. Two aircraft were built and briefly tested as noise produced by the propeller even at idle was too severe for safe ground crew activities. The sickening noise gave the aircraft its nickname "Thunderscreech". It was the 1st U.S. aircraft built with a Ram Air Turbine (RAT) which provided emergency electrical and hydraulic power in subsequent U.S. aircraft, but provided needed power for the XF-84H when landing. Another novel feature was a "take-off fin" or "vortex gate" aft of the cockpit to overcome the effects of the propeller torque. The flight program lasted from June 1955 until October 1956 with the program being taken over by the McDonnell XF-88B which flew until January 1958. The XF-88B had both turbojet and turboprop engines and could taxi and take off without the turboprop operating, thus without subjecting the ground crew to the painful noise. 40-pages, 77 b&w and 4 color photos, 21 drawings. Price:£12.40 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NFAF219 Sun, 18 Feb 2018 10:40:09 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF106 Vought SB2U Vindicator by Steve Ginter with Joe Weathers, Jr. 248-pages, 89-color photos, 22-duotone photos, 506 b&w photos and 25-drawings. The Vought SB2U Vindicator Scout Bomber was the Navy's second production carrier monoplane to fly after the Douglas TBD and for a time was the fastest aircraft in the Navy's inventory. The extremely clean aircraft was a unique blend of the old stick-and-rudder fabric covered construction and that of the new all-metal monoplanes that followed. About half the aircraft was metal skined and half fabric covered and each fuselage structure was individually hand made from steel tubing. The SB2U was built in three models. The very simular SB2U-1 and SB2U-2 for the US Navy, and the long range SB2U-3 for the Marines. Aircraft were also supplied to France and the United Kingdom and are covered in the book. Equipped with folding wings and capable of carrying a 1,000 lb bomb, they were in service from 1938 to 1943. By the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, the Navy Vindicators had all been assigned to the Atlantic fleet, but the Marine SB2U-3 were on the East Coast and at Pearl Harbor and aboard the Lexington for delivery to Midway. The VMSB-241 Vindicators at Midway saw the planes only combat on 4-to-6 June 1942 during the Battle of Midway and Henderson Field was named after the squadron CO who lost his life during the squadron's attack on the Japanese fleet on 4 June. Maj Hendersons replacement Maj Norris was also lost on 4 June during the squadron's 2nd attack. On 5 june, Capt Fleming was also lost during his attack on the cruiser Mikumo, for which he received the Medal of Honor for his actions. This book has extensive first person narative from Vought test pilots and USN/USMC pilots as well as the French V-156-F commander gathered by Joe Weathers in 1966 through 1974 when their minds were still sharp and their memories strong. All of which are gone today. A truly interesting read.. Price:£43.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF106 Fri, 16 Feb 2018 17:11:07 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF105 CONSOLIDATED PB4Y-1/1P LIBERATOR by Steve Ginter 241-pages, 4-color cover images, 72 drawings, and 511 b&w photos. The Navy's acquisition of the B-24D as a long range patrol bomber/sub hunter (PB4Y-1) and as a long range photo recon platform (PB4Y-1P) marked a major shift in patrol doctrine and the eventual end to the flying boat patrol plane. The Navy Liberators became a one ship strike forces as they roamed thousands of miles on sector searches and destroyed over a 1,000 ships and hundreds of aircraft. The original under-gunned early B-24Ds were up-gunned with bow turrets from Consolidated, ERCO, MPC, and Emerson and with Sperry ball turrets in their bellys when search radar was not fitted. The B-24Ds were replaced with B-24Js, B-24Ls, and B-24Ms all designated PB4Y-1/1Ps. The PB4Y-1P photo planes were used to map and surveil Japanese strongholds before invasions and discover new airfields and fleet movements. No mission was too far or too dangerous. It was in a remote control PB4Y-1 flying bomb that Joe Kennedy was killed over England. After the war, photo squadrons continued to operate the photo version into the early 1050s. The book covers all engineering details and structures and covers all the PB4Y-1 squadron's historys and most combat operations. 13-pages of modeling options are also provided.. Price:£41.60 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF105 Mon, 30 Oct 2017 17:23:32 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF104 Brewster F2A Buffalo, Richard S. Dann; Ginter Publishing, Simi Valley, CA, 2017; softcover, 176 pages, 391 photos, 22 illustrations. This comprehensive monograph covers the entire history of Brewster's much maligned Buffalo fighter aircraft. The book starts out with the background of the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation and the events that led to the selection of the F2A as the Navy's first monoplane fighter. Following this, each variant of the aircraft is covered in detail including all three major variants purchased by the U.S. Navy as well as the versions purchased by Belgium, Finland, Great Britain, and the Netherlands. Indivdual squadron histories are also included as they relate to the F2A. Many interviews are included with pilots who flew the Buffalo, some with glowing comments on its performance, while others cast a less than stellar light on the Brewster. It is up to the reader to draw his own conclusions as to where the F2A sits in the history of modern aerial warfare. It is interesting to note that the Brewster 239, as used by the Finnish Air Force during the 1939-1945 period achieved the highest kill ratio of any fighter plane of the war with an impressive 26-1 score. Finland produced many Aces with the Buffalo, including the all-time high scoring Buffalo Ace, Hans Wind with 39 aerial kills, and followed closely by Ilmari Juutilainen with 34. The book is lavishly illustrated with over 300 photos, many of which have never been published. 22 illustrations are also included. This is the ultimate history of the Brewster Buffalo.. Price:£33.30 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF104 Tue, 25 Jul 2017 11:59:08 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF103 Sikorsky S-43/JRS-1 Amphibian By Steve Ginter 100-pages perfect bound 3 color and 232 b&w photos, 8 drawings. 53 S-43/JRS-1 "Baby Clippers" were produced (31 civil, 15 Navy, 2 Marine, and 5 USAAC). The book covers all users including civilian and post war users. 10 of the Navy's JRS-1s were at Pearl Harbor on December 7th, all survived the attack and one, BuNo 1063, is undergoing restoration at the Smithsonian today. Two civil S-43s have also survived, one originally owned by Howard Hughes and one at the Pima Air and Space Museum (painted as a Marine JRS-1).. Price:£24.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF103 Fri, 31 Mar 2017 15:44:27 GMT http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF102 Grumman S-2F/S-2 Tracker and WF-2/E-1B Tracer Part Two. 248-pages, 608 B&W photos, 16 color photos, 201 squadron and station patches. 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. It is authored by Douglas Siegfried, Tailhook Association Archivist and former S-2 pilot, and Steve Ginter.. Price:£43.99 sales@hannants.co.uk http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/NF102 Fri, 17 Jun 2016 12:32:09 GMT