Northrop¿s T-38 Talon was the world¿s first supersonic trainer aircraft, and remains in service today in air forces worldwide. It entered service in 1961, and quickly set climb records, earning it the nickname ¿white rocket¿. Nearly 1200 Talons were produced before the last one rolled off the assembly line in 1972. Capable of a speed of Mach 1.3, and a climb rate approaching 34,000 feet per minute, the T-38¿s performance was sufficient to warrant service as the USAF Thunderbirds¿ aircraft in the mid-1970s. Its primary role however, was as a dedicated training and proficiency platform. More than 50,000 USAF, NASA and NATO pilots have flown the Talon, a record that may never be matched. Originally printed by the U.S. Air Force and Northrop, this handbook for the T-38 provides a fascinating glimpse inside the cockpit of this famous aircraft. Originally classified ¿restricted¿, the manual was recently declassified and is here reprinted in book form.

Flown by the American Volunteer Group in China known as the "Flying Tigers," the P-40 Warhawk earned a reputation for its toughness in combat. Facing odds of 6 to 1 in most combat situations, AVG pilots relied on their skill, daring and their aircraft's superior diving speed to achieve victory. By war's end the Tigers had destroyed more than 1200 Japanese planes, with another 700 listed as probables. Their own losses came to 573 aircraft. Originally printed by the U.S. Army Air Force for pilots transitioning to the P-40, this flight manual contains detailed information about one of history's great planes. Originally classified as "restricted," the manual was declassified long ago and is here reprinted in book form. Some color images appear in black and white, and some pages have been slightly reformatted. Care has been taken however to preserve the integrity of the text.

Known as the ¿Thud¿, Republic¿s F-105 Thunderchief entered service in 1958, and flew in a variety of roles through 1984. The largest single-engine fighter in the U.S.A.F. inventory,the F-105 could exceed Mach 1.0 at sea level, and achieve Mach 2.0 at high altitude. It could carry up to 14,000 pounds of ordnance, or about as much as most WWII heavy bombers. The F-105 served as the primary strike aircraft in the early years of the Vietnam conflict, and its pilots flew over 20,000 missions. These included ¿wild weasel¿ flights intended to suppress North Vietnamese air defenses. The dangerous aspects of these missions help account for the aircraft¿s high loss rate ¿ out of 833 F-105s produced, 320 were lost in combat in S.E. Asia. Originally printed by the U.S. Air Force, this handbook provides a fascinating glimpse inside the cockpit of one of history¿s great planes. Classified ¿Restricted¿, the manual was declassified and is here reprinted in book form.

The T-33 "Thunderbird" was the training variant of the U.S. Air Force's first production jet fighter, the F/P-80 "Shooting Star." Originally designed by Lockheed's "Kelly" Johnson during WWII, the P-80 went from drawing board to airborne in a record 150 days. The T-bird was three feet longer than the P-80, and boasted a second seat, instrumentation and flight controls. Equipped with an Allison J33 turbojet, the T-33 had a maximum speed of 600 mph, a range of over 1200 miles in ferry, and a service ceiling of 48,000 feet. The Navy also operated the T-33 as the TV-2 or T-33B, and eventually produced a carrier-capable variant called the T2V-1/T-1A SeaStar. In addition to its role as a trainer, the plane served as a drone control aircraft, reconnaissance platform, and target tow aircraft. In foreign service the T-33, which could carry rockets, bombs and gun pods, was used as a combat aircraft. Perhaps its most notable combat role was during the Bay of Pigs, when T-33s flown by the Cuban Revolutionary Air Force (FAR) attacked ships and aircraft of the exile forces, helping fend off the invasion. One of the most successful and enduring aircraft in history, the T-33 flew in the air forces of over 30 nations. Over 6500 were produced between 1949-59, and some continue to fly today. Originally printed by Lockheed and the U.S.A.F., this Flight Operating Handbook taught pilots everything they needed to know before entering the cockpit. Originally classified "Restricted," the manual was declassified and is here reprinted in book form. This affordable facsimile has been slightly reformatted. Care has been taken however to preserve the integrity of the text.

En instruktionsbog (Flight Manual) for B-36 Peacemaker.

Originally designed as a high-altitude interceptor, the P-38 was the first U.S. fighter of WWII to compare with the Spitfire and Me-109. The twin-tailed, single seat "Fork Tailed Devil" carried four .50-caliber machine guns and a 20mm cannon, and could fly at speeds above 400 mph. An extremely successful design, it was the primary long-range fighter for the Army Air Force until the appearance of the P-51 Mustang. It also produced devastating results in the ground attack mission. Over 9500 Lightnings were built by V-J day in 1945, including reconnaissance and pathfinder variants. Originally printed by Lockheed and the U.S. Army Air Force in 1944, this Pilot's Flight Operating Handbook taught pilots everything they needed to know before entering the cockpit. Classified "Restricted," the manual was declassified and is here reprinted in book form. Care has been taken to preserve the integrity of the text.

Originally designated as the "advanced trainer" AT-6, North American's single-engine training aircraft was extensively used by the U.S. Army Air Forces, U.S. Navy (as the "SNJ"), Royal Air Force (as the "Harvard") and allied air forces during WWII. The prototype first flew in 1935, and by the time production ceased over 15,000 T-6s of all types were built. This included the AT-6B, which could hold a machine gun and was used for gunnery training, the AT-6G which offered a steerable tailwheel and advanced hydraulic system, and the Navy's SNJ-3C with arresting gear to permit carrier training. Aside from training duties T-6s saw service as forward air controllers, and served in combat on several occasions including for the French during the Algerian war. The T-6 remains a popular aircraft for Hollywood (in Tora! Tora! Tora! painted T-6s impersonated Japanese Zeros) and at air shows, where its throaty engine and classic "warbird" looks make it a crowd pleaser. This pilot's flight handbook dates from 1945, and features details on the AT-6C / SNJ-4 and Harvard IIA airplanes. Originally restricted, it was declassified long ago, and is reprinted here in its entirety.