{"title":"Tommy H Thomason","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"scooter-book-tommy-h-thomason-9781910809266","title":"Scooter!","description":"Few modern military aircraft can claim the longevity and success of the legendary Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. First flown in the mid-1950s, the A-4 Skyhawk achieved combat fame in the Falklands and Vietnam wars and saw service with the air arms of seven foreign countries including Israel and New Zealand. It is still in use today in South America.\u003cp\u003eThe A-4, also known as the Bantam Bomber and Scooter, was a small, subsonic aircraft which was originated during the 1950s. The A-4 dramatically bucked the trend toward ever bigger, faster, and more complicated tactical jet airplanes in favor of simplicity and low cost.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlthough originally optimized for the delivery of a nuclear bomb, it proved to be far more versatile in service and as a consequence the A-4 enjoyed a 25-year production run and operation for many more years by not only the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps but in the service of the foreign air forces to whom it had been supplied. For several years the U.S Navy's famed Blue Angels aerobatic team employed it for their air show demonstrations, a role for which it was ideally suited given its performance and maneuverability. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThose same characteristics were utilized as a challenging adversary in the training of fighter pilots for air-to-air combat--A-4s flown by both the U.S Navy and the Israeli Air Force shot down faster Soviet-built fighters in combat operations. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is a \u003cb\u003efully revised and updated edition\u003c\/b\u003e of the definitive history of the A-4 written by one of the leading authorities on U.S. naval aviation.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49737727705361,"sku":"NGR9781910809266","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1910809268.jpg?v=1751314779"},{"product_id":"birth-of-a-lgnd-mcdonnell-f4h-1-phantom-book-tommy-h-thomason-9780999388457","title":"Birth of a Lgnd McDonnell F4h-1 Phantom","description":"In late 1953, McDonnell Aircraft made an unsolicited proposal to the U.S. Navy for a big, carrier-based, supersonic, All-Weather Attack Fighter. After not much more than a cursory review, it was rejected. That inauspicious beginning subsequently resulted in one of the world's best known jet fighters, the F-4H\/F-4 Phantom. This book covers the first 47 F4H-1\/F-4A aircraft. \u003cp\u003eThis monograph by highly regarded U.S. Naval aircraft historian Tommy H. Thomason documents in well-illustrated detail how the Phantom came to be, including previously unpublished information about the Bureau of Aeronautics evaluation in 1954 of unsolicited proposals from other manufacturers competing for the Navy's fighter business that resulted in the award of a development contract to McDonnell for the AH-1; the conflict within the Navy over the decision to convert it to an all missile-armed, fleet-air-defense fighter, the F4H; and the fly-off between the F4H and the Vought F8U-3. Also illustrated in three-view drawings and photographs are the evolution of the configuration from the proposal to the final one that took flight in 1958. The most significant steps in the process of designing, developing, and evaluating the Phantom in the late 1950s are highlighted, with a discussion and depictions of the most significant new technology incorporated and the changes that rested.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA description of each of the flights that resulted in records and two that tragically didn't is included. At least one photograph is provided of each of the first 47 F4Hs, along with a summary history of each one from its first flight to the circumstances of its withdrawal from service and the location of the 10 known survivors.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOther sections provide a matrix by Bureau Number of configurations, cockpit and technical illustrations of interest to modelers, a summary of model kits\/conversions available, and color photographs of notable F4Hs and test pilots.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":49881850544401,"sku":"CIN0999388452G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51868547612945,"sku":"GOR014436199","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0999388452.jpg?v=1750981885"},{"product_id":"famous-american-aircraft-vought-f7u-3-cutlass-book-tommy-h-thomason-9781800352940","title":"Famous American Aircraft: Vought F7U-3 Cutlass","description":"\u003cb\u003e\"Topping out at a very respectable 448 pages of fascinating F7U stuff, it is highly recommended.\" - Large Scale Planes\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e The Chance Vought F7U Cutlass was ahead of its time. In 1948, when it first flew, it could hardly have been more exotic or state-of-the-art: a tail-less fighter to be powered by two afterburning jet engines. It was not only to be carrier-based but also climb quicker and be faster than the Air Force's new swept-wing North American F-86 Sabre. Developmental problems resulted in it taking too long to reach operational squadrons, which partly accounts for its relatively unsuccessful career.The Cutlass was designed too soon to benefit from the discovery of the area rule, which doomed it to transonic performance in level flight. Similarly, its lack of a horizontal tail was intended in part to address the transonic pitch-control difficulties being encountered at the time but they proved to be avoidable with one. Unfortunately, no horizontal tail resulted in it not only being radical in appearance but also having challenging handling qualities at approach speed.The F7U-3's service introduction was also accomplished before the Navy perfected a rigorous process for transitioning pilots to new airplanes, particularly important in the case of the Cutlass and its unusual handling qualities, one of which resulted in a rare aeronautical phenomenon, the post-stall gyration. It was also first deployed before the introduction of the angled-deck concept that greatly reduced the degree of difficulty in landing high-performance jet fighters back aboard a carrier.The F7U Cutlass did eventually join the fleet and deploy, albeit to mixed reviews. It is often unfairly included on shortlists of the world's worst jet fighters. It was actually innovative in many respects. This new, detailed history of the development and operation of the type provides a more balanced perspective on what was a fascinating aircraft.'F7U Cutlass' is the first of the new Famous American Aircraft series, setting new standards in detailed descriptions of some of most iconic and celebrated aircraft produced by the USA.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":50406855508241,"sku":"NGR9781800352940","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1800352948.jpg?v=1751421898"},{"product_id":"vought-f8u-3-crusader-iii-super-crusader-book-tommy-h-thomason-9780984611409","title":"Vought F8U-3 Crusader III Super Crusader","description":"The Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III was an aircraft developed by Chance Vought as a replacement to the successful F-8 Crusader program and as a competitor to the F-4 Phantom II. Though based in spirit on the F8U-1 and F8U-2, and sharing the older aircraft's designation in the old Navy system, the two aircraft shared few parts.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"- \/ - \/ -","offer_id":51070772838673,"sku":"","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51070773330193,"sku":"GOR014168829","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/0984611401.jpg?v=1750788953"},{"product_id":"u-s-naval-air-superiority-book-tommy-h-thomason-9781800353251","title":"U.S. Naval Air Superiority","description":"The combat superiority of the jet fighter as demonstrated towards the end of World War II presented the U.S. Navy with a significant problem. Carrier-based aircraft have additional and burdensome design requirements compared to those that do not have to fly on and off carriers. Through experience and innovative design by their aircraft suppliers, the Navy were flying propeller driven fighters that were in no way operationally inferior to their land-based adversaries. Now they had to do it again with a higher degree of difficulty - the innate limitations of jet propulsion could not have been more incompatible with safe and routine carrier-based operation. This is a new and expanded edition of a book which examines the US Navy's internal struggle to adapt the jet engine to its style of warfare, as well as the development and evolution of carrier-borne fighters, their airframes and engines, from the closing days of World War II through to the 1990s. The book profiles the turbulent design and development stage of the Navy's carrier-based jet fighter programme. From the successful designs - such as the Fury, Banshee, Crusader, and Phantom II, to the also-rans, like the Fireball, Demon, Pirate, and Cutlass - the Navy's needs are measured against contractor and political demands and the limits of the evolving engine and aerodynamic technologies of the day. The successful transition to high-performance, carrier-based jet fighters wasn't just accomplished by the airplane and engine manufacturers. Timely and thoughtful innovations in aircraft carrier design, operational procedures, training and equipment were also necessary. The previous edition had taken the story up to 1962. Substantial additions to this edition include new chapters on the F6D\/F-111B, F-14A\/B\/C\/D and F-18A\/B\/C\/D. Significant events post 1993 are also covered including the retirement of the F-14 and \"legacy\" F-18, the introduction of the F-18E\/F, F-35C and unmanned aerial refuelling programmes. This book includes many photos and illustrations including engine cut-aways, aircraft comparison diagrams and details of the safety improvements made to aircraft carriers to enable higher speed and high-gross-weight jet operations.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":52101911150865,"sku":"NGR9781800353251","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/9781800353251.jpg?v=1757095029"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/en-gb\/collections\/author-books-by-tommy-h-thomason.oembed","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}