There are many, many books about airplanes. Frequently, when you purchase one it turns out to be a disappointment. This is a list of books I use and can recommend that describe a variety of aircraft in a manner somewhat similar to Janes.
Bill Gunston, Modern Military Aircraft, Crescent Books, New York, 1977. Details of each type of military aircraft up to that date. Includes numerous cutaway drawings.
Bill Gunston and Mike Spick, Modern Air Combat, Crescent Books, New York, 1983. Includes large sections on design ideas/technology, configuration concepts, aircraft design. Includes Aero, structures, propulsion, weapons, electronic warfare (including stealth ideas) and displays. Then, goes over most aircraft, emphasizing their weapon carriage capability. Then, covers ACM theory. Cutaway of an F-18A. This is an especially good book for aerodynamicists looking for an explanation of the role of Electronic Warfare and Aerial Tactics in Combat.
-, The Great Book of World War II Airplanes, Zokeisha Publications, Tokyo, 1984 (distributed by Crown Publishers). Outstanding descriptions of the design, development and operation of: P-38, P-51, B-17, Hellcat, F4U Corsair, Spitfire, Mosquito, Avro Lancaster, Messerschmitt Bf109, Focke-Wulfe Fw190, Stuka Ju87, and the Mitsubishi Zero Fighter. This is a beautifully produced book.
William Green, Gordon Swanborough and John Mowinski, Modern Commercial Aircraft, Portland House, New York, 1987. Similar to Modern Air Combat. Goes over flight planning, the flight deck, including the A320. Cabin accommodation, design and manufacture, engine technology, future developments. Then each major current aircraft is described. Cutaways of each type are given. Includes short writeups on all post-war aircraft used commercially.
-, The Great Book of Modern Warplanes, Salamander Books, 1987 (distributed by Crown Publishers). Various authors, each writing a separate chapter. Perhaps the best writeups of these airplanes. Each section was also issued as a book. They are oversize and can frequently be found in bargain tables of major book chains. Includes A-10, F- 15, F-16, F/A-18, F-111, Harrier, MiGs, B-1B, F-4 and F-14. Each section includes development history, details of structure, propulsion, weapons and avionics. Service use and performance are presented. Excellent pictures.
-,The World's Great Stealth and Reconnaissance Aircraft, Aerospace Publishing, New York, 1991. Excellent descriptions of recce and EW aircraft. Particularly good use of charts to compare aircraft and foldouts with large artist's renditions. Also a cutaway of each aircraft. Includes BAe Nimrod, SR-71, E-2, P-3, E-3, S-3, RC-135, EA-6B, EF-111, RF-4, OV-1, U-2/TR-1, B-2, F-117, YF-22/23 and Tu-142.
-,The World's Great Attack Aircraft, Aerospace Publishing, New York, 1991. Similar to Great Stealth Aircraft above, includes Panavia Tornado, Sepcat Jaguar, BAe Buccaneer, Harrier, B-52, A-6, A-7, F-111, F-4G, Tu-16, Tu-26 Backfire.
-,The World's Great Interceptor Aircraft, Aerospace Publishing, New York, 1991. Similar to Great Stealth Aircraft above, includes Tornado, Hawk, Sea Harrier, F-4, F- 15, F/A-18, F-16, F-14, F-104, Mirage III, F-1, 2000, MIG-21, 23, 25, Sukhoi 15/21, 29, SAAB J-35, J-37.
William D. Thompson, Cessna: Wings for the World, Maverick Publications, Bend, Oregon, 1991. This is a candid description of the Cessna single engine prop aircraft, with a short chapter on Cessna's experience in helicopters. The author was involved in the technical development of these airplanes.
Bill Gunston, Giants of the Sky, Patrick Stephens, Ltd., 1991. This book describes what in their time were the biggest airplanes of all time. The book is divided into decades, starting with Pre-1920, and then continuing on with a section on each decade, ending with a section called Since 1970. I was particularly interested in the flying boats, which in the early days were the largest airplanes. Don't start a flying boat project without reviewing airplanes in this book.
Christopher Chant, The World's Greated Aircraft, Crescent Books, 1991. This book covers airplanes we are not normally familiar with, with good graphics.
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direct comments and suggestions to W.H. Mason, mason@aoe.vt.edu