Garry R. Pape

This new book chronicles not only the aptly named P-61 "Black Widow", but also the Douglas P-70 series, the P-38 night fighter variants, the Bristol Beaufighter, B-25s and the DeHavilland Mosquito - the proposed XA-26A and the P-39 nightfighters are also discussed. Historical accounts of American night fighter pilots, as well as the complets history of all night fighter squadrons formed during World War II are included, as is the development of radar and modern air defenses. This book is the product of over twenty years of study and research. Its sources include the National Archives, Northrop Aircraft archived, the U. S. Air Force Museum, the Imperial War Museum, the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum and interviews with P-61 test pilots, designers and engineers. Garry Pape's previous works include books on the P-61 and the P-38 night-fighter versions. He is currently employed by Northrop, after years with Hughes and Lockheed, and lives in California. Brig. Gen. Ronald Harrison is an F-16 Wing Commander in the Air Force Reserves, and lives in Georgia as an attorney.

The Iowa Air National Guard’s 174th Air Refueling Squadron was organized at the Sioux City Army Air Base in 1946 as a P-51 fighter squadron. Over the years it flew many fighter-type aircraft. Called to active service during the Korean War the squadron was activated, dispersing assets and personnel in many directions. Both the U. S. Air Force and the Air National Guard learned from this real-life exercise. When another call-up came during the Vietnam War, the 174th Tactical Fighter Squadron was kept together as one of four ANG squadrons seeing service in that conflict with stellar results. Now known as the 174th Air Refueling Squadron, the unit has been supporting the regulars in numerous conflicts since taking on the air refueling role. This is the history of midwest American and warrior values integrating perfectly. Today they are an important element within the Air Force.

This new book is an in-depth study covering John K. "Jack" Northrop's quest for a clean flying machine. Covered are: Northrop's initial N-1M project, the N-9M, XP-56, through the B-35 project, B-49 project, and the huge bombers planned only on the drawing board. Included are over 300 black and white and color photographs, as well as drawings and statistical data on all of the Northrop flying wing and tailless aircraft. Garry Pape is also the author of Queen of the Midnight Skies: The Story of American's Air Force Night Fighters. John and Donna Campbell are also the authors of Talisman: A Collection of Nose Art. Both books are available from Schiffer Publishing Ltd.

The North American XB-70 is one of the most unusual looking aircraft in aviation history, and only two were constructed. It was originally designed as a Mach 3 high-altitude bomber, but was later used as a research aircraft. This new book by John Campbell and Garry Pape gives a short, detailed history of the XB-70, including production, flight tests, and the fatal crash of Aircraft #2 in 1965. Aircraft #1 is now at the U. S. Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB.