From the terror and exhilaration of First World War dogfighting to the dark arts of modern air combat, here is an enthralling ode to that most brutally exciting of machines: the warplane.
The Hush-Kit Book of Warplanes is a beautifully designed, highly illustrated collection of the very best articles from Hush-Kit – the world’s leading alternative aviation online magazine – combined with a heavy punch of new and exclusive pieces. It contains a wealth of brilliant material, from Top 10 lists and historical deep-dives to interviews with legendary fighter pilots and expert analysis of weapons, tactics and technology.
This knowledge and impeccable research is balanced throughout with the irreverent attitude, wicked satire and sharp eye for the absurdities of the aeronautical world that have made the magazine so popular with its readers. The book itself is also a stunning object, featuring first-rate photography alongside original, specially commissioned artwork. Inside it you will find:
Interviews with pilots of the F-14 Tomcat, the Mirage, the Typhoon, the MiG-25, the English Electric Lightning, the Rafale and the B-52 among others.
Comprehensive surveys including ‘The Ultimate Biplane Fighters', ‘10 Incredible Cancelled Military Aircraft’ and ‘Aviation Myths You Shouldn’t Believe’.
Fascinating insights into obscure and overlooked warplanes.
Unbelievable accounts of the most bizarre moments in aviation history.
I love books about airplanes, especially those that take a different look at those favorites. Or in the case of this book, skewer many that deserve it. I didn't know about Hush-kit before signing up to support the book on Unbound (I find a lot of neat things over there - just be patient).
Each chapter is essentially a long blog post, done in a beautiful format of a book. The author covers everything from the First World War to present day. More emphasis on British planes, but it is a British book. I did learn about some really bad British planes that shouldn't have ever seen the light of day.
Some of the neat chapters are those by non-US pilots. There are two by Iranian pilots, one focused on the F-4 & the other on the F-14. Very interesting points of view. There is also an interview with an Indian MIG-25R recon pilot that regularly take his plane beyond 80k ft, which I didn't realize it could do. This is where the SR-71 likes to play.
It is a fun book to learn about warplanes from a side that isn't usually considered. There is a second book up for funding & I have already put my payment down for a copy.
I'm a longtime fan of the Hush-Kit blog, even contributing an article or two, so I jumped on this as soon as it launched on Unbound. It's a superb mix of silliness (Top Ten Most Overrated Aircraft) and really cool stuff (interviews with fighter pilots from all over the world). It panders to geeks without excluding those of us who don't know an F-16 from a Flanker. If you like planes and don't take yourself too seriously, chances are you'll get a kick, and a chuckle, out of this.
Purchased directly from Unbound, and want to give a particular shout-out for updating the file. I spent several weeks enjoying the 5-star text, and now have fully read the book with fantastic images!
Not only is this a Cadillac of airplane books, it uses humor and in insight to consider the ethics of appreciating machines of such beauty that are also used to such horrible purposes. Can't wait for Book II to release from Unbound!
A beautiful collection of some of the highlights of my favorite alternative aviation magazine. If you like reading about planes on wikipedia, take the next step and invest here. Excellent analysis.
More than just awesome military book with funny humor, this is my first time reading a book with my name inside as part of its crowdfunding project on Unbound. Very satisfying.