{"title":"Ernest M Snowden","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eErnest M Snowden\u003c\/strong\u003e offers readers a deep dive into the intricacies of military aviation history, with a particular focus on iconic aircraft such as the F8U Crusader. His works combine detailed technical knowledge with vivid narratives, appealing to both enthusiasts and scholars of military history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThrough meticulous research and engaging storytelling, Snowden captures the evolution of aviation technology and the strategic impact of these machines in modern warfare. His books provide a compelling exploration of the people, machines, and events that shaped the course of military history.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"f8u-crusader-by-ernest-m-snowden-9781682479902","title":"F8U Crusader","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThis richly illustrated volume explores the F8U Crusader's storied role in Cold War and Vietnam-era naval aviation, from setting speed records to earning its reputation as the \"Last of the Gunfighters.\" With unmatched dogfighting performance and a legacy spanning over four decades, the Crusader remains a standout in the history of carrier-based aircraft.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBuilding upon the expertise of the authors and historians of the Naval Institute Press, the Naval History Special Editions are designed to offer studies of the key vessels, battles, and events of armed conflict. Using an image-heavy format, these Special Editions should appeal to scholars, enthusiasts, and general readers alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom its first flight in 1955, the F8U Crusader proved to be an extraordinary aircraft, establishing a renowned fighter legacy for naval aviation. Building on its success with the F4U Corsair, aviator pioneer Chance Vought brought the Navy into the supersonic age with the Crusader, the first carrier-based fighter to exceed 1,000 mph in level flight. The Crusader earned the Navy its first Thompson Trophy for military aircraft speed and won the Collier Trophy for its innovative carrier suitability features. In 1957 future astronaut John Glenn set a new intercontinental speed record in an F8U-1P, flying from California to New York in just 3 hours and 23 minutes. At a time when guns were being replaced by missiles, Vought designers retained an integrated aircraft cannon, solidifying the Crusader's reputation as the \"Last of the Gunfighters\" and earning the loyalty of its pilots.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe contribution of the Crusader to U.S. Cold War operations was substantial. The F8U-1P photoreconnaissance variant, the longest-serving Crusader model, debuted operationally during the Cuban Missile Crisis, providing irrefutable low-level imagery of Soviet activity. During the Vietnam War, Crusader pilots achieved an enviable 6-to-1 kill ratio, outperforming both Air Force and Navy F-4 Phantom pilots-a testament to the aircraft's maneuverability and the dogfighting ethos of the Crusader's pilot community.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Crusader retired from U.S. Navy service in 1987, but its legacy endured as it continued to serve with the Philippine Air Force and the French Navy until 1999, forty-four years after its first flight. Author Ernest Snowden, a former naval aviator, provides an in-depth look at the design and operational history of this iconic aircraft, making this book a must-read for air combat history enthusiasts.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48126956110060,"sku":"9781682479902","price":60.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781682479902-f8u-crusader.jpg?v=1785991364"},{"product_id":"sbd-dauntless-by-ernest-m-snowden-9798892410625","title":"SBD Dauntless","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBuilding on the expertise of the authors and historians of the Naval Institute Press, the Naval History Special Editions are designed to offer studies of the key vessels, battles, and events of armed conflict.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 1942, half the aircraft spotted on an American carrier were SBD Dauntless dive bombers. From Coral Sea to Midway, they tipped over into near-vertical dives and released 1,000-pound bombs at close range against Japanese flight decks. Within minutes at Midway, three enemy carriers were burning, and by day's end a fourth carrier was rendered a burning hulk. Across five carrier battles, SBD squadrons helped sink six Japanese flattops and more than 300,000 tons of shipping.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"The naval dive-bomber was to prove the hammerhead of the naval war,\" wrote Naval Academy historian E. B. Potter. The tactic required an airplane built to dive steeply, hold steady as perforated brakes tore at the air, and survive the violent pullout. Ed Heinemann's Douglas design did exactly that. Armor plates, self-sealing tanks, and more powerful Wright engines followed as combat exposed weaknesses and range limits.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDauntless crews searched hundreds of miles of open ocean with little margin for error. Navy squadrons flew in every major carrier engagement of the Pacific War. Marine SBDs launched at Midway, then operated from Henderson Field during the struggle for Guadalcanal, striking ships and troop concentrations around the Solomons. The Army Air Forces' A-24 Banshee saw combat in Java, New Guinea, and the Gilberts.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom its Gamma ancestry in the mid-1930s to its final carrier missions in 1944, the SBD stood at the center of the Navy's early offensive-an aircraft built to dive hard, hit precisely, and change the course of an entire battle witha single attack.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48126970593516,"sku":"9798892410625","price":39.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9798892410625-sbd-dauntless.jpg?v=1785992676"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/ernest-m-snowden.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}