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3 books on Military Helicopters [PDF]
July 20, 2025 | 15 |
These books are covering military helicopter design and engineering, tactical air support, search and rescue operations, rotorcraft technology, combat missions, the role of helicopters in troop transport and advancements in military aviation.
1. The Rise of Vertical Flight: A History of Rotary-Wing Aircraft
2025 by Pasquale De Marco
This book in particular gives a glimpse at military attack helicopters. According to the author, the advent of attack helicopters revolutionized the battlefield, giving ground forces unprecedented firepower and mobility. It is no surprise that such machines originated in the United States, where the inventor of the helicopter, Igor Sikorsky, worked. The first dedicated attack helicopter - Bell AH-1 Cobra - entered service with the US Army during the Vietnam War, where it quickly proved its value in close air support and anti-tank missions. The success of the Cobra inspired the development of more advanced attack helicopters, such as the AH-64 Apache and Eurocopter Tiger. These machines were equipped with more powerful engines, improved weapons systems and modern avionics. Attack helicopters have played a vital role in subsequent conflicts, including the Gulf War, Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan. They have proven particularly valuable in urban combats, where their ability to maneuver in tight spaces and provide close air support is critical. Today, attack helicopters remain a vital element of modern armies around the world. They are constantly being upgraded with new technologies, such as stealth and precision weapons.
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2. American Military Helicopters and Vertical/Short Landing and Takeoff Aircraft Since 1941
2021 by E.R. Johnson, Ted Williams
This book with many illustrations tells the history of the creation and use of helicopters and vertical take-off aircraft. In particular, it is interesting to read the history of the introduction of helicopters into military service in the USA. In fact, the four-rotor de Botezat helicopter, tested in the USA in 1922-1923, was the first US military helicopter. However, its limited flight capabilities made it unusable for practical tasks. The advent of lightweight, air-cooled piston aircraft engines in the 1930s made vertical flight more realistic. The first successful helicopter flight took place in 1935 in France - a twin-rotor Bréguet-Dorand machine stayed in the air for 1 hour and covered 43 km. The first practically-useful helicopter was created in 1938 in the USA by the Russian engineer Igor Sikorsky (or more precisely the Vought-Sikorsky company). Unlike the Bréguet-Dorand, Sikorsky developed the VS-300 with a much simpler design: a single three-bladed main rotor plus a tail rotor for torque compensation and yaw control. In 1941, Sikorsky's next model, the XR-4, was ordered by the US Army and over the next five years, 150 of these machines entered service with the US Navy and UK Royal Air Force. The first combat operations took place in Burma in April 1944.
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3. Military Helicopters: Heroes of the Sky
2015 by Karen E. Bledsoe, Glen Bledsoe, Taylor Baldwin Kiland
The author of this book tells the story of a military mission that occured during a civil war in North Africa. US Marines - Captain Eric Colle and his two senior technicians - were mobilized to fly 150 miles at night to rescue an F-15 pilot whose plane had crashed near Benghazi. They took off from the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge on V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, arrived in less than 90 minutes and rescued the pilot, who was running for his life from the enemy. The author says that no other helicopter or vehicle could have accomplished such a mission except the V-22 Osprey. This unusual machine, which takes off and lands like a helicopter, can turn its engines to fly forward like a regular plane. It has been in service since 2007, but has already become a favorite choice for a variety of missions, including cargo transportation and medevac. It is also ideal for combat operations, where groups of Marines need to be moved into and out of combat zones. It is twice as fast as its predecessor, the CH-46 Sea Knight, has a longer range and can carry more cargo and twice as many troops. There were other helicopters in the Mediterranean at the time, but the distances involved would have meant they would have run out of fuel or would have taken much longer.
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1. The Rise of Vertical Flight: A History of Rotary-Wing Aircraft
2025 by Pasquale De Marco
This book in particular gives a glimpse at military attack helicopters. According to the author, the advent of attack helicopters revolutionized the battlefield, giving ground forces unprecedented firepower and mobility. It is no surprise that such machines originated in the United States, where the inventor of the helicopter, Igor Sikorsky, worked. The first dedicated attack helicopter - Bell AH-1 Cobra - entered service with the US Army during the Vietnam War, where it quickly proved its value in close air support and anti-tank missions. The success of the Cobra inspired the development of more advanced attack helicopters, such as the AH-64 Apache and Eurocopter Tiger. These machines were equipped with more powerful engines, improved weapons systems and modern avionics. Attack helicopters have played a vital role in subsequent conflicts, including the Gulf War, Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan. They have proven particularly valuable in urban combats, where their ability to maneuver in tight spaces and provide close air support is critical. Today, attack helicopters remain a vital element of modern armies around the world. They are constantly being upgraded with new technologies, such as stealth and precision weapons.
Download PDF
2. American Military Helicopters and Vertical/Short Landing and Takeoff Aircraft Since 1941
2021 by E.R. Johnson, Ted Williams
This book with many illustrations tells the history of the creation and use of helicopters and vertical take-off aircraft. In particular, it is interesting to read the history of the introduction of helicopters into military service in the USA. In fact, the four-rotor de Botezat helicopter, tested in the USA in 1922-1923, was the first US military helicopter. However, its limited flight capabilities made it unusable for practical tasks. The advent of lightweight, air-cooled piston aircraft engines in the 1930s made vertical flight more realistic. The first successful helicopter flight took place in 1935 in France - a twin-rotor Bréguet-Dorand machine stayed in the air for 1 hour and covered 43 km. The first practically-useful helicopter was created in 1938 in the USA by the Russian engineer Igor Sikorsky (or more precisely the Vought-Sikorsky company). Unlike the Bréguet-Dorand, Sikorsky developed the VS-300 with a much simpler design: a single three-bladed main rotor plus a tail rotor for torque compensation and yaw control. In 1941, Sikorsky's next model, the XR-4, was ordered by the US Army and over the next five years, 150 of these machines entered service with the US Navy and UK Royal Air Force. The first combat operations took place in Burma in April 1944.
Download PDF
3. Military Helicopters: Heroes of the Sky
2015 by Karen E. Bledsoe, Glen Bledsoe, Taylor Baldwin Kiland
The author of this book tells the story of a military mission that occured during a civil war in North Africa. US Marines - Captain Eric Colle and his two senior technicians - were mobilized to fly 150 miles at night to rescue an F-15 pilot whose plane had crashed near Benghazi. They took off from the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge on V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, arrived in less than 90 minutes and rescued the pilot, who was running for his life from the enemy. The author says that no other helicopter or vehicle could have accomplished such a mission except the V-22 Osprey. This unusual machine, which takes off and lands like a helicopter, can turn its engines to fly forward like a regular plane. It has been in service since 2007, but has already become a favorite choice for a variety of missions, including cargo transportation and medevac. It is also ideal for combat operations, where groups of Marines need to be moved into and out of combat zones. It is twice as fast as its predecessor, the CH-46 Sea Knight, has a longer range and can carry more cargo and twice as many troops. There were other helicopters in the Mediterranean at the time, but the distances involved would have meant they would have run out of fuel or would have taken much longer.
Download PDF
How to download PDF:
1. Install Gooreader
2. Enter Book ID to the search box and press Enter
3. Click "Download Book" icon and select PDF*
* - note that for yellow books only preview pages are downloaded
