When aircraft first started carrying offensive weapons, they were in the form of hand head pistols, rifles and grenades. It was soon found that those were not really all that useful against other aircraft so planes were developed that could carry airborne versions of the water-cooled machine guns used on the ground. In this case, it was the air flowing over the barrel that provided the cooling. From there, the fighter aircraft was developed and things went forward from there. In all subsequent conflicts of the 20s, 30s, and throughout WWI, it was the machine gun that was the main items used on aircraft, even though unguided rockets were used with some effect by the Germans in the last years of the war. 

However, towards the very end of the war in Europe, the Germans developed a wire guided missile. This was successfully tested, but the war ended before it could be deployed. Post war, when rockets were used, they were unguided versions based on the R4M folding fin rockets used by Me-262 and FW-190s during the last weeks of the war. What was needed, was something that could detect the heat signature of the would be victim's engine. That technology was finally miniaturized and placed in the nose of the first operational missiles. This was the AIM-4 Falcon. It worked great against bombers in a stream as it took several seconds for the seeker head to be cooled down and since bombers didn't maneuver, it was perfect. However, it was not useful at all against rapidly maneuvering aircraft. For that something smaller and more agile was needed. This led to the AIM-9 Sidewinder, the missile that was first successfully used in combat in 1958 by a Republic of Chinese F-86 against a PRC MiG-17. From there, the technology has grown and missiles have become considerably more reliable and deadly.

This book covers the history of the development of the AAM by all nations as well as going into the technology itself. This includes the tactics used as missiles are not a guaranteed product. There are ways of reducing or even cancelling their effectiveness and that is also covered. Another area covered are the fundamentals of building one of these weapons. Like other books in the series, there are a ton of photographs as well as full color charts, drawings and profiles. I dare say that it will answer just about all questions one has on the subject. It is a book from which I learned a great deal and I'm sure you will as well. Most highly recommended.

October 2025

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