This book includes topics ranging from the earliest planes to the supersonic jets of today, featuring images from the Imperial War Museum. It is an illustrated A-Z directory of over 170 aircraft, including early planes used in World War I, fighters from the inter-war years and World War II, and the highly powerful supersonic jet aircraft of today. It is a guide to the different types of weapons used in air combat: machine-guns, cannons, rockets and missiles. Specification boxes for each aircraft provide at-a-glance information about the planes' country of origin, first flight, power, armament, size, weights and performance. Aircraft designed to attack and destroy other aircraft have existed almost as long as military aviation. This handbook traces the development of fighters from World War I to the present day, and highlights actions in which fighters played a crucial role. There are rare photographs of classic fighter aircraft, including the Bristol Fighter, Spitfire, P-51 Mustang, MiG-15, Hunter, Harrier and F-15 Eagle. This splendidly illustrated book, with many previously unpublished pictures from the Imperial War Museum Photograph Archive, is a must-have reference book for everyone interested in the aircraft that have helped make history.