In this book, the Spitfire, Lancaster, Messerschmitt, Mustang and Flying Fortress are shown in 500 photographs and illustrations. It is a visual guide to five classic wartime aircraft from 1939-1945: the Supermarine Spitfire, Avro Lancaster, Messerschmitt 109, North American P-51 Mustang and Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. It includes technical specifications detailing each aircraft's armament, power plant, dimensions, weight and performance. It features over 500 action and identification photographs, as well as cutaway diagrams showing the interior construction of these iconic aircraft. The five aircraft described in this book - the Spitfire, Lancaster, Messerschmitt, Mustang and Flying Fortress - emerged from World War II as the truly outstanding designs of that period. This book examines the course of these planes' construction, development, introduction into service and subsequent career in action. Each aircraft is described in detail, with a cutaway drawing to show its interior parts.Combined with numerous eyewitness accounts from pilots and more than 500 identification photographs, the book provides a fascinating insight into the nature of air combat during the most innovative period in wartime history.