"This fascinating book is a gold mine for aviation trivia junkies."
--Airforce

Graphic War is a superb collection of top-secret drawings, including training manuals and colorful wartime posters, from World War II. They were brilliantly created from a few downed aircraft, but mainly from pilots' views of the enemy in the air, during missions.

Almost all of the material was originally listed as "restricted -- official use only" and previously unpublished in any form. The cutaway drawings of the aircraft and airborne weaponry were critical to the war efforts of Allied and Axis forces alike. As there was little intelligence available to pilots about the design, power and armament on opposing aircraft, these "graphic transcriptions" were essential.

Many of the graphic artists and technical illustrators employed by the Allies, and most employed by the Axis powers, remain anonymous. Their work survives on these pages, however, to provide rare and unique insight into war room strategy and the air- and ground-crew trainee classroom.

Aviation enthusiasts, modelers, illustrators, artists and anyone with an interest in World War II history will find Graphic War a compelling inside look at the war fought in the sky.

Donald Nijboer is co-author, with photographer Dan Patterson, of Cockpit: An Illustrated History of World War II Aircraft Interiors, Gunner: An Illustrated History of World War II Aircraft Turrets and Gun Positions and Cockpits of the Cold War. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Donald Nijboer's profile page

This is a very detailed and very different book full of interesting images, the list of which far exceeds the space limited to this review. The diagrams showing the consequences of striking a barrage balloon cable, and those on how to use the cable cutters which were standard equipment on most medium and heavy bombers, sits alongside complete cutaway diagrams of the Centaurus and Griffon aero engines, and the characteristics of exhaust flames, the colour of which indicated how to adjust an engine's fuel mixture.

The History Herald

This is an amazing collection reproduced to the highest standards and I would recommend this for anyone with an interest in Aviation, Modellers, Budding Illustrators, Artists and aviation enthusiasts. Modellers in particular will find it very useful for all the detail drawings contained within. It is a magnificent collection and one I shall treasure... Highly Recommended.

Hyper Scale Magazine