Book excerpt: Written by more than 100 international scholars and experts, this encyclopedia chronicles the individuals, equipment, and drama of nearly a century of aerial combat. Air Warfare: An International Encyclopedia is the first encyclopedia to document the entire history of aerial combat, from the primitive biplanes of World War I to the sophisticated stealth fighters of the 21st century. The more than 900 entries, lavishly illustrated with photographs and maps, cover it all-the first, the fastest, the highest, the latest. More than 100 top international scholars and experts-many with personal combat experience-offer thoroughly researched, clearly written articles on the famous aces, designers, battles, air campaigns, weapons, and flying machines of air warfare's first 90 years. Accessible to student, enthusiast, and scholar alike, Air Warfare provides the reader with argument-settling expertise, lively and entertaining entries, and answers to thousands of questions: Who first used air power against civilians? How did a handful of Royal Air Force aces defeat the mighty Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain? Has bombing alone ever won a war? Where does the future of aerial warfare lie? - More than 900 A-Z entries zero in on the first, the best, the worst, the fastest, the highest, the latest - Contributions from some 100 top international experts--many with combat experience - Lavish set of illustrations with numerous photos including the Mitsubishi G4M equipped with the Okha suicide missile, the Red Baron, and the first all-female aircrew of the U.S. Air Force - Maps ranging from the Western front as stabilized in 1915 to the Persian Gulf War in 1991