Stealth: The Secret Contest to Invent Invisible Aircraft
SKU: 23764175503

Stealth: The Secret Contest to Invent Invisible Aircraft

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Stealth: The Secret Contest to Invent Invisible AircraftOn a moonless night in January 1991, a dozen U. S. aircraft appeared in the skies over Baghdad. To the Iraqi air defenses, the planes seemed to come from nowhere. Their angular shape, making them look like flying origami, rendered them virtually undetectable. Each aircraft was more than 60 feet in length and with a wingspan of 40 feet, yet its radar footprint was the size of a ball bearing. Here was the first extensive combat application of Stealth

On a moonless night in January 1991, a dozen U.S. aircraft appeared in the skies over Baghdad. To the Iraqi air defenses, the planes seemed to come from nowhere. Their angular shape, making them look like flying origami, rendered them virtually undetectable. Each aircraft was more than 60 feet in length and with a wingspan of 40 feet, yet its radar footprint was the size of a ball bearing. Here was the first extensive combat application of Stealth technology. And it was devastating.

Peter Westwick's new book illuminates the story behind these aircraft, the F-117A, also known as the Stealth Fighter, and their close cousin the B-2, also known as the Stealth Bomber. The development of Stealth unfolded over decades. Radar has been in use since the 1930s and was essential to the Allies in World War Two, when American investment in radar exceeded that in the Manhattan Project. The atom bomb ended the war, conventional wisdom has it, but radar won it. That experience also raised a question: could a plane be developed that was invisible to radar? That question, and the seemingly impossible feat of physics and engineering behind it, took on increasing urgency during the Cold War, when the United States searched for a way both to defend its airspace and send a plane through Soviet skies undetected. Thus started the race for Stealth.

At heart, Stealth is a tale of not just two aircraft but the two aerospace companies that made them, Lockheed and Northrop, guided by contrasting philosophies and outsized personalities. Beginning in the 1970s, the two firms entered into a fierce competition, one with high financial stakes and conducted at the highest levels of secrecy in the Cold War. They approached the problem of Stealth from different perspectives, one that pitted aeronautical designers against electrical engineers, those who relied on intuition against those who pursued computer algorithms. The two different approaches manifested in two very different solutions to Stealth, clearly evident in the aircraft themselves: the F-117 composed of flat facets, the B-2 of curves. For all their differences, Lockheed and Northrop were located twenty miles apart in the aerospace suburbs of Los Angeles, not far from Disneyland. This was no coincidence. The creative culture of postwar Southern California-unorthodox, ambitious, and future-oriented-played a key role in Stealth.

Combining nail-biting narrative, incisive explanation of the science and technology involved, and indelible portraits of unforgettable characters, Stealth immerses readers in the story of an innovation with revolutionary implications for modern warfare.


Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 01/28/2020
ISBN: 9780190677442
Pages: 272
Weight: 1.25lbs
Size: 9.30h x 6.40w x 1.10d

Review Citations: Library Journal 12/06/2019 pg. 1
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SKU: 23764175503

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Nicholas Wilson
Whiting, US
β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… 5
Nice BIG enameled cast iron dutch oven. like LeCreuset but costs less
Color: Blue, Size: 6-Quart
This is nice quality, similar to the far more costly French LeCreuset brand. I was surprised how big this model is, possibly too big for my small kitchen and limited storage space. I store it in the oven. It would be great for baking sourdough boule bread.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2026
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JoiceMaynard
Boise, US
β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… 5
Enamel finish
Color: Matte Navy, Size: 6-Quart
This is an amazing pot, got the 6 Qt for beautiful roast dinners and for baking bread. All comes out evenly baked. Cast Iron is best and it has a nice finish for easy clean up.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2026
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Miss Maggie
Pawtucket, US
β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… 5
Good Cast Iron
Size: 2-Quart
I'm in my fifties. I'm from the south. I've been cooking with cast iron since before I was strong enough to lift it. This is a good pot. I liked the 2-quart pot so much that I bought a second one. Now I have two. Both pots were from the warehouse, discounted because they had been returned. They both work flawlessly. I have had cheap cast iron from family dollar and upscale cast iron from Cabellas. This pot from Amazon is mid range. Its not as nice as my great grandmother's pre-WW1 pot, but its about as good as Lodge. I like this size for cooking rice (2-cups dry, 4 cups water, 20 minutes on low after boiling). It makes better rice than you've ever had from a rice cooker and it keeps the rice warm for at least an hour without burning. Just leave the lid on and take it off the stove after cooking. It's also perfect for cooking dried beans. Whether you cook plain beans or add bacon or ham hocks (or turkey necks) for seasoning, the beans cook fast and evenly. They do not have to be watched every minute. On medium-low, covered, they're tender in an hour (assuming you soaked them overnight). I can cook beans in one pot, rice in the second pot, and dinner requires almost zero attention. Since I do a lot of simmering in my pots, they require regular care. I wash them with a scrub brush and a dab of Dawn dish detergent. I have never put one in the dishwasher. I think that would be foolish. After washing, I let them drip dry for a few minutes and then dry with a dish towel. Finally I rub cooking fat on both the lid and pot with a paper towel. I use vegetable oil. My grandmother used Crisco. My great-grandmother used lard. My mother didn't use cast iron, she preferred teflon. In my experience the type of cooking fat really does not matter. When the pot becomes rusty, as it inevitably will, there is a simple solution. Rub it liberally with the fat of your choice and cook it in the oven on low overnight. Voila! Instant no-stick coating. Cast iron is the very best cookware ever created. Even cheap cast iron lasts your and your grandchildren's lifetime. Just rub it lightly with fat after washing and then season it a couple of times a year. It never wears out and it adds iron to your diet which is especially nice for pregnant and nursing moms. The 2-quart pot from Amazon is reasonably priced for a pot that will last at least 2-lifetimes and its good enough quality to justify its price. If your pot is rusting, that's your fault and you have the power to correct it. If you don't, then that's on you, not the pot. By all means give it away to somebody who will appreciate it. I've gotten several of my favorite cast iron pieces that way.😁
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Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2021
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Dr. Mark
Birmingham, US
β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… 5
A Dutch Oven Ready & Able for Quality Food Preparation
Size: 7-Quart
Excellent dutch oven. Large and does its job well. Whether its on the stove or being utilized in the oven for baking, thos cast iron dutch oven performs by producing gourmet style food.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2026
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Diana
Battle Creek, US
β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… 5
Great quality and value
Size: 7-Quart
Heavy duty and well made. Love that it’s pre seasoned. I’m using it to bake artisan bread so it’s important that the lid fits well, which it does. The price is great for a pot this size and quality. The black is perfect for the color because I’m preheating it at 500 degrees Fahrenheit and baking at 450.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2026

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