Lords of the Sky: Fighter Pilots and Air Combat, from the Red Baron to the F-16

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The definitive history of combat aviation and fighter aircraft, from World War I to present

INCLUDES 32 PAGES OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND 12 MAPS

Lords of the Sky is the “dramatic, fast-paced, and definitive" (Michael Korda) aviation history of fighter pilots and aircraft and their extraordinary influence on modern warfare, masterfully written by "one of the most decorated pilots in Air Force history” (New York Post). A twenty-year USAF veteran who flew more than 150 combat missions and received multiple Distinguished Flying Crosses, Lt. Colonel Dan Hampton draws on his singular firsthand knowledge, as well as groundbreaking research in aviation archives and rare personal interviews with little-known heroes, including veterans of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Hampton (the New York Times bestselling author of Viper Pilot) reveals the stories behind history's most iconic aircraft and the aviators who piloted them: from the Sopwith Camel and Fokker Triplane to the Mitsubishi Zero, Supermarine Spitfire, German Bf 109, P-51 Mustang, Grumman Hellcat, F-4 Phantom, F-105 Thunderchief, F-16 Falcon, F/A-18 Super Hornet, and beyond. In a seamless, sweeping narrative, Lords of the Sky is an extraordinary account of the most famous fighter planes and the brave and daring heroes who made them legend.

This comprehensive military history explores a century of innovation and courage:

• Firsthand Combat Experience: Authored by a decorated USAF Lt. Colonel with over 150 combat missions, offering unparalleled insight into the cockpit.
• Iconic Fighter Aircraft: From the Sopwith Camel and P-51 Mustang to the F-16 Falcon, discover the stories behind the machines that ruled the skies.
• Heroic Fighter Pilots: Based on rare interviews with the unsung heroes of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
• Decisive Air Battles: A sweeping narrative covering the evolution of aerial warfare from the dogfights of World War I to the supersonic jets of today.

The New York Times bestselling author of Viper Pilot and retired USAF F-16 legend Dan Hampton offers the first comprehensive popular history of combat aviation—a unique, entertaining, and action-packed look at the aces of the air and their machines, from the trailblazing aviators of World War I to today's technologically expert warriors flying supersonic jets.

One of the most decorated fighter pilots in history, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Dan Hampton goes back 100 years to tell the extraordinary stories of the most famous fighter planes and the brave and daring heroes who made them legend. Told in his acclaimed high-octane style, Lords of the Sky is a fresh and exhilarating look at the development of aviation for history and military buffs alike.

Praise for Viper Pilot: “Hampton’s one of the most decorated pilots in Air Force history.... We may never see his like again.” - New York Post

“An epic history of the fighter pilot world by a gifted author and historian with the trained eye of a combat pilot. Dan Hampton has done it and now offers it to us. This will be an enduring work of aviation literature. Experience the thrill, hear the wind, encounter the danger: Read this book!” - Major General DON SHEPPERD (USAF Ret.), co-author of Bury Us Upside Down; former Director of the Air National Guard.

“An excellent, well-researched, literate overview of 20th century warfare and the development of the fighter plane. Lords of the Sky will captivate history and aviation buffs alike.” - STEPHEN COONTS, New York Times bestselling author of Flight of the Intruder

“It is perhaps ironic that Dan Hampton’s excellent and very readable history of fighter pilots is appearing just as the use of drones seems likely to supplant them, but his book brings back to vivid life the unique and romantic role of the fighter pilot in all the wars of the past hundred years. Hampton writes with the verve, dash, and crisp authority of a man who has been a fighter pilot himself, and the result is a book that is at once dramatic, fast-paced, and definitive, a pleasure for everyone who loves reading about aviation, and the life-and-death drama of air combat.” - MICHAEL KORDA, author of With Wings Like Eagles and Ike

“Dramatic, fast-paced, and definitive -- a pleasure for everyone who loves reading about aviation, and the life-and-death drama of air combat.” - MICHAEL KORDA, author of With Wings Like Eagles and Ike

“An epic history of the fighter pilot world by a gifted author and historian with the trained eye of a combat pilot. This will be an enduring work of aviation literature. Experience the thrill, hear the wind, encounter the danger: Read this book!” - Major General DON SHEPPERD (USAF Ret.), co-author of Bury Us Upside Down; former Director of the Air National Guard.

“Superbly written. Paints a vivid picture of the skills, scares, scars, and science of air combat brilliantly, weaving them into a fascinating historical fabric that embraces technology, history, and politics. Buffs and the general public will agree that this is a first in the field!” - Colonel WALTER BOYNE (USAF, Ret.), Former Director of the National Air & Space Museum and author of Beyond the Wild Blue: A History of the United States Air Force

“In a unique concept, never before attempted, Dan Hampton breaks new ground-a fighter pilot telling the history of fighter pilots! LORDS OF THE SKY is superbly written, and Hampton’s personal experience is backed up by excellent research. The author paints a vivid picture of the skills, scares, scars, and science of air combat brilliantly, weaving them into a fascinating historical fabric that embraces technology, history and politics. Buffs and the general public will agree that this is a first in the field!” - Colonel WALTER BOYNE (USAF, Ret.), Former Director of the National Air & Space Museum and author of Beyond the Wild Blue: A History of the United States Air Force

“Meticulously researched and beautifully written, this must-read chronological history of fighter pilots reads like a great literary novel. Dan Hampton has crafted an important work that is sure to become a classic within the historic lore of military aviation.” - CHRISTINA OLDS, co-author of Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds

“[A] stunning book.” - AmmoLand.com