The "Ace" had become a new kind of hero by the time the skies became a primary battlefield during World War II--and the dogfights that ensued became more deeply personal than those on the ground below. These inspired paintings capture both the courage and tenacity of these men and their machines in more than seventy works, painstakingly recreated by artists in vivid detail. They tell harrowing stories of wounded Robert S. Johnson, tailed by a Luftwaffe full of deadly purpose--but without ammunition--and Germany's legendary Erich Hartmann, the first fighter pilot to down 300 enemy aircraft. Each painted by respected aviation art masters, including Stan Stokes, Robert Taylor, and Roy Grinnell, they are enhanced with archival photographs of legendary Aces and their planes and battles. It's an authoritative tribute to the men of the skies--and a great gift for any aficionado of aviation or military history.