The U.S. Army Fair Forces were hard pressed to counter Nazi General Erwin Rommel's progress in North Africa in 1942. Besides the military might of Rommel's German forces, the American military -- under the command of the likes of Eisenhower and Patton -- were dealing with an unfamiliar environment that put extra pressure on their resources.

But they were, in the end, triumphant. Air War over North Africa: USAAF Ascendant, part of the Images of War series, captures that era of combat in startling detail.

The black-and-white photographs show readers proud airplanes ready for takeoff alongside wrecked aircraft littering the North African landscape. They show the men who flew in those deadly fighters and bombers, and the men who kept them in flight-ready condition. They show bombs from above, falling toward their targets, and the devastation in their aftermath.

Throughout the book, author David Mitchelhill-Green detailed information on the war in Africa, the men who fought it and the machines they flew. Anyone with even a passing interest in World War II or military aviation will be fascinated by the facts and photos Mitchelhill-Green has collected here.

The air war is not as interesting to me as other facets of the war, but still I was captivated by these photos. And, with nearly 225 pages, some containing two or more pictures, there is a lot to see. USAAF Ascendant is an excellent collection and a valuable resource for historians and aviation enthusiasts alike.