One minute the plane is flying high. Next a bullet or a missile hits the plane, and it begins to fall from the sky. Sometimes the airplane explodes and all is lost, sometimes the crew can eject. Read about the heroism, the tragedies, and a very big question: When is it OK to shoot down a plane?

Includes index.

Introduction -- Ace pilot shot down -- Spy plane shot down -- Flight 007 shot down -- Shot down over Iraq -- Should we shoot down passenger planes? -- Book review -- Glossary -- Index.