Flying American Combat Aircraft of Ww II: 1939-1945 (Stackpole Military History Series)

Rating:
Summary: A very interesting volume
Review: What a great book! Especially for we who grew up in the '40s and '50s and later became air force pilots. Shortly after Pearl Harbor, a bond drive aircraft arrived at our local airport. It was an O-47 observation plane, with a real machine gun in the rear hatch. What a thrill for a 10 year old. Of course as I grew older, I realized that the old O-47 was a pretty sorry example of America's might, but things were really different in the early 40's. However, it was very gratifying to see an article in this book about flying that aircraft in those early years. There are thousands of accounts of WW2 flying out there, almost all devoted to the outstanding aircraft of those times. This book, however has many an article devoted to how it was to fly the other unsung aircraft. There are not too many pilot accounts of flying the P-39, the P-40 in Italy, the C-54 in ATC service much less the B-18, B-10 and the old C-46. Really a must read for those who remember those early war years.

Rating:
Summary: A very interesting volume
Review: What a great book! Especially for we who grew up in the '40s and '50s and later became air force pilots. Shortly after Pearl Harbor, a bond drive aircraft arrived at our local airport. It was an O-47 observation plane, with a real machine gun in the rear hatch. What a thrill for a 10 year old. Of course as I grew older, I realized that the old O-47 was a pretty sorry example of America's might, but things were really different in the early 40's. However, it was very gratifying to see an article in this book about flying that aircraft in those early years. There are thousands of accounts of WW2 flying out there, almost all devoted to the outstanding aircraft of those times. This book, however has many an article devoted to how it was to fly the other unsung aircraft. There are not too many pilot accounts of flying the P-39, the P-40 in Italy, the C-54 in ATC service much less the B-18, B-10 and the old C-46. Really a must read for those who remember those early war years.