A Heritage of Wings: An Illustrated History of Navy Aviation

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Summary: A comprehensive history of naval aviation
Review: A Heritage of Wings has the ambitious goal of presenting an encyclopedic history of naval aviation from the first inkling in the mind of Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt to the Persian Gulf War. This comprehensive chronicle traces the story of how a revolutionary technology transformed the United States Navy and the very nature of naval warfare. As a comprehensive chronicle, A Heritage of Wings does justice not only to the "high profile" events of naval aviation but also to those little known or less glamorous. Subjects such as World War Two carrier operations in the Atlantic, antisubmarine patrol aviation, lighter-than-air aviation are given sufficient treatment. Concomitant of the book's breadth, however, is its depth--or lack thereof. Like the proverbial river a mile wide and an inch deep, the book skims over important events. A Heritage of Wings will certainly appeal to anyone interested in the Navy or aviation history. It should also, however, be of interest to those looking to the future--a future in which radical new technologies will challenge us.