The B-17 Flying Fortress Story: Design-Production-History Review

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(More customer reviews)Anyone familiar with the history of the B-17 and, in particular, the Eighth Air Force, knows the name of Roger Freeman. Author of the reknowned series beginning with "The Mighty Eighth", Freeman and co-author David Osborne assembled a new volume entitled "The B-17 Flying Fortress Story." This new book fills a gap in the literature about the Flying Fortress. The first quarter of the book covers the type in general, from initial design through production and modifications. Included here are excerpts from technical orders and operating manuals. Also included are a selection of somewhat rare photos and a special section on the Wright R-1820 engine. Of greater significance to the student of the B-17, however, are the last three quarters of the book. This section provides individual aircraft histories for each of the 12,700-odd B-17s produced by the consortium of Boeing, Douglas, and Lockheed between 1935 and 1945. This massive undertaking was apparently performed by Osborne reviewing each of the individual military record cards available and tying that information to other available sources. Thus, having the military serial of a particular B-17 (say, for example, from a photograph) enables a reader to see where that aircraft came from and its eventual disposition. The information is, by necessity, brief but usually contains specifics on an aircraft if it was lost in action. There are a few noted errors, surpisingly, for those B-17s which survived to enjoy civil service as that information is available elswhere in detailed form. Other editing errors (i.e. the book refers to the `Reclamation Finance Centre' (RFC) vs. the actual `Reconstruction Finance Corporation') may appear but such minor things can be overlooked in such a gigantic effort.

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Containing an abbreviated operational history for each of the 12,731 B-17s that flew in World War II, this is a volume devoted to the Flying Fortress. The text also contains information on the evolution and testing of the plane and its powerplant and performance.

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American Combat Planes of the 20th Century: A Comprehensive Reference Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the best "Airplane Book" to come along in a very long time. Speaking as the widow of a pilot, I can tell you that he would have been thrilled with this book. The information and pictures are outstanding. It's the perfect Christmas, Birthday, Father's/Mother's Day or any other day gift that you can give a pilot or anyone interested in aviation. Ray Wagner is a legend in aviation and put an amazing collection of photos with all the information about them together. Jack Bacon is also an outstanding publisher who has an impressive list of books published by his company. I'd give this book 10 stars if I could or more! I guarantee you will enjoy this book if you like planes at all. L. Wicksten, Sparks/Reno, Nevada

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The most authoritative and comprehensive history ofAmerica's military aircraft ever published.From World War I to Iraq.Profusely illustrated with over 1700 photographs.Each plane arranged by fighting purposeand appearance in history.Vital facts on every plane - how powerful, how big, how heavyhow fast, how high, and how far.American Combat Planes of the 20th Century is the only complete reference to all the airplanes that created American airpower. It tells the story of the marriage between aircraft and war. Every combat type built in the United States for the Air Force, Navy, or for foreign governments, is included, together with foreign aircraft bought for American fighting units. American Combat Planes of 20th Century is 758 pages, hardcover, printed on high quality coated stock, with a section of color photographs showing the history of military airplane color configurations.All the planes designed to attack an enemy with guns, bombs, or rockets are described, along with armed reconnaissance aircraft, and those derived from fighter designs, providing a quick reference for each type. Along with famous mass-production types, like the Liberator, Mustang, and Hellcat, with their major modifications, all the little-known experimental projects are included and compared.Ray Wagner's definitive work arranges all those planes by their fighting purpose and appearance in history. Even by simply viewing their photographs page by page, the reader sees the story of combat plane design over the years. Below each picture are the vital facts of each type: the engine's name and power, how big and how heavy that plane is, as well as how fast, how high, and how far it can go.As the reader follows the text, he learns who made these planes and when. What could each plane do, how many were made, and where were they used? Why each combat plane was built is the most important question, and is best answered by placing each design in the historical context in which it was developed, from America's entrance into World War One in 1917 to Operation Allied Force in 1999.World War Two is the center focus, along with insights on aircraft involved with conflicts in Nicaragua, China, Spain, Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq.The bibliography indicates this history's primary sources and is a readers' guide to the many books and publications to expand your interests.

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World War II American War Eagles, 1937-1942: America's Arsenal of Democracy, Vol. 1 Review

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(More customer reviews)Warren Bodie - God bless 'im - was the last independent author-publisher in the world. His Widewing Publications was responsible for a series of marvelous full-color books on WWII warbirds. WWII AMERICAN WAR EAGLES, 1937-1942, published in 2001, is a 192-page paean to classic Army Air Corps and Navy aircraft of the pre-war/early-war period. As with all Bodie's books, it's a first-rate effort with gorgeous color throughout.
WWII AMERICAN WAR EAGLES is basically Bodie's personal, opinionated, idiosyncratic, photo-illustrated history of America and the aviation industry in the years 1937-1942. The book consists on just three chapters! The chapters - "Life with a Sleeping Giant, 1939-1941;" "A Day of Infamy - Then Unleashing the Arsenal" and "Churning, Burning and Learning" - start out with a brief two-three page introductory essay and then plunge into page after page of gorgeous, extensively-captioned Kodachrome photos of just about every warbird and many civilian craft that flew in that time-period. Many of the photos are full-page.
So what awaits the reader? Here's a sampling: BT-9s, P-36s, F2Fs, F4Fs, XF5Fs, A-36s, A-35s, P-51s, P-39s, A-17s, B-23s, P2Ys, N3Ns, XP-46s, B-25s, OS2Us, F2As, TBFs, AT-10s, XF4Us, VS-44s, N-1Ms, SBDs, DB-7s, B-17s and on and on and on. Page after page; over 210 shots and all wonderfully reproduced!
In short, another great buy from Widewing Publications! Whether you agree with everything Bodie says in his captions, you'll love the technicolor tribute to so many legendary American aircraft. At $39.95, you can't go wrong. Highly recommended.
****
Bodie was one of the two authors responsible for the "WWII in color" upheaval that took place some years ago. Before Bodie and the late and much-missed Jeff Ethell began searching for and turning up scads of WWII color photographs, almost all WWII imagery had been black and white. Having uncovered so many photo treasures, Bodie and Ethell together and alone produced many fine full-color WWII books, almost all aviation-related, with other authors following in their footsteps. Thanks Warren! Thanks Jeff!

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At the Controls: The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Book of Cockpits Review

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(More customer reviews)If you love aircraft, this is a book for you ! The photography of the cockpits is stunning. The information about the control and instruments of flying from the day Wright Brothers, to the Spirit of St. Louis, the Warbirds of WW II, to today's Spacecraft
is extraodinary ! I bought the book just to have a photo of the greenhouse of th B-29 Superfortress, my plane in WW II. I was not disapointed. A plus was a view of the A Squares of my 497th bomb Group, 73rd Wing of the 20th Air force in formation.

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This is perhaps the finest collection of cockpit photographs in existence. The National Air and Space Museum holds the world's premier collection of historic aircraft, but visitors to the museum must maintain a respectful distance. In At the Controls, NASM photographers Eric Long and Mark Avino use creative lighting techniques andphotography to duplicate the sensation of actually being at the controls inside the cockpit of 45 legendary aircraft, with access not only to the instrument panels but to the consoles as well. The reader experiences a pilot's-eye view. This book will be a treasured addition to every aviation library.
(20011124)

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Flying Tigers, The Mighty Tiger: Adventures of An Unlikely Pilot Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a combination autobiography of Joe Brenner, a high school friend (which is why I originally bought the book), and a history of the Flying Tigers (both the WWII gang and the airline). I bought it because of the personal connection, but I'm recommending it simply because it's a great read.
Joe spent a number of years after high school as dedicated party animal, interrupted by a few years doing a Sergeant Bilko imitation in the Army. He finally came to his senses and decided to get a job as a Flying Tiger pilot. With only a high school education, no serious flying experience, and almost 30, there was virtually no chance this would happen. But it did, thanks to some extremely improbable coincidences, the sort that I like to call a "guardian angel" story. Joe eventually became a 747 captain.
The book is full of hilarious stories about his adventures and those of many of the characters he ran into along the way.


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Flying Tigers The Mighty Tiger: Adventures of an Unlikely Pilot: a collection of short stories, reveals the life-altering process of becoming a pilot, from its uncertain beginnings until succeeding, and the riotous good times that followed.

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Great American Bombers of World War II Review

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(More customer reviews)Great American ers of WWII provides great insight into the historical role, tactical relevance, and technical achievements of these great ers through the eyes of those who flew them. It further illuminates the great danger and sacrifice that the er crews endured throughout WW II. Anyone with interest in WW II aviation will enjoy this book! Further note that the cover photo is B-29, Circle X, #55, 20th Air Force, 9th Group, 313th Wing, 99th Squadron. The Air Commander (pilot) was Wm J. Vander Schans. My father, Herbert C. Macy was rightner on this very aircraft during his entire tour of duty on Tinian Island in the Marianas. I am very proud of my father, and all those he served alongside!! Further information can be found in the history of the 9th ardment Group (VH) by L.S. Smith (also a contributor to Great American ers of WW II). Library of Congress Number is 95-070747, published by 9thGroup Association, Princeton, NJ.

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During World War II, the B-17 made its mark in Europe with daring and devastating bombing runs over the heart of German industry. Fans of the B-24 consider it the most important bomber of the War for its large payload and versatility. And the B-29, with its pressurized cabin and remote-control gun turrets, was the ultimate strategic bomber, flying higher, faster, and farther than any of its counterparts, making it the logical choice for the War-ending flights over Hiroshima and Nagasaki.Great American Bombers of WWII combines three bestselling MBI Publishing Company aircraft histories into one huge, value-priced volume. The nose art, markings, and camouflage schemes of each of the USAAF's marquee bombers are detailed in archival black-and-white photographs, as well as in rare War-era color photography, making this volume a package any World War II enthusiast will want for his or her library.

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Secret Gadgets and Strange Gizmos: High-Tech (and Low-Tech) Innovations of the U.S. Military Review

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(More customer reviews)There have been so many books about wars and their weapons that one might wonder at the need for another, but the focus is different, here: Bill Yenne's Secret Gadgets And Strange Gizmos: High-Tech (And Low-tech) Innovations Of The U.S. Military narrows the focus to the secret, behind the scenes and largely forgotten inventions and theories of these wars, surveying some lesser-known weapons and military systems from World War 1 onward. These include the strange 'lobber' missile, spy satellites, night-attack systems and nuclear explosion detection devices. Chapters cover history, manufacture, testing results and more and provide plenty of black and white and color photo embellishment: a highly recommended pick any military collection should have.

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The relationship between war and science - as old as the wheel - entered a whole new realm with the Civil War, the first truly ""technological"" conflict. Secret Gadgets and Strange Gizmos traces this evolving connection from the deadly innovations of the Union and Confederate forces to the top secret, high-tech inventions that are making military history today. Chronicling the hits, the misses, and the important technological advances produced by the U.S. military’s high-tech hubs - aviation, wireless communication, the Internet, atomic energy, satellite technology, and space travel - this richly illustrated book takes readers from the ironclads, land mines, and ship-launched hydrogen balloons of the Civil War to the world-changing bombs of the Atomic Age.

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Shot to Hell: Stories and the Photos of Ravaged WWII Warbirds Review

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(More customer reviews)Most of the photos in this fascinating collection have never before been published, they are well reproduced, and the captions are crisp and infomative. Plus I could not find one error of fact. People who read this sort of material know that in itself is an achievement! Although this is mostly a picture book, the accompanying text flows smoothly and provides a good sense of the times. By the way, the photo at the top of page 106 is particularly interesting. It illustrates an upside-down Stearman with a unique non-standard landing gear that looks for all the world like a Cessna spring steel gear. The picture was shot at Wright Field, a major testing facility, so maybe this was an experiment that went bad.
I am pleased to add this book to my library and look forward to other titles by Cory

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World War II aviation buffs will cringe but be fascinated by the images of once-glorious U.S. Army aircraft mangled and battered during combat action. The Museum of Flight's Cory Graff provides the harrowing details and sometimes surprising twists behind each photo.Cory Graff has been the Museum of Flight's primary researcher and writer since April 1996. As exhibits research and development manager, he plans, evaluates and develops the exhibits, which includes easy access to numerous museum and institutional photo archives.

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CLASH OF WINGS: World War II in the Air Review

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(More customer reviews)Walter Boyne knows his aviation. He may be rightly called the Dean of aviation writers. A former military pilot and former Director of the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian in Washington, DC, he is an author that I would recommend anyone who has an interest in aviation should read. Not only has he produced historical books about aviation, he's also written some very fine novels about the early days and progress of commercial and military aviation called Trophy for Eagles,Air Force Eagles and Eagles at War. He has also written a great book on the Air Force called 'Wild Blue'. These I also highly recommend. In this book, Boyne gives a good overview of the air war in WWII. He covers all theaters, recounts the classic air battles in the Pacific and in Europe, describes the planes that were used and tells of the men who flew them. In fact, the book is so spare that it almost feels like there needs to be more. For someone who wants a well-written, well-researched overview, this is the book to read about the air war in WWII and I recommend it.

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Scale Aircraft Drawings: World War II Review

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(More customer reviews)Like Volume I (covering WW1 planes), this volume covers WW2 planes with reprints of drawings and articles aimed at scale modellers. 37 WW2 planes are covered, from Avro Lancaster to the Westland Whirlwind. Most of the obvious fighters and bombers from the US, Britain, Japan and Germany are included, along with a few pre-war types and trainers such as the Fairchild PT-19. I don't see any transport types however.
And doubtless any selection of only 37 will leave out one of your favorites. The photos are all black & white, the reproductions of the drawings are generally good, although I wonder if they were intended to be printed out in an 8x11" format.
The text includes matters of general interest, as well as specifics which bedevil modellers, like insignia size and placement, and how many variants of a certain plane were available.
Overall, a nice source of information for anyone modelling planes of this period.

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This volume from the editors ofModel Airplane Newscontain incredibly detailed scale drawings, historical data and rare photos of popular WW I and WW II aircraft.Everything from the Sopwith Camel to the Focke Wulf 190 is covered.The three-view drawings by master aviation illustrators such as Wylam, Nye, Larson, Nieto and Karlstrom will make any modeling buff s heart palpitate!

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In the Cockpit 2: Inside History-Making Aircraft of World War II Review

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(More customer reviews)Military history buffs will find much to interest them in this lavish photographic album of 34 incredible flying machines, remnants of the kamikaze attacks, blitz and other air battles of World War II, many now displayed in the Smithsonian and other national museums. Eleven full-color spreads alone feature the famous Enola Gay, back from its August 6, 1945, mission to bomb Hiroshima. Even before Enola Gay, the Douglas SBD-6 Dauntless (Slow But Deadly, as it was known) had turned the tide of the war in the Pacific by destroying almost half of Japan's aircraft carrier force, including the carriers set to launch Japan's Seiran (Clear Sky Storm) kamikaze attacks against the Panama Canal. Not only are American aircraft portrayed (including the Boeing Kaydet, on which an entire generation of pilots learned to fly), but aircraft from all theaters of the war: Britain's Spitfire; IL-2 Shturmovik, the signature aircraft of the Soviet Air Force and arguably the most influential tactical combat aircraft of the war; even the Fa 330 rotary wing kite, an aerial oddity designed to provide the Germans with U-Boat reconnaissance. //In the Cockpit 2// displays aircraft from a crucial period of military history and intense innovation in aeronautical technology.
Reviewed by Zara Raab

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In the Cockpit II: Inside History-Making Aircraft of World War II provides close-up access to the instrument panels, controls, and crew stations of 34 legendary World War II aircraft in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's impressive collection. Using a high-end digital camera with a wide-angle lens and complex shooting techniques that combine digital precision with manual dexterity, photographers Eric F. Long and Mark A. Avino expertly capture every detail of the cockpits, bringing them to life as never before. Insightful text by Smithsonian curators Roger D. Connor and Christopher T. Moore place each cockpit in historical context.

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B-17 Flying Fortress -Cmbt Leg (Combat Legends) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is an imformative, facinating,and sometime sad video of the men who fought in WWII and flew the B-17's. It is hard to belive that they were so young and faced the dangers so bravely. I bought this as a present after watching it myself. It gave me an understanding of what my father faced. I especially liked the inclusion of where the remaining planes are now.

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The Boeing B-17, which has come to epitomise the American war effort in Europe, took the fight to the German Air Force from the late summer of 1942 through to VE-Day. Its primary operator in Western Europe was the 'Mighty Eighth', who controlled 27 bomb groups for much of the war. Over 12,000 Fortresses were built. They were mainly deployed in Europe, flying from the 8th Air Force in England and the 15th Air Force in the Mediterranean. Their only form of defence was to fly in a tight formation and outgun any attacking Luftwaffe fighters by bringing their massive firepower to bear on intruders.

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Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress - Walk Around No. 16 Review

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(More customer reviews)After 30-odd years of viewing Boeing's Flying Fortress only in photographs or on film, my first impression on seeing a B-17 up-close was: 'Cripes, this thing is so SMALL!' Touring the inside of the aircraft only confirmed that impression; the B-17 wasn't this huge silver bird but it was a compact, functional and cramped warbird. Kneeling in the nose I remember thinking: 'My god, those guys made history in this! Wow!?!' Author/artist Lou Drendel pays tribute to the B-17G in this Squadron/Signal Walk Around, #16 in the series.
WALK AROUND 16 contains 80 pages of illustrations, the pages alternating between full color photographs/artwork and black & white shots. All of the color pages depict restored B-17s flown by EAA, Yankee Air Force, Long Star Flight Museum, etc. Most of the black & white photos are period pieces.
As always, Don Greer's artwork is absolutely super!
Bomber fans and modellers will enjoy Drendel's book; this one is a keeper!


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The Lady: Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (Living history: World War II) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is a good look into the inside of a B17. If you have never been inside a B17, you could find your way around after looking at this book. The use of re-enactors in authentic uniforms help you understand what it might have been like to fly into combat during WWII. The accompanying pictures from WWII support the contemporary pictures well. The text provides enough useful information to understand and appreciate the B17 and the air war of the 40's.

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The first volume in the "Living History" series on WWIIaircraft and the individuals who flew them, THE LADY illustratesspecific crew positions, the equipment they used, and what they sawinside and outside the legendary Flying Fortress.58 color photos, 47b&w photos.

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Boeing B-29 Superfortress : American Bomber Aircraft in World War II Vol. II Review

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(More customer reviews)I have no doubt that this book was indeed a labor of love for its writer as he claims. Further he has achieved his stated intention to help preserve and honor the memory of the B-29 and, more importantly those who took it to war, through the publication of previously unseen photographs the writer painstakingly assembled. That said the book's text (including captions) reads like a first draft and its format is rather awkward. The editor must have either been very busy or asleep at the switch when this was run past him.
The primary subject of the book's photos is B-29s serving in the Pacific in WW-2, with lesser coverage of the bomber's earlier service in the CBI theater and little on its extensive (and important) post WW-2 career. It is also not a book which seeks to detail the B-29, its history, or the tactics it's crews employed in war - though it makes no claim to that end.
Physically the book is well made and well printed - important to we old timers who still seek to archive our interests with physical artifacts! Of course it is thus also a bit pricey.
In spite of its failings and limitations, if you are a B-29 or a 20th Air Force enthusiast you will want to add it to your collection.

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The famed B-29 Superfortress is presented in this all new collection of World War II and Korean War era photographs. Many of the 850+ photographs appear here for the first time and are identified as to unit and location. John Campbell is also the author of Consolidated B-24 Liberator, and Talisman: A Collection of Nose Art (available from Schiffer Publishing Ltd.).

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Boeing B-29 Superfortress: The Ultimate Look: From Drawing Board to VJ-Day (Schiffer Military History) Review

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(More customer reviews)Like many of my fellow aviation writers, this B-29 book and my seven other books (amateurs write one book for a vanity press) were done as a labor of love and the many years of research and writing certainly are not equally remunerated monetarily. So when reading a review such as that by BillH that does not comment on the quality and quantity of the text but focuses on the quality of hundreds of B&W and original color photos and on the rare original B-29 drawings and charts; it is much like saying that someone's baby is ugly.
The B&W photos originally showed their 60 years as did the drawings and charts from yellowed manuals. Many of the photos and drawings were actually enhanced from the originals. One manual had a bullet hole through it! As for using a professional photographer, this was not allowed by Pima and would be exceeding expensive (as I found when engaging a professional photographer for my daughter's wedding!). Access to the aircraft was only allowed for a very short period of time during closing hours. With the bomber's limited interior space, lighting considerations, framing, and focusing were very difficult. The quality of the drawings and photos in this book certainly equals or exceeds that of the only other available B-29 books (e.g. Crowood (200 pages), Warbird Tech (96 pages), and B-29 Combat Photo Diary (160 pages, paperback).
Portions of the text, are paraphrased from original B-29 manuals and official publications and documents, and put into layman's terms as that method best explains the various too technical aspects and components of the bomber. From what other sources besides these rare materials could an "ultimate look" be written? There is some repetition only to clarify and maintain continuity of the overlapping components being discussed in different sections of the book. As the bibliography shows, the book used literally 100's of sources from my collection of 16,000 WW-2 books and magazines and 15,000 feet of official WW-2 aviation microfilm.
Since the book was so detailed it was difficult to write captions that would add any new information. Many readers do not read a book of this size from cover to cover but use it as a reference. They thumb though it, looking at photos and reading captions first to find subjects of interest in the text.
The book is meticulously organized and contains an extensive index. At 360 pages and 500+ drawings and photos from many rare sources; this book is by far the most comprehensive, detailed "Ultimate Look" on the B-29 to date.


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Although many books have been published about the B-29, none has been an in-depth look, with most being either superficial pictorials or focusing on the bombing campaigns, particularly the incendiary attacks and atomic bombings. This book, using rare, pre

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The Boeing Xf8b-1 Fighter: Last of the Line (Schiffer Military History) Review

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(More customer reviews)Superlatives come easy when describing Jared Zichek's tribute to the XF8B-1 fighter! Zichek's book is THE definitive history of Boeing's ill-fated giant. And it's largely a one-man tribute since Zichek not only wrote the book, he illustrated it as well. THE BOEING XF8B-1 FIGHTER: LAST OF THE LINE could stand as the benchmark against which other aircraft histories are judged. The research done is quite impressive as is the wealth of illustrations. Though I've been critical of Schiffer prices in the past, this book is worth every penny of its $59.95 price-tag. Zichek's goal was to rescue the XF8B-1 from obscurity and he's certainly done that in spades.
The XF8B-1 was Boeing's late-war attempt to get back into the Navy fighter business. Navy brass pretty much gave Boeing a blank check to design the aircraft. The result was the gargantuan XF8B-1, the only Navy fighter I know of that featured an internal bomb bay! Powered by a massive 3,000hp P&W radial driving counter-rotating propellers, Boeing's fighter was promoted as a triple-threat aircraft, capable of serving as an escort fighter, nightfighter, torpedo-bomber, dive-bomber, etc. Unfortunately the aircraft died a-borning, the oversized, overly-complex XF8B-1 being quickly cancelled since it offered inferior performance compared to types already in service in 1945. Only three protypes were built. Total cost for the XF8B-1 program was over eight million dollars!
Zichek does a bag-up job of chronicling the development and short life of the XF8B-1 in the first 44 pages of the book, which runs to 372 pages total. He then offers a series of appendices on proposed modifications and variants; general arrangement drawings, most of which Zichek drew himself; wind tunnel reports, photos and drawings; mock-up photos; construction photos; general photos; the XF8B-1 Service and Maintenance Manual(!) along with color profiles and artwork of the proposed variants, all done by the author.
You have to give Schiffer Publishing credit. I can't think of any other publisher IN THE WORLD who would have invested the time and money to publish this book. It's a great book. Yet realistically how many XF8B-1 fans are out there??
If you're interested in all things Boeing or rare aircraft, you'll want a copy of this book. I'd give it six stars if possible. It's everything an aircraft history book should be...and then some. Highly recommended.

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