Book Description
This new comprehensive look at the evolution of the American flight jacket from World War I to Desert Storm addresses not only the types worn, but focuses primarily on the art and adornment applied to the jackets. The most colorful and creative period for flight jacket art was World War II, and it is this era that comprises a major portion of this book. Additionally, many of the pieces are attributed to the original owner with biographical information, contemporary photographs of the individual, and the aircraft on which he served. Personal combat accounts are also included. Also covered are other military jackets used by flyers. American Flight Jackets** was compiled over a number of years by Jon Maguire and John Conway. The authors became friends through a mutual passion for aviation history and collecting. This book provides a valuable reference for historians and collectors alike, and includes over 1,000 photographs.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent pictorial monograph.......2003-03-13
If you are interested in flight jackets, their design, styles and art work, then this book is for you. There are literally hundreds of colour and black and white photographs of aviator leather jackets. World War Two jackets are covered in detail as are Korean and Vietnam period flight jackets. The book is well set out, has large high resolution photographs and is a well constructed hardcover. The only fault I could find with the book is that in many of the photographs it fails to identify the jacket type and specification. It also does not deal with jacket construction or design. As with many of Maguire's books it has excellent reference photographs and information on who used or wore the artical in question, but fails to provide detailed information on the item other than the basics. Still, it is worthwhile addition to a library, although the book is expensive.
WWWWWWW OOOOOOOO WWWWWWW !.......2000-09-26
Perhaps I enjoyed this book so much because of the fact that it's main focus is the WWII era of flight jackets and that is my favorite area as well. If you want historical jackets (KOREA AND WWII), get this book, but if you want just modern jackets then shop elsewhere.
If I had to be picky about the book, I would have to say that there were too many blood chits on jackets pictured and not enough pin-up work, but that's only if I had to be picky. The authors did their homework for this book as they don't just give you tons of photographs (BY THE WAY, THERE ARE TONS OF PHOTOGRAPHS) but also chronicle the jacket's history and when possible, the owner's history as well.
Fantastic layouts as the information is presented in a very professional and orderly way. They break down the jackets by theater as there's a section on the CBI theater, the European Theater, Korean theater, etc. Good paper and a nice sized book.
A bit on the pricey side but I still got it and I would still recommend it to the hardcore fan of the subject. May be too much cash for the casual fan.
Book Description
In August 1979, 303 yachts began the 600-mile Fastnet Race from the Isle of Wight off the southwest coast of England to Fastnet Rock off the Irish coast and back. It began in fine weather, then suddenly became a terrifying ordeal. A Force 10, sixty-knot storm swept across the North Atlantic with a speed that confounded forecasters, slamming into the fleet with epic fury. For twenty hours, 2,500 men and women were smashed by forty-foot breaking waves, while rescue helicopters and lifeboats struggled to save them. By the time the race was over, fifteen people had died, twenty-four crews had abandoned ship, five yachts had sunk, 136 sailors had been rescued, and only 85 boats had finished the race. John Rousmaniere was there, and he tells the tragic story of the greatest disaster in the history of yachting as only one who has sailed through the teeth of a killer storm can. With a new introduction by the author.
Customer Reviews:
Enjoyable Sailing Adventure/Disaster.......2006-02-26
Although I am not a sailor (and was occasionally left beind by Rousmaniere's use of sailing terminology), I thoroughly enjoyed this account of the deadly 1979 Fastnet race. The book is a narrative of a summer sailing race turned disaster off the coast of England and Ireland. As a bonus Rousmaniere is a good writer unlike so many other adventurers.
One of the most striking elements of the storm is that its effects varied so much over a very small distance. The author, who took part in the race on a larger yacht, was never really in life-threatening seas, while other boats just a few hours away pitched and rolled themselves to pieces. Rousmaniere tells his story along with accounts from the yachts that had crewmembers perish. He also describe the rescue effort in detail and gives some explanation how more than 300 yachts could have been surprised by one of the largest summer storms in history. The most interesting chapter at the end is his attempt to explain the lessons learned during the storm.
A good account of a hideous sailing adventure that will be enjoyable to sailors and land-lubbers alike.
Fastnet, Force 10: The Deadliest Storm in the History of Modern Sailing, New Edition.......2005-12-11
Incredible story. Well written. My family are sailors and my brother sailed one Fastnet race, so the details were both fascinating and scarey. Couldn't put the book down. If you have ever sailed, whether it be in a small sunfish or a larger boat, this story will ring so true. You will understand the challenges and the forces of nature, and hopefully make sure you are well prepared if you try anything on this scope. Great reading.
Thorough, Exciting.......2005-09-30
Even non-sailors will enjoy the thorough account of how a fast moving storm from America's Midwest grew into a sudden, shocking fury that wiped out the 1979 Fastnet race. Several boats and their fates are covered.
Adults Only.......2005-09-11
If you are looking for a good guys vs. bad guys screed; if you are looking for a juvenile, sensationalistic piece, look elaewhere. This is an intelligent, objective documentary of sea disaster in which boats were lost and people died. You don't have to be a yachtsman, just a muture student of the human experience.
It's Just So Exciting..........2002-01-14
Rousmaniere has done a great job on this book. He combines story and technical data quite well. He obviously did a lot of research, and it's reflected in the book. If you're a Sunday sailor - or a want to be ocean racer - this book is a must!
Book Description
British Captain Nick Everard's destroyer is crippled by Nazi gunfire in the German invasion of Norway. Desperately attempting to repair his ship hidden in a remote fjord, Everard is unaware that his son is part of an Allied naval flotilla converging on Norway, and the two are fated to join forces in a deadly arctic battle.
Customer Reviews:
Well Done WWII Naval novel.......2007-08-06
This was a well written insight into the WWII naval action between Great Britain and Germany. The main characters were believable and worth further pursuit.
The wrting style was much like Douglas Reeman.
I will pursue the remaining Nicholas Everard novels.
Storm Force To Narvik By Alexander Fullerton.......2007-02-16
This is an excellent novel by former Royal Navy Officer Alexander Fullerton. He writes from experience and combines his fictional characters with actual World War Two naval events. He weaves a tale that keeps the reader entrhalled from the beginning of the novel to the end. He also offers factual information on what it was really like to be aboard one of the Royal Navy's ships during this time period. He is one of the finest Royal Navy writers that I have read. I highly recommend all of his books both in the Everard series as well as his other novels.
An action-packed military novel .......2005-01-06
Book one of the Nicholas Everard World War II saga, Storm Force To Narvik is an action-packed military novel about a British captain whose destroyer is crippled by Nazi gunfire in the German invasion of Norway. As he strives to repair his hidden ship in a remote fjord, he does not know that his son is part of an Allied naval flotilla converging on Norway, and the two of them will combine forces in a lethal battle to come. Suspenseful, high-stakes tension is the hallmark of this gripping saga about human drive and determination under the most harrowing of conditions.
Book Description
In June of 1994 a dangerous "bomb" storm caught dozens of cruising sailors by surprise as they voyaged north from New Zealand. This is the true story of how nine yachts struggled to survive the hurricane-like conditions. Boats were battered by fierce winds and capsized by seas towering well over 50 feet high. Equipment was ripped loose, and water penetrated every weak point. Masts collapsed, rudders broke, and sailors lost steering control when they needed it most. The crews coped as best they could with injury, fear, exhaustion, and illness. Their electronic calls for help were picked up by satellites and radio operators, who initiated a massive air and sea search. This is the story of heroic rescues, human endurance, and tragic loss.
Customer Reviews:
Gripping Tale!.......2006-06-09
I've read numerous sailing adventure books, but this one is a true page turner! You learn about all of the differnt sailors on board each boat that gets swallowed up in a Force 12 storm. You begin to bond with these people and feel their anxiety and fears right along with them. One thing that stands apart in this book, verses others that I've read: is the author takes time to pay tribute to the heroics of the rescuers who are sent out to sea, to risk their own lives to save the lives of others. If you want fast paced, gripping suspense and adventure; then you'll certainly want to read this book!
I was there........2002-10-16
As capitan of the Destiny and having experienced this storm first hand, I can say that Tony's work is by far the most accurate of all the articals I have read. This is the book I recogmend when asked for my story. For those of you planning an ocean crossing, I would suggest that there are lessions learned during this storm that will prove of great value to you should you ever find yourselve in "the wrong place at the wrong time". My views of survival in extreem heavy weather were forever changed. It's a good read.
Dana Dinius
More compelling than A Perfect Storm.......2002-07-26
A real page-turner. I couldn't put it down. The suspense was spellbinding. Unlike A Perfect Storm, you don't know the outcome. Well written and true according to a friend who married a pilot who knew the rescuers.
Excellent book!.......2002-02-07
This book is a definite "Must Read". A little difficult to follow at first, as it covers the entire search and rescue operations involving several boats and their crew. I felt as if I was right there in it with them, and you can't put the book down until you know how it comes out in the end. This book is well written, with plenty of suspense and drama to keep your interest well into the wee morning hours. It was so good, I'm reading it again.
Couldn't put it down!.......2000-11-14
This book kept me on the edge of my seat for hours! I ended up reading it in one sitting! Any sailor dreaming of a blue water cruise should read this book. Non-sailors will enjoy this book also. Don't get bogged down by some of the sailing terms... this book is about the life and death struggle these people faced out in the Pacific and how they managed to survive.
Book Description
During Operation Desert Storm, Captain Keith Rosenkranz piloted his F-16 "Viper" in 30 combat missions. Here he recounts these experiences in searing, "you-are-there" detail, giving readers one of the most riveting depictions ever written of man and machine at war.
Customer Reviews:
A Flight Sim Fan's Review.......2006-06-05
Boy, I loved this book. As someone who's NOT a pilot and NOT in the military, this book provided a TON of insight into the day-to-day life of a combat pilot.
One way to see what it's like to be a fighter pilot is to buy a combat flight sim for your PC. Sometimes I wonder how real these are. However, when reading Rosey's account, I can say, they're pretty real!
So many times I've forgone all tasks other than countering a missile threat. So many times I've almost flown into the ground at night. Rosey did these, too, and I can't imagine how it feels to really see a SAM guiding on you, coming out of the clouds.
In addition to a lot of things flight sim fans have gone through, Rosey adds a lot of real life perspective. I laughed when he described how F-16 pilots bring 'piddle packs' on long flights and he described how he went about not making a mess with them. I laughed again when he described bringing a granola bar with him on flights, for the ride home after a bombing run. I've often gotten up while playing a flight sim and gone to the fridge for a snack.
For flight sim fans, this book should be REQUIRED READING. It gives a great perspective on how missions are planned and carried out. I was surprised by a lot of the real-life aspects of combat flight and was equally surprised by some of the aspects that read the same way an 'after-action' report from a flight sim mission reads. I'm still blown away by a couple of the mission accounts when Rosey went 'downtown'.
Thank you Rosey!.......2005-12-05
This is a brilliant book.
For anyone interested in military aviation or modern warfare I can only recommend reading Keith Rosenkrantz's excellent account of his part in the first Gulf War.
This book is well written, easy to read, detailed and personal in a way many of these books fail to be.
As a pilot myself (commercial) and having always dreamed of flying such aviation exotica as the F-16, this book is the key for us mere mortals to step into the world of the modern fighter pilot. It gives you a taste of the discipline, courage and commitment required.
For all this and much more you should definitely check out Vipers in the Storm.
When you're finished reading it drop Rosey a line, like I did to thank him for sharing his experiences. His email address is at the back of the book and he was gracious enough to reply to my message too. An officer and a gentleman not to mention hero.
Good look at an AF pilot's experience in modern war........2005-07-25
Rosenkranz is no Hemingway, but he does a good job of telling the entire story of his experience in Desert Storm. One of the things this book has that others about similar experiences lack is the emphasis on the human aspects of war (the moral issues that come from killing people, the toll that being away from one's family takes.) I immensely enjoyed the fact that this book shows that you don't have to be gung-ho all the time to be a good military man, and it in fact has given me more respect for those that serve our country because of the way it relates that one's primary drive to go to war should stem from a strong sense of duty rather than a sense of thrill.
Combat details derailed by naive political commentary.......2003-12-10
Rosenkranz provides plenty of details about exactly what a combat pilot does in a very busy F-16 cockpit, and he also details some of the interesting personal history that led him into this career. Unfortunately, he can't resist frequently venturing off into naive political and historical analyses of the wider questions of the war and the threat Iraq posed to the world, reprinting many speech excerpts from President H.W. Bush as justification for what he and his fellow service men and women were doing, extending them, in the end, to justify the current war in Iraq without ever considering the problems incurred by pursuing policy with force in the Middle East. At times the book reads like an instrument of the Republican National Committee campaign to reelect George W. Bush, or at the very least an apologist for the mistakes of both Bush administrations in the Middle East.
Monotonous.......2003-05-09
When I heard about this book, I literally ran out the door and sped to the bookstore to buy it. Me + This Book = Match Made in Heaven. After all, I am a pilot, an aviation enthusiast, and a HUGE history buff! Let's let 'er rip!
Well, maybe the aformentioned personal attributes have actually CONTRIBUTED to my disappointment. This book amounts to a 200+ page detailed information dump about every switch flipped, every button pushed and every word spoken on God-knows-how-many sorties. And beware: each time out it is the same thing.
Want to get some pilot's perspective details about the F-16? Haha...Sucker! Did you think you would get a military man's perspective about the operation in general in anything but the most, let's say, "simplistic" terms? Again, you bought the wrong book. How about an inside look at the real interactions between fellow fighter pilots, perhaps after the mission? Uh-uh. Rosenkranz is a good soldier: a simple box on the chain of command that knows what buttons to push and when to eat and sleep. He gets in the cockpit, reads his mission details for the recorder, and when he nears the target he operates his weapons systems, and then comes home, heads to the beer tent, goes to bed, gets up the next morning, and does it again. And again.
When you read this book you get the impression that Keith Rosenkrantz is under some sort of pressure to keep everything low key and not expose too much, whether personal or professional, because it might affect his career.
The only time when he wrote about his feelings in anything but superficial terms is when he exchanged letters with someone who was against the action in Iraq. "I wish I could have seen his face when he read my letter", Rosenkranz muses, I guess imagining the devastating effect that the tired old "price of freedom" missive he fired back must have had on its recipient.
I would give anything to be able to fly the F-16 and do what Keith did, but only because I don't believe his bland account is all there is to flying such a ship in wartime or any other time, for that matter.
Is the author brave and competent and am I proud that he is a fellow American? Sure! But we can separate what we think about the man from his book and its contents.
Book Description
Advance praise for Heart of the Storm
"Col. Ed Fleming tells a story of true heroism about the constant dangers faced by the pilots and crews who fly the most versatile-and vulnerable-aircraft in the skies today."
-John Glenn, former U.S. senator, astronaut, and bestselling author of John Glenn: A Memoir
"To risk your life to save a stranger is the highest mark of a human being. Ed Fleming is such a man, and this book is a great read."
-Dr. Jerri Nielsen, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Ice Bound
"Filled with suspense and emotion, Heart of the Storm reads like a thriller-but it's all true. Ed Fleming has led a dramatic and interesting life, and this book portrays it in living color."
-Robert K. Tanenbaum, New York Times bestselling author of Resolved and Absolute Rage
Customer Reviews:
As close to being there as you can get..........2007-06-22
An authentic, engrossing account of a life lived in a difficult profession. From his humble beginnings as a new pilot (all helicopter pilots start out humble, the machine won't let you begin any other way), Fleming walks you through the early events that shaped his character, and would stand him in good stead as he embarked upon a life of calculated risk taking. There are two rescues in the book that will literally have you on the edge of your seat, one as a young pilot and another as a seasoned pro. I don't recall reading anything that comes close in authentically describing how man and machine can literally fly into into the face of peril, to save the life of a stranger. Heroic acts are not always spontaneously undertaken by unlikely people, some individuals spend their lives risking their own safety for others. Fleming truly deserves the title Hero.
Good Story, well written.......2007-05-04
I enjoyed this account by someone "who's been there."
Col Fleming gives a detailed and interesting account of what rescues by the Air Force are all about. The author places us in the aircraft with him and relates the joys and frustrations of rescue work. I would liked to have seen a little more on the PJs actions, but I understand the focus was on the author's "adventures as a helicopter rescue pilot."
Kudos Col for the insight from a rescue pilot's perspective.
Gripping, real life drama.......2006-09-21
I read all manner of books but there is nothing quite so completely satisfying as reading a true-story page turner that reads like a novel. Heart of the Storm is just that. Utterly captivating and at the same time educational, the book reveals, in high speed drama, the life and experiences of a small group of helicopter rescue people most of us never have the misfortune of encountering but, but after reading this, may wish we could. Each chapter is prefaced with an account of the large scale events of the times which helps place us in the book, and is briefly anecdoted with personal insights and family life that make the journey Col. Edward Fleming takes us on all the more meaningful and poignant. I don't know why this book hasn't yet been made into a movie but I'd be willing to bet it will be. It most certainly should be.
Keith Davitt
A Real Story by a Real Warrior.......2005-04-21
A super story about real life heroes doing the daily business of protecting the nation both here and abroad. Col fleming tells it all as an oberver and a participant. His stories are not embellished for the reader, nor do they point to him as the central heroic figure. They do provide the reader with a look into a world that is boring and thrilling at the same time; deftly describing the tedium of daily squadron life as it gives way to the breakneck speed and physical demands of search and rescue over water.
This book is full of heroes... and a few malcontents, imcompetents and villains. He bravely steps up to describe the politics of the national guard. Where officers may be elevated for political reasons despite their shortcomings. His criticism is not couched in the whining of a man dissapointed by his leaders. It is a thoughtful observation of the things that go awry, even to the best of us. His determination to stay with his unit, then to move forward despite rejection, criticism and professional "second guessing" speak more about his character than the eagles on his shoulder or the ribbons on his chest.
Col Fleming reminds me of the ubiquitous "Old Sage" in every military unit. The Colonel or Master Sergeant who regailed there charges with the "old corps" stories of past glory and disappointment. These stories, often funny, sometimes tragic were tinged with morals and lessons to be learned and incorporated into the professional and personal lives of their young officers, NCOs and airmen. In an axiom that defines military men and women through time, the good ones learned there lessons from the Old Sage, the bad ones learned them the hard way.
Col Fleming has taken us all into his world and through his writing we come away with a deeper sense of gratitude and understanding for the people who stand in harm's way for us.
A Real Warrior sharing his world... an outstanding book
So Exciting It Reads Like the Best Fiction - but All True.......2004-06-07
In Heart of the Storm, Col. Fleming shows that he is as adept at writing about his lifetime of thrilling rescues as he was at performing them. What a career, and what a book! A work of fiction couldn't cover more high profile adventures - rescues he pulled off during the Perfect Storm, at the South Pole, in the Gulf War, just to scratch the surface. But it's not fiction. He really did it, risking his life to save perfect strangers more times than I could count. I don't have the patience to read many books, but this one wouldn't let me put it down.
Customer Reviews:
Well Worth Your While.......2007-04-20
If you don't know the Battle of the Atlantic from the Battle of Leyte Gulf, you'll want to do a quick review of U.S. naval history during World War II before starting Dr. Rose's second volume in his Power at Sea trilogy. That said, I think that even the casual historian will find this book well worth their while. A revealing look into the rise of the aircraft carrier as the dominate weapon of sea power is only one of the several intriguing topics covered. I was particularly fascinated by the section that described how close the axis nations actually came to winning the war they had so recklessly begun. This book provides an excellent look into the era in which the United States surpassed Great Britain as the greatest sea power in the world.
Book Description
In 1970 the SAS were called in to support the Sultan of Oman's armed forces in their fierce campaign against a communist armed insurrection. This was first and last a war about people. The task in hand was not to obliterate the enemy but to persuade them to join the government's side and at the same time win the support of the civilians of the Jebel Dhofar. This is the gripping story of the part played in the conflict by squadrons of the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment, the first full SAS squadron in the region. Written by the man who commanded that unit and who successfully raised the first bands of Dhofari irregulars to fight for the Sultan, SAS: Operation Storm provides a unique and personal insight into what was to become one of the most successful counter-insurgency campaigns of the 20th century.
Book Description
During the final years of the 20th century, the most significant break-through in military weaponry was the concept of Stealth technology, and the first mass-produced weapon to utilize this to perfection was the F-117 Nighthawk.
Despite the fact that it was first delivered in 1982, the US Air Force officially denied its existence until 1988. Nevertheless, the operational status of the aircraft still remained a well-guarded secret with nighttime only operations from the Tonopah facility in Nevada.
However, when Iraq invaded Kuwait, the aircraft entered into the public spotlight, flying combat missions over Baghdad.
The F-117 Nighthawk flew as a single plane with no escort, and maintained total radio silence to ensure maximum stealth impact. Its success during Operation Desert Storm, and its extraordinary capability, has guaranteed it the "tip of the spear" in terms of American attack capabilities. Furthermore, it was the first weapon to be used during the initial few nights of military operations when the goal was to blind the enemy by destroying command, control, and radar.
Illustrated with stunning color photographs of the F-117 above Iraq, and complemented by numerous personal accounts from the pilots themselves, this book explores the history and combat experience of one of the most secretive planes ever built.
Customer Reviews:
A fine survey of the F-117.......2007-07-08
Warren Thompson's F-117 STEALTH FIGHTER UNITS OF OPERATION DESERT STORM provides a fine survey of the F-117, developed by Lockheed with Stealth technology to take place as a key component of Operation Desert Shield. Military collections strong on aviation and recent military history will find this a fine blend of pilot experiences and memoirs and technical information juxtaposed by color photos throughout.
Books:
- An Incomplete Education: 3,684 Things You Should Have Learned but Probably Didn't
- Angelic Layer Volume 2 (Angelic Layer, 2)
- Auschwitz
- Band of Brothers : E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest
- Beany Malone Series - 14 Book Set (Beany Malone)
- Blood Feud: Detroit Red Wings v. Colorado Avalanche: The Inside Story of Pro Sports' Nastiest and Best Rivalry of Its Era
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8, Issue 2
- Burning Bright
- Casino Surveillance and Security: 150 Things You Should Know
- Castle: Medieval Days and Knights (A Sabuda & Reinhart Pop-up Book)
Books Index
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Aviation
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
A-2 and G-1 Flight Jackets: Hell-Bent for Leather (Motorbooks Classic)
Art of the Flight Jacket: Classic Leather Jackets of World War II (Schiffer Military/Aviation History)
Gear Up!: Flight Clothing & Equipment of Usaaf Airmen in World War II (Schiffer Military/Aviation History)
Motorcycle Jackets: Ultimate Bikers' Fashions
Motorcycle Jackets: A Century of Leather Design
