Aviation Century: World War II [Hardcover]

Air Vice-Marshal Ron Dick (Author), Dan Patterson (Photographer), Ramsay Potts (Foreword), Don Lopez (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 6, 2004

A pictorial history of aviation from 1939-1945.

Beginning in 1939-40 with the German blitzkrieg and the Battle of Britain, aircraft repeatedly turned the tide of war. Their worth was proved in many roles besides bombing and airborne assault, including air defense, support of ground operations, maritime patrol, shipping strikes, transport support and reconnaissance. Warplanes became indispensable and revolutionized the character of war.

In Aviation Century World War II, stunning images of preserved and restored wartime aircraft are combined with archival photographs of the world's first well-photographed war to tell an unprecedented visual story of World War II. The unforgettable images are accompanied by insightful text that explains the strategic role of warplanes and describes the types and models of aircraft used by each nation, and re-tells the dramatic stories of the war.

Forewords for Aviation Century World War II are written by World War II veteran pilots Ramsay Potts and Don Lopez.

(200412)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This is the third volume in Firefly's Aviation Century series. With 400 color and black-and-white photos, details the role of planes in Europe and the Middle East, the Pacific, China, Burma, and India from 1939 to 1945. The authors describe the fighters and bombers of the countries involved and the decisive events, such as the sinking of the German cruiser Konigsberg by British airmen in 1940, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and that nation's kamikaze pilots' attacks on U.S. ships in the Pacific, the German bombing of England, and the dropping of atomic bombs on Japan in 1945.

Any readers interested in the history of flying will treasure this profusely illustrated book. George Cohen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

Stunning images... the unforgettable images are accompanied by an insightful text. (Canadian Defence Review 200506)

Patterson's color photography combines with works of contemporary aviation artists to depict aircraft vividly from all major theaters of war. (John Carver Edwards Library Journal )

Great stories and gorgeous photos of planes. (Jeff Salamon Austin American-Statesmen )

Any readers interested in the history of flying will treasure these profusely illustrated books. (George Cohen Booklist )

Expertly written... heavily illustrated... you'll find plenty of fascinating text and photography to pique your interest. (EAA Sports Aviation )

Excellent source for further reading and research and the photographs of the planes and cockpits are very good for reference. (Kay Plesca E-Streams )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Boston Mills Press (November 6, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550464264
• ISBN-13: 978-1550464269
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,183,292 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful on it's own, better as a set, November 20, 2007

By 

R. Wright (America's Heartland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aviation Century: World War II (Hardcover)

The pairing of insightful writing and stunning photography set this book apart from a very crowded field. While not an exhaustive history, it manages to balance overview with anecdote to create a lively mix that helps bring the experiences of the pilots alive.

Then there's the photos! Static shots of planes, both familiar and obscure, are presented with an artists eye for detail, lighting and composition. The cockpit photos alone are worth the price for the aviation buff, and the air to air shots are full of action and speed; you can almost smell the petrol and cordite. Brilliant! The fact that this is volume 3 of a 5 volume set covering the entire first century of aviation helps put this crucial moment in context. I have the others, except for volume 5, and can highly recommend them.

1 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Some beautiful close-ups, January 5, 2007

By 

E. A. Costa - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aviation Century: World War II (Hardcover)

There are some beautiful close-ups of a few planes. And unfortunally that's all. No full description and it's not a guide.