Cessna Warbirds: A Detailed and Personal History of Cessna's Involvement in the Armed Forces [Paperback]

Walt Shiel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1995

This landmark book by former Air Force pilot and internationally-known aviation author Walt Shiel, provides the complete and rarely-told story of the 12,000+ Cessna aircraft that have served in the US military and in armed forces around the world. Cessna Warbirds blends hard technical information about each aircraft with personal anecdotes by the pilots who flew them. Over 400 photos, many in color, illustrate the aircraft and their operational use. Read about amazing feats accomplished by ordinary men with extraordinary courage when these aircraft were flown in hot conflicts around the world. This book is perfect for anyone who has flown military aircraft, is interested in military aviation, owns of flies Cessna aircraft, or experiences a military Walter Mitty episode whenever they take to the skies.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A superb reference for warbird enthusiasts of any time period. -- Warbirds, June 1996

A true military aviation enthusiast's delight...I recommend [it] without reservation to anyone interested in Cessna aircraft in military service. -- Airpower Journal, Winter 1997

An informative and entertaining book that should enjoy a wide audience. -- Flight, April 1997

First-person reminiscences from those who flew the Cessna warbirds lift the book beyond mere catalogued facts and figures. -- Pilot, November 1996

This just has to be the definitive work on Cessna’s military aeroplanes. -- Flightpath, August-October 1996

From the Publisher

Dave Menard of the National Museum of the US Air Force, noted that "[This] book on military Cessnas is going on the reference shelf for sure!"

General Aviation News & Flyer (September 27, 1996) called Cessna Warbirds "a comprehensive, fact-filled and readable account."

Oklahoma Aviator (February 1996) declared, "No warbird enthusiast’s library is complete without this awesome history of Cessna warbirds."

Kirsten Tedesco, Deputy Director/Curator of Collections, Pima Air & Space Museum, said, "Cessna Warbirds fills a void in aviation literature. Walt Shiel’s attention to detail and foreign usage as well as domestic, is much appreciated by researchers and historians."

Gerald Knox Bishop, Curator, Frontiers of Flight Museum, said, "[The] depth of material is truly outstanding, covering a great many 'nooks & crannies' not often seen by professional historians, let alone the general public."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 329 pages
• Publisher: Slipdown Mountain Publications LLC; 1st edition (December 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1879825252
• ISBN-13: 978-1879825253
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,831,164 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Although born in Michigan, I was raised across the US and around the world as an Air Force 'brat.' I started school on the Pacific island of Guam during the Korean War and finished high school in France during the Vietnam War. Shortly after my graduation, Charles DeGaulle kicked all American forces out of the country, but I swear it had nothing to do with me.

Subsequently, I earned a BSEE degree from Michigan State University, a commission and pilot wings from the Air Force, and the hand of a charming young woman named Kerrie. During 20 years as an Air Force pilot (including time in the Michigan Air National Guard and Air Force Reserves), I logged 3400 flying hours, plus another 400 hours as a civilian pilot.

As a civilian engineer, I worked on the B-2 bomber program and the F-16, F-35, and F-22 fighter programs and recently retired from Lockheed Martin. I have completed master's degree coursework in astronomy and business administration, but am now the publisher and managing partner for Slipdown Mountain Publications LLC/Jacobsville Books.

Since 1992, I have written for magazines in the US, England, and Australia and authored three military aviation history books, three novels, and two collections of short stories.

Kerrie and I have two daughters and two grandchildren and live on a 40-acre Michigan farm populated with horses, cats, dogs, and an abundance of wildlife.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE WAITING IS OVER, READ ABOUT CESSNA'S MILITARY AIRCRAFT, January 25, 2000

By 

Ed Whitson (Yuba City, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cessna Warbirds: A Detailed and Personal History of Cessna's Involvement in the Armed Forces (Paperback)

I have waited a lifetime for someone to come forward with the dedication to Cessna Aircraft's military history. I am looking forward to reading in depth about Cessna's different models. Walt Shiel was a pilot, I was a mechanic, we were both involved, at different times, with the airplane that took fuel and converted it to noise. Long loved by the people who worked on and flew them, I am referring to the Cessna T-37. Walt has done an excellent job in preparing this book. Long past due, Cessna deserves the credit due its involvement with all phases of pilot and navigation training. Without Cessna, there would be no military pilots to fly the warbirds that often take all of the credit. And Walt derserves the credit for bringing this to light. I will cherish and use his book. Thank You Walt

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, Easy Reading For Aviation Enthusiasts, December 18, 1999

By 

Frank Hamilton (Evanston, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cessna Warbirds: A Detailed and Personal History of Cessna's Involvement in the Armed Forces (Paperback)

Cessna Warbirds : A Detailed and Personal History of Cessna's Involvement in the Armed Forces by Walt Shiel is a great book detailing the military application of Cessna aircraft, including one Cessna helicopter. Cessna Warbirds is a pleasant blend of hard fact and personal anecdotes from the author and numerous military pilots interviewed while writing this book. It was fun to read about how the same planes I have flown in civilian aviation were used in military applications. It was also interesting to see how the planes were altered to fit their intended service.

Shiel's writing is clear and his anecdotes are relevant and, when appropriate, thoroughly amusing making what could have been a dry list of figures a very human story that's easy to relate to. Because Cessna Warbirds contains specifications and histories for each Cessna aircraft used in a military fashion this book is a great reference source as well. It is obvious to anyone who has read either this book or any of Sheil's many articles on military aviation that he is a thorough researcher who is immersed in his subject. Reading the author's bio, I can think of few people who are better qualified to write this book. I can't recommend this book highly enough to anybody who is interested in aviation.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reference on a little publicized subject, February 13, 2008

By 

W. Alcott (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cessna Warbirds: A Detailed and Personal History of Cessna's Involvement in the Armed Forces (Paperback)

Shamefully, I passed on picking up Cessna Warbirds when it first appeared, and only purchased it recently when the price hit bargain basement levels! This is the best single source reference on military Cessnas. While some aircraft have been given more detailed coverage elsewhere (such as the T/A-37 and O-1), it's great to see information in print on types such as the O-2, U-3 and T-41.

The first hand accounts make for an interesting read, and a different perspective than most titles in this genre. The book has plenty of detail - I love the note from the O-2B manual advising pilots to carry spare D-cell batteries for the onboard tape recorder, used to broadcast propaganda. Those looking for extensive photos may be disappointed - while the book is well illustrated, the photo reproduction is not great. The photo captions suffer from a number of errors, for example a RoKAF O-1 is labelled as belonging to Nationalist China; however this does not detract from the overall quality of the book.

Highly recommended.