Customer Reviews

Classic Airplanes: Pioneering Aircraft and the Visionaries Who Built Them

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Nice book to see with colourful, big and original pictures, but not enough or accurate information for an aviation reader

This is fabulous book with dozens of beautiful pictures and magnificent commentary by Harold Rabinowitz. It's perfect for anyone who loves old airplanes and to reminisce about the early days of these glorious machines and remember the wonder they once inspired in all of us.

"Classic Airplanes" is a classic overview of aircraft whose "new design concepts opened up whole new vistas to the field of aeronautical engineering."

Harold Rabinowitz, in detailed and inviting prose, gives us the stories of twenty-two of the world's greatest planes. They range from the Wright Flyer (that sailed over "the cold desolation of sand dunes at Kill Devil Hill in December 1903") to the stunning and futuristic "all-wing" B-2 Stealth Bomber.

There are plenty of pictures here--in both color and black-and-white. Be sure to take note of the captivating photos of the Hawker-Siddeley Harrier V; the massive Clipper sea plane flown by Pan Am; and the B-2 flying fast and high over desert terrain.

Airplane lovers and flight historians are sure to enjoy this fine book.

Nice pictures, but totally inaccurate. On p.122 Mr. Rabinowitz shows a great, full-page picture of the Navy's Blue Angels flying in close formation. They are, as any aviation buff knows, flying F/A-18 aircraft. Problem is, the chapter is devoted to the F-15. Maybe it's a generic picture paying tribute to all high-performance fighters? I looked, but found no such reference. What I did find was the caption of the picture extolling the virtues of the F-15 and, as evidence, pointed to the "fact" that the Blue Angels fly them. HAH! An aviation book that does not know the difference between the F-15 and F-18 is not worth the paper its printed on.

Nice big shiny pictures, and if that's all you want, fine. If you want *accuracy* however, look elsewhere. On p.122 Mr. Rabinowitz shows a great, full-page picture of the Navy's Blue Angels flying in close formation. They are, as any aviation buff knows, flying F/A-18 aircraft. Problem is, the chapter is devoted to the F-15. Maybe it's a generic picture paying tribute to all high-performance fighters? I looked, but found no such reference. What I did find was the caption of the picture extolling the virtues of the F-15 and, as evidence, pointed to the "fact" that the Blue Angels fly them. HAH! An aviation book that does not know the difference between the F-15 and F-18 is not worth the paper its printed on. Can't wait to read Mr. Rabinowitz's book on the "Chevrolet" Edsel. ;)