Customer Reviews

DC-3: A Legend in Her Time: A 75th Anniversary Photographic Tribute

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a DC-3 enthusiast and occasional pilot--once even copiloting with the late, great Ernest K. Gann, the finest aviation writer ever to two-block a fistful of throttles--I thought I'd seen every Doug Racer snap ever shot. Yet there are maybe two photos among the 250-odd in this wonderful book that I've ever seen before, and some of them are priceless. (My personal favorite is the conga line of eight American Airlines DC-3 crewmembers and dressed-to-the-nines lady passengers, the captain and copilot obviously wondering why they'd ever agreed to pose for this classic publicity shot.)
That Bruce McAllister has a photographer's eye--not surprising, since that was his day job--is obvious in the selection and layout of the photos in this book, and that he's a highly experienced aviator, bush pilot and airplane owner is made clear in the text and captions that he's written. His book covers not just DC-3 airliners but every military version from the earliest C-47/Dakotas to the Vietnam AC-47 gunships, from the Soviet Li-1 copy to the most recent Basler BT-67 turboprop conversions.
This is a high-quality coffeetable hardcover that should be enjoyed not only by pilots and aviation buffs but by anybody who appreciates industrial design in its finest form.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking: Please fasten your seat belts. Once you crack this book open, you won't be able to stop turning the 250 pages of incredible photography. This book had me flying all over the world. From the South Pole to Siberia to Stuttgart, this ship has seen it all and this book put's you right there. It's one adventure after another, carefully organized and narrated by a world class pilot and historian.

This book is chock full of photos that are excellent and show the DC-3 and its variations in an incredibly diverse number of settings and uses. Pilot/photographer McAllister has assembled photographs that cover the history of the venerable Douglas aircraft in commercial passenger and freight roles, all over the world. It appears as a military aircraft in photos from World War II, the Korean Conflict and in Vietnam. There are many pictures of DC-3s in frigid polar settings - Arctic and Antarctic. The text, in deference to the photos, is brief and informative with solid historical documentation of the evolution of the aircraft in various applications. There are wonderful anecdotes that made me smile. The photos range from artistic shots that will have you staring at them for their beauty to historical photos that will take you back in time, remembering historical events. McAllister employs photos with people in them which brings a liveliness and intimacy to the story. This is a terrific coffee table book for the aviation enthusiast, for anyone who loves good photography and for 20th century history buffs. After reading it, one wonders if the growth of aviation would have been nearly as swift without the DC-3.

DC-3 an iconic aircraft. This aircraft which still flies today all over the world really moved aviation ahead. Still in scheduled service by Buffalo Airways in Canada. This is the standard publication of the history of the plane. Glad to have it and if you are interested in aviation history, particularly this plane, you have to have it

First, a bit of background on why I bought the book. My wife's father flew a "Gooney" in WWII and because of this, combined with my joy of flightsimming and machines in general, along with the 75th anniversary of the DC-3/C-47, I bought this book along with other things.

From the beginnings with the DC-1 & 2 to the "Dragon" gunships of Vietnam, civilian and military, nose art and "Plain Jane", houses and campers, it is all there. It is amazing what has been done to, and done with this plane. The book has just the right amount of text to go with photos.

This book is very good by itself, or next to the Haynes "Douglas DC-3 Dakota Owners' Workshop Manual". Whether you are a "Gooney" fan, an aviation history buff, or neither of those, it is well worth getting. If left out on a coffee table, it is sure to get attention.

In short, get it, you will be glad that you did. I was.

Flew in DC-3 over thousands of miles. Father was Captain in Colonial Airlines, Eastern, RAF over the pond. Many stories of this magic plane Flew since 1939...

This book is nice compilation of the DC3/C47 and so on ....
It captures in a good way how this plane was and is used.
There are even some pictures i've never seen before, most of the information is pretty accurate but some isn't that is the only reason why i give it four stars(mostly for the pictures).
If you are a fan of the Dak then this book has to be on your bookshelf.

This is the story of the DC 3, the most valuable airplane of the past 80 years. Dwight Eisenhower listed it as one of the five most valuable tools the US had in winning World War II. Many of the 16,000 built are still flying. It was the first really successful commercial airliner and it was developed as an improvement on the DC 2 which was successful but had issues, especially with the landing gear. It had more range and was faster. The book is full of pictures but is not just a picture book. It is a coffee table size book that is beautifully produced. It is highly recommended.

I have always admired the DC3 and have flown on it many times. This book is a historical record, with "tons" of photos--a perfect coffee table book that also reads well.

Agree with the other reviewers, this is a wonderful tribute to one of the all time great aircraft, the Douglas DC-3 (and all it's variants). There is a great collection of pictures in the book. The text is pretty straightforward and does not go in to a great deal of detail. But that's fine, because what's written is informative and clear.

Anyone who has a love for this aircraft should have a copy of this book.