Customer Reviews

Fighters of the Fifties

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How can you possibly cover 64 fighter planes of one of the most technically revolutionary decades of aviation history in a book 5x7" and 248 pages? Author Bill Gunston not only does that, but it's done with a great blend of facts, statistics, dates, numbers, opinions and even a dash of humor (dry, of course, Bill is a Brit). I cannot tell you how many times I have referred to this book for a quick snapshot of a plane and how it stacked up against its peers.

Written during the Cold War, Gunston did not have much access to Soviet planes, but the MiG-15, 17, 19 and 21 are included. That's the one downside to this book - but cheer up, it leaves that much more room for western fighters of France, Britain, the US. There are no color photos, but each plane has at least one B&W shot to help the reader see the plane. As you would guess, there is not a lot of technical detail about variants, sub types, but the material is very representative of the planes strengths, weaknesses - and that's the best part of this book. If the plane was a dog, Bill will tell you. I enjoy this book very much; it's a very handy one stop reference to the fighters of the fifties. I think it holds up well with time, recommended for aviation buffs, folks who want to see a little bit about a lot. It's still a good addition to the library, despite its age.

Bill Gunston is one of aviation's more gifted writers. It truly shows in this book. It is a collection of thumb-nail portraits of the great fighter aircraft (and a few obscure ones as well) of the 1950's. The important thing is that he lived and worked through those years and can detail each aircraft with insight and good humor. It gets five stars (even though the clot forgot to include Convair's F-106). All is forgiven because he mentions the F-107 and SAAB's J-35. Get this book!