Flight of the Old Dog [Paperback]

Dale Brown (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 6, 1988

Flight of the Old Dog is the runaway bestseller that launched the phenomenal career of Dale Brown. It is the riveting story of America’s military superiority being surpassed as our greatest enemy masters space-to-Earth weapons technology - neutralizing the U.S. arsenal of nuclear missiles. America’s only hope: The Old Dog Zero One, a battle-scarred bomber fully renovated with modern hardware - and equipped with the deadliest state-of-the-art armaments known to man…

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It is not the Reagan Administration that has secretly been developing a Strategic Defense Initiative in this first book by retired USAF Captain Brown, but the Soviets, and as soon as the system comes on line, the Russians flagrantly attack American intelligence and military craft with their laser weapon. The President and his advisors appeal to the UN Security Council; they even dispatch sophisticated B-1 bombers and a new, armed space satellite, but both are thwarted, and the U.S. is left dangerously incapable of detecting a missile launch from the eastern U.S.S.R. Desperate, they decide to send a souped-up veteran B-52 bomber, the Old Dog, and its expert navigator Patrick McLanahan on a crucial mission into Siberia to neutralize the death ray. Brown knows his airborne and naval high-tech equipment and the cockpit bantering of crews, and can tell a basically interesting story. He does not, however, examine the frightening political consequences of the superpowers trading shots. The novel's excitement is essentially that of a boy's adventure fantasy rather than the well-realized suspense of a credible thriller. 75,000 first printing; $75,000 ad/promo; Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club selections; Military Book Club selection; author tour.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“A superbly crafted adventure…Exciting.” —W.E.B. Griffin, bestselling author of the Brotherhood of War series

“Suspenseful and spellbinding.” —Clive Cussler

“A page-turner…an adventure story with an eerie sense of reality…a premise that is possibly the most frightening since Fail Safe.” —Richmond Times-Dispatch

“Excitement…Brown knows his airborne and Naval high-tech.” —Publishers Weekly

“Terrific…a gripping thriller…a shattering climax.” —Stephen Coonts

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Grafton (July 6, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0586201343
• ISBN-13: 978-0586201343
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Former U.S. Air Force captain Dale Brown is the superstar author of 21 action-adventure "techno-thriller" novels: FLIGHT OF THE OLD DOG (1987), SILVER TOWER (1988), DAY OF THE CHEETAH (1989), HAMMERHEADS (1990), SKY MASTERS (1991), NIGHT OF THE HAWK (1992), CHAINS OF COMMAND (1993), STORMING HEAVEN (1994), SHADOWS OF STEEL (1996), FATAL TERRAIN (1997), THE TIN MAN (1998), BATTLE BORN, (1999), WARRIOR CLASS (2001), WINGS OF FIRE (2002), AIR BATTLE FORCE (2003), PLAN OF ATTACK (2004), ACT OF WAR (2005), EDGE OF BATTLE (2006), STRIKE FORCE (May 2007), SHADOW COMMAND (2008) ROGUE FORCES (2009), EXECUTIVE INTENT (2010) and A TIME FOR PATRIOTS (May 2011). Fourteen of his novels have been New York Times best-sellers. He is also the co-author of the best-selling DREAMLAND techno-thriller series and writer and technical consultant of the Act of War PC real-time strategy game published by Atari Interactive and the Megafortress PC flight simulator by Three-Sixty Pacific. Dale's novels are published in 11 languages and distributed to over 70 countries. Worldwide sales of his novels, audiobooks and computer games exceed 12 million copies.

Dale was born in Buffalo, New York on November 2, 1956. He graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Western European History and received an Air Force commission in 1978. He was a navigator-bombardier in the B-52G Stratofortress heavy bomber and the FB-111A supersonic medium bomber, and is the recipient of several military decorations and awards including the Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Combat Crew Award, and the Marksmanship ribbon. Dale was also one of the nation's first Air Force ROTC cadets to qualify for and complete the grueling three-week U.S. Army Airborne Infantry paratrooper training course. He was also an Air Force instructor on aircrew life support and combat survival, evasion, resistance, and escape.

Dale supports a number of organizations to promote law enforcement, education, and literacy. He is a Life Member of the Air Force Association, U.S. Naval Institute, and National Rifle Association. He is a command pilot for Angel Flight West (www.angelflightwest.org), a group that donate their time, skills, and aircraft to fly medical patients free of charge. He is also a mission pilot with the Civil Air Patrol, flying a variety of missions in support of the U.S. Air Force and other federal agencies. He is a multi-engine and instrument-rated private pilot and can often be found in the skies all across the United States, piloting his Piper Aztec-E airplane. On the ground, Dale enjoys tennis, scuba diving, and soccer. Dale, his wife Diane, and son Hunter live near Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Once you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down., January 1, 2000

By 

Jason W. Smith (Texas - United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Flight of the Old Dog (Paperback)

I read this novel as a Junior in High School at Harlingen's Marine Military Academy. It took me about seven hours (it would have taken less but I had to go to chow). I stayed up after "lights out" with a flashlight and hid under my blanket until I finished it.

This is an incredibly engrossing story. The characters are interesting and identifiable (you truly find yourself caring about them), the narration is first rate (you'll actually feel as if you're in the old B-52), and the pace is breathless.

It's still hard to believe this is Brown's first novel. Perhaps it is beginner luck that makes it so good. If you haven't read this one yet, please do. ("Day of the Cheetah" isn't bad either, by the way.) Guaranteed to be worth every nickel spent buying it and every second of lost sleep spent reading it!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly one of the best of it's kind!, November 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Flight of the Old Dog (Paperback)

There is nothing like picking up a book where you have literally have no idea how it's going to turn out and FOTOD is that kind of book. Back when I first read it years ago, I was simply amazed of Brown's command of literary fictional prose combined with technial jargon, ala Mr. Clancy, but more toward the technical side. Also, I wish that HBO would have made an adaptation of this novel instead of "...By Dawn's Early Light", which was an excellent movie in the vein of FOTOD. Simply put, the best first novel I've read since The Hunt for Red October.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Suspense, November 15, 2000

By 

Rob C. (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Flight of the Old Dog (Paperback)

Without a doubt, this is one of the best aviation thrillers ever written. It is technically accurate, the characters are human, believeable and funny and the story will keep any reader riveted to the pages. You will not put this book down until you have finished it.

Thought-provoking and suspensful, it does not fall into the predicablility and anti-claimax of many thrillers. Read it today. Ypu will never forget your ride in the belly of the Old Dog!