Customer Reviews

Flying Hookers For The Macon: The Last Great Rigid Airship Adventure

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Spurred on by the title I was somewhat disappointed by its contents. Mr. Hook provides excellent coverage of the how, where, and why the USS Macon crashed but very little as to the day to day operations. You will not find any details of the hanger where the Sparrowhawks were kept or how and what kind of aircraft maintenance could be performed there. There is no step-by-step description of aircraft recovery or launch.

The story and details of the Macon are intertwined with biographies of the most notable LTA crewmen. I said LTA crewmen because the book starts out talking about Mr. Moody Erwin a crewmember on the Akron only (never on the Macon). Unfortunately little is said of their days on the Macon (or Akron), instead Mr. Hook concentrates on their WWII and post WWII or pre Macon careers. This makes for the most unsatisfying reading imaginable when you're after information on the Macon's HTA unit.

There is also an abundance of filler type material. Is a biographical chapter on Ernie Pyle really necessary? There is also a chapter on the Japanese balloon bombs of WWII and the future of lighter than air vehicles.

The book is acceptable if you are after information on the crash of the USS Macon and general information regarding lighter than air vehicles. There is also a very decent bibliography and a detailed crew list. However, if you're like me, thinking that this book is just about the Sparrowhawks you'll be greatly disappointed.

The title and painting on the cover are misleading as this is not a book about the Curtiss F9C-2 or the Macon's aircraft. It is a book about the Macon, people, blimps, the future of LTA etc. There are 9 photos of the author and only 11 of the F9C-2. The bibliography doesn't mention a single periodical and ignores the AAHS Journal (v3, n2) with 40 pages and 22 photos of the F9C-2.