Glen Edwards: The Diary of a Bomber Pilot [Hardcover]

Daniel Ford; Glen Edwards (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1998

[use existing Kirkus review]

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

The fascinating diary of the WWII bomber and postwar test pilot (after whom Edwards Air Force Base was named) placed into context by Ford, a contributing editor at Air & Space/Smithsonian magazine. Although many WWII memoirs have appeared in recent years, Edwardss rises above the rest with his honest and captivating accounts of daily life for a combat pilot in Africa. Also excellent is Fords commentary: He gives non-flying readers all the necessary technical information without attempting a course in aeronautical engineering. Edwardss training and combat career are interesting, but less colorful than his indoctrination into the first ranks of the armys test pilots (this in the days before the Air Force was formed). His accounts of jumping into any plane he could get near, and of hopping through the country in search of beautiful womensometimes, even, Hollywood starletsoffer a unique perspective on the world just after the war, when multitudes of young men returned from overseas and the military pilot was just as much a symbol of glamour as the movie idol. Edwards himself was assigned soon enough to head the test program on the radical and ill-fated Northrop Flying Wing Bomber (he would be killed during testing).While at work on that, he contributed important findings to aircraft research and helped to change the position of test pilot from one offered to any skilled pilot to that of a highly trained scientist. Edwardss own words are skillfully interwoven with Fords, offering a richly detailed account of postwar aviationand the infant years of the military-industrial complex. (photos, not seen) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Review

"Ford [has] a splendid writing style and understands the modern Air Force. Reading his book is a real treat." --Military Review, 1999

"Highly recommended" --Today's Library, 1999

"A fascinating tale and a tribute to an unassuming man who simply loved to fly." --Air&Space/Smithsonian, 1999

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 195 pages
• Publisher: Smithsonian Books (November 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560985712
• ISBN-13: 978-1560985716
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,580,894 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Daniel Ford has spent a lifetime reading and writing about the wars of the past hundred years, from the Irish rebellion of 1916 to the counter-guerrilla operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is best known for his history of the American Volunteer Group--the 'Flying Tigers' of the Second World War--and his Vietnam novel that was filmed as 'Go Tell the Spartans', starring Burt Lancaster. Most recently, he has turned to the invasion of Poland in 1939 by Germany and Soviet Russia. Most of his books and many shorter pieces are available for Amazon's Kindle ebook reader. He lives and works in New Hampshire. (Photo by Liz Handy, London)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating portrait of an American hero., January 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Glen Edwards: The Diary of a Bomber Pilot (Hardcover)

This book is nothing short of captivating. The author provides brief explanatory narratives to connect entries from Edwards' diaries, beginning with flight training, then combat in North Africa, and the early post-war years in America.

Just ferrying his airplane from the States to North Africa was a big adventure, considering the rather primitive nature of navigation aids and weather forecasts in that era.

Combat in Africa and Italy is described in detail, some of it surprising. For example, a military advance had a down side. Moving forward to a newly captured air field meant that the American aviators were subjected to more ground attacks by German aircraft.

The second half of the book covers the early post-war years, when American factories were building new airplanes almost faster than the Air Force could flight test them. Many exotic, one-of-a-kind vehicles are described here.

To some extent, the reader has a sense of foreboding at this point, knowing that this story is destined to end as unhappily as the maiden voyage of the Titanic. Yet this knowledge serves to accentuate the daily events described here.

There are many memorable tidbits in this book, such as tales of a man who actually intimidated Chuck Yeager!

Glen Edwards is portrayed in these pages as so heroic, embodying so many virtues, yet so modest and unassuming. This is someone you would want to know and to spend time with. Through this book, you can.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well researched. Well told, November 10, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Glen Edwards: The Diary of a Bomber Pilot (Hardcover)

"The amount of reseach Ford wove into Glen Edwards: The Diary of a Bomber Pilot" is remarkable. The result is a wonderfully readable tale of one man's contribution to freedom and flight. Nice to 'know" such a man as Edwards and to have Ford, a historian/author who brought him back to life."

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A pilot's read!, January 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Glen Edwards: The Diary of a Bomber Pilot (Hardcover)

A superb book about Glen Edwards. I thoroughly enjoyed and empathized with his career. The pace was like reading a literary version of Ravel's "Bolero" with the crescendo building to the final flight. The description of the crash was wrenching, superb.

A pilot's read! Bravo Zulu!

Paul M. (USN Ret.)