A Heritage of Wings: An Illustrated History of Navy Aviation [Hardcover]

Richard C. Knott (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1997

Although many books have been published about various phases and facets of U.S. naval aviation, this book is the first to provide a comprehensive history. Fully illustrated, it allows the reader to finally appreciate the full breadth and depth of a monumental achievement of man and machine. From World War I to Desert Storm, descriptions of combat operations combine with detailed and trenchant analyses to present a full understanding of the past eighty years of technological developments. After a decade of research, naval aviator, author, and editor Richard Knott fluidly traces the difficult integration of a suspect new invention into the hidebound battleship navy, its hard-won acceptance in battle, and its momentous role in world events. His landmark study is filled with the latest scholarship on everything from flying boats and airships to the deciding role of carriers in the Pacific during World War II, from the conversion to jets and limited conflicts during the Cold War to debates about naval aviation's current and future roles in close air support, joint operations, and in space.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

A 30-year navy aviation veteran, Knott takes a fascinating look at the history of naval aviation, from Lt. Theodore "Spuds" Ellyson, naval aviator number one, to Lt. Commander Wendy Lawrence, the first female naval aviator in space. Knott explains the troublesome development of the aircraft carrier?the cornerstone of naval aviation?and the specialized aircraft that call the carrier home. He also details major naval battles and tells how naval airpower influenced the outcome. His book is full of interesting facts, such as that World War II navy blimps escorting convoys flew 55,900 flights and escorted 89,000 ships without a loss and that Skylab 2 had an all-navy crew. This work would be at home in any library that has patron interest in the U.S. Navy or aviation and is essential for naval and/or aviation history collections.?Terry Wirick, Erie Cty. Lib. System, Pa.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: US Naval Institute Press; 1St Edition edition (October 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0870212702
• ISBN-13: 978-0870212703
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,984,708 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A comprehensive history of naval aviation, May 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: A Heritage of Wings: An Illustrated History of Navy Aviation (Hardcover)

A Heritage of Wings has the ambitious goal of presenting an encyclopedic history of naval aviation from the first inkling in the mind of Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt to the Persian Gulf War. This comprehensive chronicle traces the story of how a revolutionary technology transformed the United States Navy and the very nature of naval warfare. As a comprehensive chronicle, A Heritage of Wings does justice not only to the "high profile" events of naval aviation but also to those little known or less glamorous. Subjects such as World War Two carrier operations in the Atlantic, antisubmarine patrol aviation, lighter-than-air aviation are given sufficient treatment. Concomitant of the book's breadth, however, is its depth--or lack thereof. Like the proverbial river a mile wide and an inch deep, the book skims over important events. A Heritage of Wings will certainly appeal to anyone interested in the Navy or aviation history. It should also, however, be of interest to those looking to the future--a future in which radical new technologies will challenge us.

5.0 out of 5 stars A gift for Dad, June 30, 2010

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Susie - See all my reviews

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This review is from: A Heritage of Wings: An Illustrated History of Navy Aviation (Hardcover)

My dad was interested in this book that he saw advertised in a Naval Institute magazine to which he subscribes. (He has always been a nut for naval aviation.) I found a near-perfect used copy at Amazon for less than half price. My dad is thrilled with the book!