Hostile Skies: A Combat History of the American Air Service in World War I [Paperback]

James J. Hudson (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 342 pages
• Publisher: Syracuse University Press (January 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0815604653
• ISBN-13: 978-0815604655
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #372,462 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hostile Skies a must for any WWI aviation historian, January 26, 2000

By 

Charles Dusch (Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hostile Skies: A Combat History of the American Air Service in World War I (Paperback)

I bought this book on a whim. I'm glad I did. One of the best books I've read on WWI Aviation. Hudson's scholarship is solid. As a former AAF fighter pilot, he ties in his expertise to make Hostile Skies readable and enjoyable. It does not degenerate into an aces' scorecard of kills and losses, but rather includes various units of the Army Air Service--The Balloon Corps, Observation and Bombardment squadrons, and of course Pursuit. Hudson's use of personal interviews and first-hand accounts makes his work an excellent reference for WWI Aviation historians.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A talented writer, October 31, 2000

By 

David L. Dunagin (Arkansas, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hostile Skies: A Combat History of the American Air Service in World War I (Paperback)

I had the pleasure of being one of Hudson's students, especially when I was able to discuss the pilot on the dust jacket, Capt. Field E. Kindley, of Gravette, Arkansas, one of the first Americans flying in a US unit to shoot down a German. Hudson took great pains to insure the accuraccy of this book, and continued to seek out information about the men and units he wrote about in this book. It is THE BOOK on the fledgling American Air Service, and having been a WWII fighter pilot, Hudson wrote from a pilot's point of view, and was able to discuss the salient points and the bad points of the experiences that these men had and how it shaped the future of our air force. I strongly recommend it to any serious military student.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars JJ, February 22, 2010

By 

Joel P. Cook (Athens, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hostile Skies: A Combat History Of The American Air Service In World War I (Hardcover)

I was fortunate to have been one of Dr. Hudson's Military History and Civil War History students at the University of Arkansas in the early 70s. "JJ" was an outstanding teacher, extremely thorough and always entertaining, and, as is most evident in this book, and outstanding author as well. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in air warfare of WW I.