Customer Reviews

Restoring Museum Aircraft

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I love this book but I must warn you, this is just a reprint, not a new edition. If you can find the elder edition cheaper go for it, there's nothing to repent about it.

I find myself about to begin some volunteer work to help restore a WW2 aircraft for static display. Despite being a longtime pilot, aircraft owner, and historic aircraft enthusiast, i am very new to the actual business of aircraft restoration. this book discusses a great many topics at a high level without going to deeply into any one, which is fine for a book of this scope. Some of the topics are philosophical - such as the author's view of why/when it is better to preserve an original pane of glass even though it may have yellowed/scratched even though an equivalent new pane of glass might be manufactured far more easily. Others are more practical, such as letting restoration neophytes like me understand why 'aluminum' aircraft surfaces appear to rust even though we all know from high school chemistry that aluminum doesn't rust.

Unless you work in aircraft restoration and have done so for 5 or 10 years, you will find new and interesting things in this book that you did not know. If you are a regular aviation museum visitor, do give it a go and don't think that the 'high level' treatment is beneath you. You will run into a number of new things that will improve your discernment and appreciation of museum aircraft. For me, it will make me hopefully sound a bit more informed in my volunteer job. For many others, like another commenter said, it's a great rainy day book.

Not so much "How to" but the criteria and thought involved in restorations of famous aircraft. This book would be excellent gift for anyone interested in historic aircraft. Photographs are high quality. No negative marks at all.
Great on a rainy day .