They fought for the sky;: The dramatic story of the first war in the air [Paperback]

Quentin James Reynolds (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Rinehart; 1St Edition edition (1957)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0006AV09Y
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,649,674 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best of WWI Aviation, May 29, 2001

By 

David C Williams - See all my reviews

This review is from: They Fought for the Sky: The Dramatic Story of the First War in the Air (Hardcover)

This is the finest and easiest to read history of aviation in the "war to end all wars" that I have ever encountered. I first read this book 40 years ago in high school, and wore out my first paperback copy (once I could afford to buy one). Even after a career in the Air Force, I still find it relevant, and encouraged my junior officers to read my second copy, until it wore out. It took me until 1988 to find a hardback copy, which sits in a place of honor in my library right next to my 3rd paperback copy. Quentin Reynolds did his homework, researching combat aviation from medeival concepts right up the end of the War and beyond. By the end of the book, you know as much about the aircraft, the pilots, and the tactics as you would if you had flown wingman for a WWI ace. Fun to read, excellent composition, a true work of the writer's art.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun read..., April 21, 2007

By 

Christopher Thorpe (Gainesville, FL) - See all my reviews

This is a brisk, well written popular history of the birth of military aviation. It has some inaccuracies, but the prose is thoroughly readable. There is much on the personalities of the day, and discussions of the equipment and tactics. If you are interested in this subject at all, I think you will enjoy it immensely.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lasting impact, August 15, 2007

By 

Donald E. Morris "Don Morris" (CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: They Fought for the Sky: The Dramatic Story of the First War in the Air (Hardcover)

I first read They Fought for the Sky in the 6th grade. After several more early readings it came to have a lasting impact by Reynolds's description of research versus plagiarism. I loved the topic and became a pilot, but I admired the idea of researching a topic! It is a wonderful, readable, reference.