Reviews of books from the world of aviation. If you're an airhead, and are looking for your next read, you will find it here.
Review by Nicholas A. Veronico This is most definitely in the ‘not a page turner on the beach’ category! It is, however, an incredible addition to the historical record and a prime source of research for those interested in the European air war. Written by Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken, and... Continue Reading →
Review by Charles Page. As author/pilot Dan Dorseif exclaims, ‘The 727 had proven itself to be an extremely reliable jet, straight out of the box!’ In fact it performed seven percent better than book figures and, with its short field ability, introduced the jet age to domestic travellers. Passengers loved its quiet cabin, while for... Continue Reading →
Review by Stuart Forth. The F-4 and A-10 are two vastly different aircraft. The former is a supersonic, afterburning, multi-role weapons system that, although not pretty, looks menacing from any angle. On the other hand, the A-10 is a slow, ungainly and ‘Butt Ugly’ (author’s words, not mine) machine, built around a massive gun and... Continue Reading →
Review by Nicholas A. Veronico. Coffee, Tea, or Turbulence could also be titled ‘The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly’ of airliner movies. The airliner melodrama genre gave us some good movies and some real turkeys, and fifty films are reviewed in Bruce Orriss’s latest volume. The book begins with 1933’s Air Hostess, starring Evelyn Knapp and... Continue Reading →
Review by David Fredericks. Like many who share a passion for flight and military aviation, I have held a fascination since I was young as to the concept of the ‘speed of sound’ and how the intrepid aviators around the world during the years immediately after the end of World War II tried to tame... Continue Reading →
Review by Takis Diakoumis. This recent addition to the rapidly growing Legends of Warfare series from Schiffer Publishing covers the classic early American jet and combat veteran from Republic, the F-84. Tracing the story of the F-84, author Ken Neubeck walks us through early experimental jet engines and the emergence of swept-wing designs. The F-84 was especially... Continue Reading →
Review by Andrew Kitney. Having grown up visiting London’s Heathrow Airport as a kid, and watching the classic early jet airliners, I liked the look of this book as soon as it dropped through my mailbox. Presented in an easy-to-read, soft-cover book style, a quick flick through the pages had me hooked on just the... Continue Reading →
Review by Stuart Forth. If, like me, you still look skywards at the sound of an approaching aeroplane, and you stand in wonder at the sight of a machine passing across the sky before you, then this is the book for you. In Fast Jets to Spitfires, the author, Ron Lloyd, takes you along for a... Continue Reading →
Review by Andy Wright. As we all know, the Royal Australian Air Force celebrates its centenary in 2021. While the infernal global pandemic has perhaps stymied a significant proportion of the planned celebrations and commemorations, aspects of the RAAF’s ‘rejuvenated rear view’ are powering on. One of these is a renewed focus on quality publications... Continue Reading →
Review by Andy Wright. New Zealand agricultural pilots are the stuff of legend. The country’s farming prowess owes much to a relatively small group of determined and pioneering, albeit slightly mad, aviators. As yields increased demand for more aircraft with ever-improving performance grew. Pacific Aerospace Corporation developed the Cresco in response. It is a name... Continue Reading →
Flight Line Book Review 