Excellent Eyewitness Account of WWII B-29 Operations
353688
Robertson is a gifted writer, not only a veteran with an interesting, heroic story to tell. The wit and readability of this account are well above average for the genre. I also liked the focus on the missions one by one, which brings to life the evolution of B-29 targets and tactics from the shift to night fire raids in March 1945 to the end of the war, the period in which Robertson's crew flew their 35 combat missions. The coverage of his stateside training and duty as an instructor, from 1942 until his transfer to a B-29 unit in mid 1944, is more generic. Similar stories are told in many other accounts of US Army and Naval aviators in WWII, though again Robertson tells a story better than most. I think he could have left out the part of the epilogue which defends the morality of the fire bombings at some length in terms of Japanese atrocities. He adds nothing new to that mainly recent debate, and it comes off to this modern reader as defensive, with due respect Robertson's contention that later generations just can't understand. The telling of the operations first hand is the real value of this book, an excellent book.
4809741
The second book by the International Historical Research Associates covers a group which you might not know much about, even if you've read quite a bit on the 5th Air Force like I have.  The 22nd Bombardment Group was one of the original groups assigned to the 5th AF and fought from the dark, early days of the war all the way through the final surrender of the Japanese.

Beginning with their humble beginnings in the U.S., the group moved in bits and pieces to Australia shortly after Pearl Harbor.  Flying B-26 Marauders, the group took the fight to the Japanese when possible and helped stem the tide of the Japanese advances in New Guinea.  While the B-26 was never as popular in the Pacific as the B-25 and A-20, the 22nd put their Marauders to good use until early 1944 when they converted to B-24 Liberators.  As the Allies advanced across the Pacific on their way to Japan, the 22nd went along with them, bombing strategic targets and providing the 5th AF with a little more punch than the B-25 and A-20 strafers could.  This book chronicles nearly every mission flown by the group in some detail, with lots of stories about individual crews and planes.  Backing up the narration is a ton of pictures, many from personal collections, which show not only the hardships of combat, but the conditions under which this unit had to serve.  Three of the book's authors served in the 22nd and provided photographs and information about the group, thus helping give the book a more personal feel.  There's an excellent selection of color photographs, as well as some color profiles of various planes which served in the group.  Also included is a history of each plane which has a color profile, as well as an extensive section on the history of the group's markings and nose art.

I'd say you can't get a much more comprehensive account of the 22nd BG's campaign anywhere.  Having read plenty of books on the B-25 and A-20 bombers of the 5th AF, it was nice to read about the heavy bombers for a change.  Definitely filled in some holes in my knowledge and it will yours as well.
4764475
It's not easy to get all of WW2 aviation combat into one volume, but Boyne gets credit for doing so and creating a very solid read on the war in the air. He blends in historic review of the strategic objectives of each major power, along with tactical considerations and the role both played in the development of Allied and Axis aircraft. Included in this impressive coverage are appendices listing the major aircraft types and statistics.

Eleven chapters review each of the major theaters or phases of the war. As a former USAF pilot, Boyne has an ability to summarize the strengths and weaknesses of the weapons, tactics and strategies used by the combatants. I particularly liked the conclusions & summaries at the end of each chapter. As always, readers will clamor for more maps (there are none), more photos, more emphasis on this or that theater. There are some B&W pictures to give a representation of the planes used, but this book could not include every plane.

Four stars - while I found the book to be accurate, fair and even handed, I did not think it broke any new ground. But this is an excellent overview of the air war, perfect for young historians, those who want to see a more global perspective and how vast the scope of combat truly was. An ambitious reach, well done.
798880
I finished reading this book a couple weeks ago and my overall impression was favorable. I think Commander McWhorter presented his war and training experiences in a very enjoyable manner. It was very interesting to hear how he got started in aviation and how his experiences gained him prestige from the local population as well as the people who got him started in flying. His first action in North Africa is interesting as he presents a rare glimpse into the stress of the unknown and how military pilots are trained so much that "the training just takes over." I also found it interesting when he describes some of the errors he witnessed from some of his fellow countrymen aviators and how that made him upset. I think this book is everything I was hoping it would be, a look back into the mind of a very talented pilot with a very large resume of action and experiences.
197994
I first saw this program on PBS sometime ago and just had to have the whole documentary for myself.  Best bit of history I've seen on the Historic B-29 in a longtime.  I recommend this DVD program if your aviation history buff or just fascinated with WWII aircraft as I am.  Great program,  thanks for the good deal.
4249769
Target Berlin recounts the first daylight mission of the 8th Air Force into Berlin on March 6, 1944. The authors do a superb job of writing such that you have the impression of flying along with the pilots (both German and American) over Berlin. You ride along with the B-17 and the B-24 crews as they arise for the morning briefing. The ride continues as the crews assemble over England and head out for the flak-ridden skies over Europe.

The story is juxtaposed with those of the "Little Friends" (the P-51 and P-47 fighter pilots), in addition to first-hand narratives by the German fighter pilots. This is a story which switches between the bombers and the fighter pilots which leads to a realistic "you are there" story.

The reader is also treated to jumping out of the planes after being hit with flak or enemy bullets. You ride down through the skies watching the battle take place around you as you ponder what is must have been like knowing you were about to land in German territory.

Once you get past the first chapter, the book literally takes off. The British have a tendency to go overhead talking about how many planes / bombs / guns each unit (on each side) had, so that first chapter gets a bit tedious. Get through that and you got it made!
2842991
I purchased this book to take on visits to a nursing home bound 91 year old friend who was a waist gunner in a B-29 during WWII.  His vision is not good enough for reading but the book has many excellent photographs to which he could well relate.  The narrative photograph captions were very helpful to me (25 years younger) to learn and ask my friend meaningful questions about this classic aircraft.  This book significantly adds to the enjoyment of our visits, and I would highly recommend it.
2044493
Robert Powell, an experienced RA-5C pilot, has written an excellent account of the development and history of the Vigilante from the early strategic A3J-1/A-5A to the "156 Series" RA-5C. Needless to say the employment of the aircraft in Vietnam is the primary focus of the book, and it does not disappoint. Powell skillfully gives the account of all the RVAH squadrons from both the historical standpoint of operational employment as well as a personal stories of noteworthy or colorful individual crewmembers and sorties.

Sadly, there are few references about this magnificent aircraft available, and this is by far the best I have seen. The book is organized roughly chronologically, and is generally very well illustrated with one exception: there are only two cockpit photographs in the entire book, and none illustrating the pilot's forward panel (although one shows a small piece of it); there is a good shot of the RAN's forward instrument panel which shows the radar display, optical viewfinder, and RHAW display in good detail. There are thirty beautiful color plates in the book showing aircraft from different squadrons at different times. They are brilliantly done, but to read about each of them (and the color photos as well), you will have to look in the appendices. The appendices also contain a host of very useful information on Vigilante losses, surviving Vigilantes, each RVAH squadron, bases, and designation details.

I would have liked to have seen better cockpit illustrations, but with that minor exception, I have nothing to critique about this book: it is a superlative account of a superlative aircraft.
1766853
This was a very good read for me as I can at least partially relate to a major event occurring during this time frame, and I am referencing Linebacker II.  I was at Udorn RTAFB during Linebacker II (Dec 18-29, 1972) and worked the flight line in the 13th TFS, so we refueled, serviced with liquid oxygen, preflighted. postflighted, repaired, launched, recovered, and sometimes the same plane 2-3 times a shift.  It's great to read about the action side of Linebacker II as well as all the other missions since us crew chiefs just know the detail at the time.  I enjoyed this book immensely and am just thankful to know more about the fighter pilots' lives in the air war.  Kudos to Ed for putting his involvement on paper.
3333352
I also flew O-1s as a pilot in the 74th RAC in 65-66 III Corps.  I can attest to the accuracy of the story line.  Without sounding self aggrandizing, it is a very vivid and accurate depiction of combat in the Bird Dog.  I was afforded the privilege of previewing the transcript before it went to print, and I can assure you that Hooper has done his level best to tell a true story without embellishment because, it needs none.

I agree with previous reviews, that if you served in Viet Nam and had contact with these diminutive air craft and their intrepid pilots, you will be taken back in time and will relive the chaos, and the brotherhood of souls trying to survive a difficult time.

Read the reviews, they all can't be wrong.  It is a page turner, enjoy.
3883757
This is the best DVD that I have seen on the air war before D-Day. The actual film footage taken back then really shows you what it was really like to be in the air war. I would highly recommend this DVD to anyone who really wants to see what the aircrews endured.
473210
A very good book on the air war of WWII as seen through the eyes of pilots from both sides of the war.  How young men would rise to the skies day after day seeking to destroy each other yet in one short span of time one chooses life for his enemy.  Franz Stigler is not one of the better know German aces of the war but his story is one that could cover many of them. From airline pilot to instructor to fighter pilot and even jet pilot Franz excelled in his mastery of each phase of his career.  Charlie Brown is  very young B-17 pilot who takes on the responsibility of the lives of his crew and his aircraft, even when doing so could lead to his own demise. These two men meet long after the war and Franz is able to see what his actions have meant to Charlie and his surviving crew. I recommend this story on several levels for the technical and emotional factors covered within the book.
3167212
This eyewitness account of the war in Afghanistan and Operation Redwing is a fast moving, gripping novel.  It's well written and not politicized. While Luttrell is MIA, the "back home" story is also told.  Luttrell was fortunate to live and to be able to share this remarkable story.  After reading this book, you are certain to believe in a "higher power".  I read this book when it was first published and have recently recommended it for my women's book club.
2084327
This is another book about the 8th Air Force's war over Germany, but it is written from the perspective of a B17 crewman - the bomber's radio operator. It is well written and the story is interesting, because it is personal memories.  Given what the author did, it makes the book a worthwhile read.
348916
good historical account from actual pilots....very detailed which surprised me  Gave it to my Dad who was in WWII as a flight engineer on the B17
230879
First person accounts by Ferry command veterans and lots of interesting footage of the aircraft of the day make this DVD a worthwhile addition to any aviation enthusiasts library.
1274794
I could hardly put this book down--the narrative was well-written, and it seemed clear that the author had a lot of access to the survivors and to written acounts, photos, etc. whose stories were being told.  The photos, interviews, letters, etc. that were included added a great deal to the immediacy of the action.  This was not just a war story, but a slice of life from WW2 times, in a theater of action that wasn't well publicized--and an insight into anthropological information about the natives in whose territory the American military survivors landed.  There was also information about follow-up after the war with families of both survivors and those who perished.  I would highly recommend this book as a model for historical realism.