Tom Young > Quotes

“At the far end of the taxiway, B-17s began to roll out of their hardstands and onto the perimeter track. Karl nudged the throttles up to 1500 RPM to exercise the turbos. One by one, he eased back the prop control levers and watched for an RPM drop to make sure the propeller governors were working. Everything checked good; Hellstorm gave him no release from the dilemma splitting his heart in two. Good hydraulic pressure, good suction, good voltages. Good Lord.”
― Tom Young, Silver Wings, Iron Cross

“U-boats were on the run. Radar, sonar, aircraft, and new tactics by American and British destroyers had turned predators into prey. The future offered little but death. To survive another patrol, the men of the U-351 would have to beat long, long odds.”
― Tom Young, Silver Wings, Iron Cross

“Mechanics will tell you airplanes never forget. If you overheat a turbine, it is forever weakened. Let sand pit your propeller blades and you've instantly shortened their service life. Electrical circuits don't tolerate dust and dirt. Neglect or abuse an airplane and she'll always hold a grudge. As the maintenance guys put it, metal has memory.”
― Tom Young, The Speed of Heat: An Airlift Wing at War in Iraq and Afghanistan