Air Combat Reader - Historic Feats and Aviation Legends

by Walter J. Boyne (Editor), Philip Handleman (Editor)

This volume excerpts more than 25 classic text by experience air war specialists such as Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Eddie Rickenbacker, Bill Mitchell and Paul Brickhill. Each excerpt is introduced and placed into historical context by the editors. The book concludes with a thought-provoking look into the art and science of air warfare, as well as its future.

339 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Tom Ackerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some truly thrilling and moving excerpts here. I hope to find a few of the memoirs they came from to read more of those pilots' stories! However, what brings this book down is the editor intros before each excerpt. Some of the intros are good at giving much needed context to the upcoming passage, but others just spoil the whole episode before you even get to read it. Or worse, the editors double down on jingoism and "all warriors are eternal brave patriots" type speak when the actual authors of the passages clearly would have a more nuanced view of the wars they fought in. Overall, a good and varied collection, though I would have liked to see more stories from sources who weren't British or American.

[Nathaniel Ballesteros · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am slightly biased when reviewing this book. It's as if this book was written for Nathan, or perhaps, my life has aligned to fulfill the legacy of this book. This book is phenomenal. I cant put it down any time I get into a new story. The book is a collection of aviation battles and missions, mostly in the form of first person accounts. It chronicles WWI, WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Persian Gulf Wars. As I continue my career as a pilot and possibly join the USN, it is imperative that I maintain the level of courage and wit of the men in this book.

There is an excerpt in the book that I think is one of the most finely written pieces of literature I have ever read. The inclusion is, "Man Does Not Die", from Flight to Arras, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Those words are so beautifully and perfectly written that I had to reread them multiple times. It will be a favorite for the rest of my life. I will have to give the whole book a read one day.

If you like military aviation I would highly recommend this book. It gives a great insight into the different periods of military aviation. I'm not sure how much non-aviation lovers would like this book. I still give it 5 stars because I am an aviation lover!