A new book in my library. (1 Viewer)
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This book has been on my want list since I saw it on one of the author's site, Old machine Press. And I had the pleasure of receiving this book from my son.
Given the authors, I had extremely high expectations for this book and they've been exceeded. This has been a fun read with some unexpected surprises. With a sub-title of "golden age of aviation" I expected this to be almost all post-war with enough pre-war to serve only as an introduction. But, with well over a hundred pages or so, pre-war aviation gets fleshed out very well and includes a few of the airframes being contemplated by the airlines in anticipation of post-war flying as a lead into the post-war boom.
Overall the additional collaboration by Jon Proctor and Mike Machat make for a well-rounded history that is heavily illustrated with period brochures and other documentation used to convey the glamour and the luxury of flying at the time. (Keep in mind a drink cost a one dollar at a time when the average salary was about nine dollars a day.) One other unexpected pleasure was the "Stewardess Stories" by Ms. James. They made for great reading.
There are a few minor quibbles, the layout is very reminiscent of the old Airpower and Wings magazines and therefore on occasion finding the text can be a challenge for a second, and the R4360 cutaway on page 119 isn't a cutaway.
Finding little things like a good explanation of the Sperry Analyzer and tying it into the work of the Flight Engineer (FE) also made for a pleasurable read along with illustrations of the FE positions on the Connie and Dornier Do X.
Also, while not normally associated with the golden age romance of transcontinental and trans-oceanic flights, the feeder liners of Convair and Martin also get some very decent coverage here as well. This book provides an exceptionally solid overview of US commercial aviation from the 1920's to the early dawn of the jet age. The authors/editors did an extraordinary job of maximizing the relevancy of the text while packing the book with various pictures, drawings, brochure art, etc., as a result the illustrations also tell a story in the best tradition of Airpower and Wings magazines.
Recommended without reservation for anyone interested in airlines, aviation, radial engine development, or air travel.
Given the authors, I had extremely high expectations for this book and they've been exceeded. This has been a fun read with some unexpected surprises. With a sub-title of "golden age of aviation" I expected this to be almost all post-war with enough pre-war to serve only as an introduction. But, with well over a hundred pages or so, pre-war aviation gets fleshed out very well and includes a few of the airframes being contemplated by the airlines in anticipation of post-war flying as a lead into the post-war boom.
Overall the additional collaboration by Jon Proctor and Mike Machat make for a well-rounded history that is heavily illustrated with period brochures and other documentation used to convey the glamour and the luxury of flying at the time. (Keep in mind a drink cost a one dollar at a time when the average salary was about nine dollars a day.) One other unexpected pleasure was the "Stewardess Stories" by Ms. James. They made for great reading.
There are a few minor quibbles, the layout is very reminiscent of the old Airpower and Wings magazines and therefore on occasion finding the text can be a challenge for a second, and the R4360 cutaway on page 119 isn't a cutaway.
Finding little things like a good explanation of the Sperry Analyzer and tying it into the work of the Flight Engineer (FE) also made for a pleasurable read along with illustrations of the FE positions on the Connie and Dornier Do X.
Also, while not normally associated with the golden age romance of transcontinental and trans-oceanic flights, the feeder liners of Convair and Martin also get some very decent coverage here as well. This book provides an exceptionally solid overview of US commercial aviation from the 1920's to the early dawn of the jet age. The authors/editors did an extraordinary job of maximizing the relevancy of the text while packing the book with various pictures, drawings, brochure art, etc., as a result the illustrations also tell a story in the best tradition of Airpower and Wings magazines.
Recommended without reservation for anyone interested in airlines, aviation, radial engine development, or air travel.
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I am in love...
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buffnut453
Captain
Isn't that the absolute opposite of pornography? 
Aaron Brooks Wolters
Brigadier General
Isn't that the absolute opposite of pornography?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder buffnut. LOL
Wow, they finally released it after 5 years. Jim did you get it though mushroom books? I see Amazon still does not have it listed till July 3rd.
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- #7,069
Book Depository my friend...of which I am in no way affiliated.
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
I've been waiting those 5 years for the darn thing, well done Jim!
UGH, you bought the last one!!!!! No more for sale.
UGH, you bought the last one!!!!! No more for sale.
I'm sorry. If I had only known...actually I still would have bought it! 
Aaron Brooks Wolters
Brigadier General
What are friends for?
Finished looking through it last night and was particularly struck by one picture of Romanian He 112's escorting Romanian Potez 630's...
This came yesterday. Though it would greatly expand my knowledge of rare late model Libs, but most of the book is color pictures of the Collins Foundation ship. Not really what I wanted.
Leutnant
Airman
Good one Jim! Since you don't really want it, mind sending it to me? I'll be happy to take it!
Sure! Send me your address...and $20.00!
Picked these up for $10.00 each. Spanish with (mostly) english photo captions. Was on the fence until volume 2, and an odd caption calling attention to the mg in the engine nacelle...I though "Oh boy, there is a good there", but low and behold, there poking out from the top rear of the engine nacelle was a fixed mg! Damn. Never knew that. There were actually a few pictures showing this installation on both engines. Anybody know this before? Worth the money just for that.
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