In 1916, an airplane company was established in the previous Heath shipyard along the Duwamish River, situated a short distance south of Seattle's Elliott Bay. Work on the first two airplanes was already well underway as the articles of incorporation for Pacific Aero Products Company established three Seattle residents as the principals, William E. Boeing, James Foley, and Edgar Gott. The company's diverse crew included men with woodworking skills, women with expertise in sewing fabric, an...

An industrial miracle took place at the Fairfax Airport, on the shores of the Missouri River, between 1941 and 1945. A massive factory was quickly built and a large modification center was soon added. At its peak, over 24,000 greater Kansas City�area residents were employed by North American Aviation, Inc. Their goal was to build as many twin-engine B-25 Mitchell medium bombers for wartime service as possible. Their success was the construction of an unprecedented 6,608 aircraft. The B-25 ...

Now, for the first time, an insider's look at an Air Force combat wing -- the planes, the technology, and the people . . . with Tom Clancy as your guide.Tom Clancy's previous explorations of America's armed forces, Submarine and Armored Cav, revealed exclusive, never-before-seen information an the people and technology that protect our nation. Now, the acclaimed author of Clear and Present Danger and Debt of Honor ...

Clarence L. “Kelly” Johnson led the design of such crucial aircraft as the P-38 and Constellation, but he will be more remembered for the U-2 and SR-71 spy planes. His extraordinary leadership of the Lockheed “Skunk Works” cemented his reputation as a legendary figure in American aerospace management.From the Trade Paperback edition.

In 1945 Second Lieutenant Jack Broughton graduated from West Point with the silver pilot wings of a newly commissioned member of the Army Air Corps. Nearly thirty years later, he retired as a full colonel in the United States Air Force, an entity that didn't even exist when he first learned to fly. Along the way Colonel Broughton saw duty in virtually every fighter aircraft the Air Corps and then Air Force had to offer. He experienced the birth and coming of age of the U.S. Air Force and i...

After Pearl Harbor, he led America’s flight to victoryGeneral Doolittle is a giant of the twentieth century. He did it all.As a stunt pilot, he thrilled the world with his aerial acrobatics. As a scientist, he pioneered the development of modern aviation technology.During World War II, he served his country as a fearless and innovative air warrior, organizing and leading the devastating raid against Japan immortalized in the film Thirty Seconds ...

**A magnificent volume of short novels and an essential World War II report from one of America's great twentieth-century writersA Penguin Classic**On the heels of the enormous success of his masterwork The Grapes of Wrath and at the height of the American war effort John Steinbeck, one of the most prolific and influential literary figures of his generation, wrote Bombs Away, a nonfiction account of his experiences with U.S. Army Air Force bomber crews dur...

The personal account of the original “Red Eagle” of the establishment, equipment, and training practices of the highly classified MiG squadron of the USAF.America's Secret MiG Squadrons is the story of a group of incredibly brave military pioneers who put their lives on the line to establish a training program that would prepare the US Air Force for a potential Cold War battle with Soviet aircraft.As a F-4 Phantom II pilot in Vietnam, Col. Peck had...

American civilians who were on the home front during World War II would each have different stories to tell. With most, almost certainly their stories would not be as dramatic as the stories of many of those who lived in the battle zones of Europe and the Far East. Despite the difference, there would be many moving stories to tell of Americans who lost loved ones or received them home wounded or tarnished in some way by the war. Our parents welcomed us home untarnished, but changed by our ...

If you're looking for a great eBook on the history of flight, read this guide to aircraft, the history of the airplane, aviation history, history of flightgear, history of flight poster and more.

Seven War Stories presents the autobiography of a retired air force veteran who served in the Korean War, the conflict in Southeast Asia, and the Cuban crisis. Donald J. Meeks boyhood dream was to be a pilot in the air forcea goal that was unattainable when he enlisted, as high school graduates were not being accepted into pilot training. He was determined to fly, however, and became a crewmember in numerous types of aircraft; trying many different jobs until he achieved his ultim...

To Be A U.S. Air Force Pilot details every step of training for those with the skill and daring to "cross into the blue" as an elite U.S. Air Force pilot. The book traces the growth of aspiring young recruits, starting with grueling physical and mental tests, early flight training on high-tech flight simulators, moving onward and upward until they are finally ready to push the outer envelope to Mach II in state-of-the-art fighter aircraft. Thanks to the highly motivated, highly s...