With Chennault in China: A Flying Tiger's Story (Schiffer Military/Aviation History)

Book Description

Here's the story of how a handful of young Americans, fighting with improvised equipment, commanded the air against superior enemy forces and won! Written by a radio operator who served as a member of the AVG (American Volunteer Group) throughout their existence, this fascinating, intimate story of General Claire Lee Chennault's "Flying Tigers" is loaded with original photographs and numerous first-hand accounts from the author's personal diary. It's all here - the whole story of how the AVG shot down over 650 Japanese plane using obsolete P-40s and a communications network that covered China with a protective "umbrella." This ground based radio network (in which the author operated) kept the pilots so well-informed of enemy air activity that they were seldom surprised by Japanese attacks. Enjoyable to read, this memoir will give you a taste of the "local flavor" of life in China while under Japanese attack. You'll find a musing anecdotes and accurate descriptions of the author's duty as a radio operator as well as the wartime activities of other AVG member. Now, the complete story of the AVG - the deadliest, most efficient group of fighter pilots and support personnel ever assembled - is brought to life again through original photographs and behind the scenes descriptions! Robert M. Smith was a sergeant-air mechanic first class for the U.S. Air Force when the recruiters arrived on base looking for volunteers for the Chinese Air Force. He was discharged from the Air Force and went to China to join the American Volunteer Group, "THe Flying Tigers." When the AVG disbanded in July, 1942 he re-enlisted as a technical sergeant and retured to China with the Army Airways Communications System. Presently he is the treasurer and on the executive committee of the American Volunteer Group Association., over 110 b/w photographs, 6" x 9"

Customer Reviews:

Flying Tigers as seen by Radioman Smith.......1999-02-20

This is a somewhat edited version of Robert M. Smith's diary that he kept during his year with the American Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers). Smith attended college before joining the Army, rather unusual for the time. He joined the AVG for adventure, like most of the pilots and technicians. And he kept a diary, as many of them did.

Smith's diary is especially insightful, and I used it a lot when I was writing my history of the Flying Tigers. He has a good eye for geography; I especially liked his account of driving up the Burma Road to the AVG's home base in Kunming.

I own the paperback; it was chock-a-block with photos, which I assume are included in the Schiffer edition. Good reading for all Flying Tigers buffs.

The story of how radio revolutionized aerial warfare........1998-06-10

Robert Smith gives you the lowdown from the air field on what it took to get the Flying Tigers in the air and to the Japanese bombers before they could strike their Chinese targets. Here is the truly brilliant saga of how Chennault's revolutionary combination of ground observation, central data gathering and fighter scramble turned aerial warfare from hunt and peck to dispatch and destroy.

We take these technologies for granted now, but when Chennault first proposed them he was laughed at by the fledgling air forces that stumbled along between the two world wars with no vision. Chennault had the vision of what modern air warfare would become. He proved it with the Flying Tigers by taking an under-manned, under-equipped, and under-funded unit and making it into the bane of the enemy.

Robert Smith puts you there in the radio room, nursing the equipment, listening through static, sifting the reports and making the critical decisions to scramble the planes. The pilots got the glory. Smith told them where the glory was to be gotten.

This is a little known page in the history of aerial warfare that is told clearly, up front and personal, by a man who was right there in the thick of it.

Book Description

"Sherwood thoroughly documents the superb performance of air force fighter pilots during the Korean War. They met the best pilots China and the Soviet Union had to offer—and won. In doing so, the author has competently mined the extensive documentary resources of the Air Force History and Museums Program and made constructive use of memoirs and interviews."
--Journal of American History

"Sherwood paints a vivid and realistic portrait of the culture of Korean War pilots, examining the motivations, their methods, and the effect that being a fighter pilot had on their personal lives."
--Air Force

"An extraordinary synthesis of social and military history which throws new light on the story of the air combat in Korea."
--Ronald H. Spector, author of After Tet: The Bloodiest Year in Vietnam

Sherwood provides a definitve account of Air Force pilots, their training, operations and battles, in the Korean War.
--Virginia Pilot

The United States Air Force fought as a truly independent service for the first time during the Korean War. Ruling the skies in many celebrated aerial battles, even against the advanced Soviet MiG-15, American fighter pilots reigned supreme. Yet they also destroyed virtually every major town and city in North Korea, demolished its entire crop irrigation system and killed close to one million civilians.

The self-confidence and willingness to take risks which defined the lives of these men became a trademark of the fighter pilot culture, what author John Darrell Sherwood here refers to as the flight suit attitude. In Officers in Flight Suits, John Darrell Sherwood takes a closer look at the flight suit officer's life by drawing on memoirs, diaries, letters, novels, unit records, and personal papers as well as interviews with over fifty veterans who served in the Air Force in Korea. Tracing their lives from their training to the flight suit culture they developed, the author demonstrates how their unique lifestyle affected their performance in battle and their attitudes toward others, particularly women, in their off-duty activities.

Customer Reviews:

Officers in Flight Suits: Excellent Reading.......2000-01-21

Many authors, such as Robert Futrell and Larry Davis, have written very thorough histories of the air war in Korea, with great detail of dates, missions flown, technical date, etc.,but this is the first book on social and cultural histories of that subject. Unlike World War II, the exploits of fighter pilots in Korea overshadowed the bombing campaigns. This book is an extensive examination of the "flight suit attitude," a combination of cockiness and pride, that has always characterized the fighter pilot. "Officers in Flight Suits" details these pilot`s social background, aviation training, combat effectiveness, and off-duty activities, focusing on eleven living participants (such as Robinson Risner)after Sherwood interviewed approximately fifty flight suit officers. The air war in Korea is best remembered for its legendary air battles between the American F-86 Sabre and the Russian built MiG-15, which Sherwood emphasizes, but he also covers the fighter-bomber pilots involved in air interdiction. I have visited by phone with Mr. Sherwood several times and he is exceptionally knowledgeable and helpful with my hobby of giving programs on the Korean Airwar. This is a great book! If you have an interest in the Korean War and haven`t read this book, buy it now!

Very enlightening, and brought back SAD moments of REALITYS........1999-05-09

Personal thoughts while reading "The Story of American Air Force Fighter Pilots",

Usually after the Flyboys, We found dead civilians & burnout villages, the CCF (Chinese Communist Forces) would be in conceal bunker,, waiting for us.

For the first two years after my return to the states, about every night I would relive some horrible frontline experience in a nightmare. One night, I saw people dressed in white coming out of a cave. They were covered with blood. Some carried what must have been little babies. Then there was the little girl sitting by the side of a road eating grasshoppers that she roasted in a tin can over a fire that had once been her home. There were dead, burned, and decapitated bodies all around her. They were everywhere. I glimpsed in the direction of some of my squad members. They appeared to be indifferent like they saw but didn't see. Occasionally a sniper would aim a shot in our direction, or there would be a long burst from a concealed machine gun somewhere near, at which time we would dive for cover among the dead bodies and commence firing in the direction we suspected the enemy gunner to be concealed. Looking back in the direction that the little girl had been, I saw that she was still sitting there eating the grasshoppers, seemingly undisturbed. There were other small children about, crying as they crawled over dead bodies, searching for their mothers or family members..Then would come the command "Ok Let's go, soldier, let's go!² and I would run to catch up with my squad that was following behind the tanks.. Yes, Wars is Hell & very crude. But if it wasn't for our Air Force many of us Infantry & ground forces wouldn't be alive..

(One of those forgotten warriors, of a forgotten wars) Now,a Pacifist

A sociological study of the fighter community in Korea........1998-07-22

A member of the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Basic Reading List, "Officers in Flight Suits" is an interesting study of the fighter-interceptor and fighter-bomber community during the Korean War. John Sherwood is a military historian, but writes the book from the point of view of a sociologist. He compares and constrasts the backgrounds and careers of 12 fighter pilots who saw combat in Korea, including such famous figures as Risner. Sherwood's in-depth documentation throughout the book probably make it a valuable resource for those in academia. The book is also an easy and entertaining read. Not bad for a plane trip or sitting on the beach.

To Fly and Fight--USAF Fighter Pilots in the Korean War.......1997-04-27

When the Korean War began in the summer of 1950, the United States Air Force was the youngest branch of the American military, having been created as a service coequal to the Army and Navy less than three years earlier. Although the operational history of the USAF and the experience of many of its officers stretched back into the time when it was a branch of the Army known as the United States Army Air Force, the USAF hadn't yet made its mark as a separate service. The Korean War came at a propitious time, giving the USAF a vehicle in which to shape itself as an institution. The fighter pilots who fought in the Korean War would become the leaders of the new Air Force. Their attitudes toward flying and toward the military in general would come to shape Air Force thinking over the next several decades.

In this book John Sherwood has provided the reader with a close look at the pilots who flew fighters during the Korean War--pilots who, by their skills and attitudes, would establish a style for those who followed. This style is defined by the author as "flight suit attitude." He writes:

Flight suit attitude ... was a sense of self-confidence and pride that verged on arrogance ... the aircraft of preference was the high-performance, single-seat fighter ... This culture placed a premium on cockiness and informality. A flight suit officer spent more time in a flight suit than in a uniform. In his world, status was based upon flying ability, not degrees, rank, or "officer" skills (p. 6).

Where did this flight suit attitude develop? The author begins by examining the backgrounds of Air Force fighter pilots in this fledgling branch of the United States' military services. In a chapter entitled "An Absence of Ring-Knockers" he looks to a lower percentage of college-educated officers in the Air Force than in the Army or Navy, and particularly to the absence of academy graduates, as a contributing factor to a flight suit attitude. Success in this early Air Force was not based on a fraternity of academy graduates, indoctrinated in a set of shared military values; success was based, rather, on the ability to fly well and on the opportunity to participate in combat in Korea. The author presses home his point by looking at the backgrounds of eleven pilots who flew in Korea, perhaps the best known of whom are Robinson Risner and Earl Brown. Only one pilot whose experiences are described in this book came into the Air Force from West Point; many came from relatively humble backgrounds. Their reminiscences of life in training and combat are spread throughout the book, giving it a personal, anecdotal character.

Pilot training is another factor that the author considers. In a chapter entitled "Stick and Rudder University," Sherwood examines the training given to Air Force pilots in the late 1940s and early 1950s and its contributions to the flight suit attitude. He notes that the majority of Air Force officers during the Korean War were pilots. Indeed, two-thirds of Air Force officers received their commission after completing the Aviation Cadet program, the emphasis of which in was on flying skills. "Ancestry, education, and prior military training or military academy experience had very little to do with one's status in the Air Force ..." (p. 39). The primary concern was how well one could fly an airplane. The result for the Air Force was a more casual junior officer than the usual Army lieutenant or Navy ensign.

In his consideration of the air war over Korea for fighter pilots, the author looks separately at the experiences of those who flew fighter- interceptors and those who flew fighter-bombers. The former group garnered much of the glory. The air combat of F-86 against MiG is the image which springs to mind when one thinks of the Air Force experience in Korea. This image has been reinforced in the public mind through literature and movies. It is maintained within the Air Force as well by such devices as art on the walls of the Pentagon or a Korean War vintage F-86 on a pedestal at the front gate of Nellis AFB. These F-86/MiG engagements were the very essence of the continuing Air Force image of a fighter pilot.

The experiences of the fighter-bomber pilots in Korea were of another sort. Flying somewhat lower-performance aircraft than the F-86, such as the F-80 or F-84, the pilots in fighter-bombers faced a more hazardous day-to-day life from ground fire. Sherwood notes that " ... only 147 Air Force planes were lost in air-to-air combat; by comparison, over 816 planes were shot down by ground fire" (pp 98-99). These pilots were often given less status than the F-86 pilots, who sometimes referred to them derogatorily as "straight wings" in officer clubs. The stress of the hazardous flying also led to a higher incidence of mental illness among fighter-bomber pilots. This dual nature of the fighter pilots' experiences lends an interesting element to the book. The pilots who flew fighter-bombers had no less of a flight suit attitude for their experiences, however.

Throughout this book one also finds ample evidence of the social life of pilots during the Korean War. In a chapter entitled "Thunderboxes and Sabre Dancers" Sherwood looks at such elements of time spent away from the cockpit as bases, the O clubs and day rooms, the R & R opportunities in Japan, and even at female companionship of several very different types. But all seem very secondary to the experiences of flying fighters. Even the rustic conditions at Korean air bases served to remind the pilots that their primary reason for being in Korea was to fly fighter aircraft.

Sherwood concludes his book with a look at the careers of the eleven pilots after the Korean War. All but one remained in the Air Force. Most discovered that the flight suit attitude they embraced early in their flying careers did not always serve them well in the developing bureaucracy ofthe United States Air Force. But most maintained this attitude anyhow, even when a promotion might be lost as a result. Almost inevitably, with few exceptions, they didn't rise above the rank of colonel. It is at that stage of one's career, as one of the pilots noted, where "MiGs start to matter less and power politics take over" (p. 163). But the author concludes that the presence of the pilots who flew fighters in the Korean War contributed much to the shaping of the Air Force.

Interestingly, the obituary of a former Korean War era fighter pilot appeared briefly in recent news, the report neatly reinforcing some of the concepts in Sherwood's book. _U.S. News & World Report_ noted the passing at the age of 70 of one John Boyd, Colonel, USAF, retired. A USAF fighter pilot in Korea and, later, an instructor pilot, Boyd's military influence ranged from the development of doctrines of air combat through the design of planes to his service in the Pentagon, where he and members of a so-called "Fighter Mafia" apparently helped prevail upon the Air Force to build the F-16 and A-10. His influence after his retirement extended to Congress and to people like Dick Cheney, who listened to and learned from Boyd's ideas on historical trends in military success presented in briefings. Boyd seems the epitome of an officer in a flight suit, the type of pilot Sherwood describes so well.

Book Description

A pilot for the China-based airline reputed to be the most shot at in the world, Felix Smith recounts in vivid detail his experiences ferrying troops and equipment for the Nationalists during China's civil war; providing medicine and supplies to war-torn regions; and flying under CIA contract during the French war in Indochina, the Korean War, America's secret war in Laos, and the Vietnam War. China Pilot provides a rare view of the Cold War in Asia, documenting not only the hair-raising adventures of Civil Air Transport's pilots but also those of the men and women behind the scenes.

Customer Reviews:

A Compelling Read.......2003-05-18

Felix Smith is a gifted writer, who is able to describe a scene or an incident with carefully selected, compact, beautiful prose. There are plenty of flying stories for the aviation enthusiast in this book, but the writing is never too technical to confuse the uninitiated. His story of China in turmoil, and a shoestring airline staffed with unusual characters, is compelling indeed, and is thoroughly recommended.

My one criticism is the lack of historical thread of the airline after its ejection from China. The book breaks down to a series of interesting anecdotes, but the background on how CAT evolved, how it acquired jets, how Smith himself transitioned to sophisticated jet transports, is missing. I found many of the later anecdotes, though well written and compelling, oddly out of context, and wondered how they fitted into the big picture. This wasn't helped by Smith's technique of sometimes mentioning a character, and only introducing him in later pages, which has you thumbing back through the book seeing if perhaps you'd missed a passage.

But these are small criticisms indeed, and the book is a very enjoyable read of a turbulent and, frankly, romantic era of aviation.

China Pilot.......2003-05-17

Having spent an appreciable amount of time in Asia myself, and being an admirer of the exploits of the famed Flying Tigers (AVG), I ordered four books at one time. I saved this book for last, since Mr. Smith was not an original member of the Flying Tigers. After reading, and enjoying the others, I began Mr. Smith's CHINA PILOT. I don't know what I thought I would get out of this book, but I loved it! Felix Smith was obviously one of the very best pilots working in an Asia in turmoil at that time. His narration of the many adventures he was involved in draw the reader right into the cockpit with him. I could SEE Earthquake Magoon! I could SMELL the warm night air through the open cockpit window while flying over some jungle in Vietnam or Laos. I wholeheartedly recommend this fine book to those interested in the Far East and the many roles the AVG-CAT-Air America played during those decades of turbulence. Mr. Smith, if you happen to read this: excellent job! Both on the book, and particularly your interesting life.

Mike McCaffrey
Department of State/Foreign Service - Retired

An important addition to the history of the Cold War.......2003-02-02

Perhaps you'd have to be intersted in flying to fully appreciate this book--There is lots and lots of intersting stuff about flying under adversse conditions. However, I was attracted to this book primarily because of my interst in the history of modern China, and the transition from rule by the Guomindang to the Communist Party.

As history, it is absolutely fascinating and very helpful. The story concerns CAT (Civil Air Transport), a small (at that time) airline started as a civilian business enterprise after World War II by General Claire Chennault, former commander of the Flying Tigers. The company was put together in Mainland China while Chiang Kai-Shek was still in charge. The airline manages to survive the Communist revolution by moving to Taiwan. The author flew for the airline throughout this period, and gives rich insight into the transition.

The book also gives a new insight into the problems of the French in Indochina, and some of the feelings of resentment toward a European country which was clearly intersted in preserving colonialism (with very large amounts of American money) rather than promoting freedom. One of the main characters of the story was killed flying supplies to the French at Dien Bien Phu after CAT became a front for the CIA in the early fifites.

This book would appeal most directly to flying buffs, and to those (like myself) who are intersted in finding alternative sources for the history of this very important period. The book is very readable, and contains a number of pictures, as well as many, many intersting anecdotes, and key historical information that cannot be obtained from other sources.

What a beautiful book!.......2001-07-15

This book is about aviation during the pioneer days in Asia - before the days of navigational beacons and proper runway lighting. More importantly, and misleadingly from the title, it is probably one of the best "on the ground" histories of Air America's operations written from a pilot's point of view. It is written with heart, soul and compassion by a man who cared (and obviously still does) for his companions, both living and deceased, as well as the people in the places where he flew.

The stories, in civil aviation terms, are amazing and while some of them are terribly sad they keep alive the memory of many good men who would otherwise be forgotten. Aside from the narrative, this is a tremendously well written book, and one that if you love aviation and are interested in and care about Asia, you will not want to put down. If the Author, (Felix Smith) writes another book, I sincerely hope that he finds a ready publisher and many readers, as in this day and age this genre of literature and narrative quality of real life experience is truly rare.

a must-have for Flying Tigers fans.......2000-09-10

Claire Chennault's legend just keeps on growing. Here is a feast for readers who can't get enough of the man who led the Flying Tigers, the 14th Air Force, and the cargo line that became Air America.

Felix Smith isn't a historian. He's a pilot--a good one, since he survived 23 years with Civil Air Transport, organized to carry relief supplies around postwar China, only to become a paramilitary arm of Chiang Kai-shek's campaign against communism.

To our great good fortune, Smith also turns out to be a gifted reporter. Better than anyone else, he evokes the sights, smells, and sounds of China in 1945, along with an economy so weak that U.S. dollars were precious enough to be washed and ironed after use, and a government so depraved that it's a wonder it lasted until 1949.

China Pilot is a a wonderful book. It belongs on the shelf of every admirer of Chennault and his unorthodox air forces.

Average customer rating:

Well Written Thriller

Ground and Sea Battles Were Better Than the Dogfights

This one Convinced me

How to steal a stolen airplane

Mediocre military adventure

Black Star
Robert Gandt
Manufacturer: Thorndike Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
War | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Acts of Vengeance

With Hostile Intent

The Killing Sky

Black Star Rising

Dark Pacific

ASIN: 0786262125

Book Description

Brick Maxwell and his squadron of Roadrunners are flying cover for the President of Taiwan's jetliner when it's blown from the sky. Other than a slight shimmer of light preceding the catastrophe, there's no visible reason for the explosion. But Maxwell suspects that China has stolen the plans for the Black Star - a virtually invisible superstealth fighter plane. Now a full scale war is inevitable - unless Maxwell and a team of commandos can hijack the state-of-the-art killing machine. But with a beautiful defector of dubious loyalties guiding them, the mission could take a wrong turn at any moment.

Customer Reviews:

Well Written Thriller.......2006-04-16

I admit that I like these kinds of books. Gandt can write a good story, but leave the sappy romance [...]to sappy romance writers.

In some ways this seemed like modern version of Firefox. (instead of thought controlled fighters, we are dealing with next generation stealth aircraft).

Gandt makes it pretty clear that the Black Star trades agility for stealth, so the criticisms regarding the air battle seem unwarranted. I thought the naval engagements and the commando raid scenes were very well depicted. Although, for a thirty minute raid, it went on for 80 or 90 pages. This tended to lose the tension.

The book did capture essense of the PRC/ROC conflict, what it failed to grasp was the economic and strategic importance of the Taiwan Strait. Over 90% of computer motherboards pass through the strait, and I do not think the United States or Japan could tolerate the economic disruption caused by a conflict. Therefore, I think the United States would intervene militarily against the aggressors.

The last chapters with his girl friend, the DC cop and the bad guy traitor really tarnish the preceding 320 pages. Next time quash the desire to make everything tie out in the end - life isn't like that.

Ground and Sea Battles Were Better Than the Dogfights.......2006-01-26

The plot has been outlined in several reviews, so I will tell you how I felt after reading the book. I read action books all of the time, including the rest of the "Brick Maxwell" series. You can expect stereotyped characters, implausible scenarios, infighting amongst the "good guys," and lots of things getting blown up. That's why I read them - to go on an adventure and not get caught up in technobabble and find out what a character's dynamic range is. With that said, I was not disappointed with this book. The scenarios depicted in this book were very unlikely and (of course)Brick flew to the rescue. I must say that unlike in his other books, the aerial combat was not the most entertaining part of the story. The sea combat between Taiwanese and Chinese naval forces and the commando raid into mainland China were the best battles in the book. They did not disappoint. That was unexpected and refreshing. There were some corny moments at the end of the book involving romance and jealousy. I would have ended the book when the shooting war ended. All in all, this book was a very enjoyable, action-packed read. If you want some fun, shoot 'em ups, where the good guys ultimately win, this book is for you.

This one Convinced me.......2005-08-24

Having nevr read a Robert Gandt novel until this one, I was more than pleasantly surprised. I ead a lot of books, just to fill in the time. Not this one or any of his subsequent novels. This one is another of a series of engrossing novel from Robert Gandt and althought not up to early Clancy, not far from it.

How to steal a stolen airplane.......2004-07-10

I found the plot of "Black Star" pretty unrealistic, but it was audacious enough that I'm giving the book four stars.

The story starts a bit slow, but the last half of the book makes up for it, with many exciting descriptions of military conflicts. Character development is not all that great, but above average for a techno-thriller.

The best parts of the book are the fantastic descriptions of aerial dogfights and naval battles. Surprisingly, I thought that some of the battle scenes between various Taiwanese and Chinese naval vessels were more exciting than the aerial shoot-outs. Robert Gandt is good at making both kinds of combat scenes come alive.

My criticism about the lack of realism in the plot concerns the mission launched by the U.S. and Taiwanese military to steal an advanced Chinese stealth fighter. This sounds pretty crazy to me - I'm sure that in a real wartime situation that the allied forces would decide to simply destroy this aircraft. After all, the Chinese built this airplane using plans (stolen from the USA) for a corresponding American airplane. Why risk major loses trying to steal military "secrets" that you already have?

Still, it's an audacious undertaking and the story of how the mission works out is very exciting.

Another plus point is that there is some humor in the story. For example, there's an Air Force Major who fills the role of providing comic relief.

On the other hand, an additional minus point is that a totally unnecessary extra conflict takes place in the last chapter.

If you like military techno-thrillers about naval warfare in general and especially about naval aviation then I'd like to recommend this book.

Rennie Petersen

Mediocre military adventure.......2004-05-22

Robert Gandt's "Black Star" is an average, at best, highly implausible tale surrounding a military conflict between Taiwan and the Peoples Republic of China. A jet transporting the President of Taiwan and escorted by 4 U.S. Navy Super Hornet fighter jets is shot down by an undetected enemy source. The escort lead by U.S. Navy wing commander, former astronaut and Gandt hero Sam "Brick" Maxwell is baffled by the inexplicable disaster. Unfortunately the action leads to a shooting war between the PRC and Taiwan. The U.S. military has officially been ordered to remain neutral but secretly is supporting Taiwan.

It is soon revealed that the Chinese have stolen sensitive stealth technology courtesy of the traitorous Raymond Lutz, disgruntled former Navy man and Maxwell rival. Through Lutz's treason, the Chinese have developed the Black Star, an invisible fighter jet responsible for the death of the Taiwanese president. The Black Star is now inflicting massive damage to both the Taiwanese Navy and Air Force and tipping the scales of battle toward the PRC.

Maxwell, a test pilot who has flown the U.S. version of the Black Star, is recruited by Taiwan's special forces to penetrate the defenses of PRC to either steal or destroy the Chinese plane.

Gandt, a former Navy aviator obviously possesses vast technical knowledge but presents a scripted, cookie cutter novel. The book contains the standard handsome, straight toothed hero, the obligatory love story and comes off as the result of a "how to write a novel" assignment. The book was a bit of a struggle to get through.

Average customer rating:
The Flying Tigers: The World War II Exploits of America's Heroic Fighter Pilots in China (Landmark Books #105)

Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I4YP5E

Average customer rating:

A Wonderful Biography by Gen. Scott!

this is his best book of all!

The life story of an American hero!

Great book. I know where some are.

Day I Owned the Sky
Robert Lee Scott
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0553052489
Release Date: 1988-02-01

Customer Reviews:

A Wonderful Biography by Gen. Scott!.......1998-07-11

I have a autographed copy of this book and it's one of my most treasured books. It is a wonderful follow up to "God is My Co-Pilot". I have read it at least 10 times in the year that I have had it. It is a very compelling book... I just don't know how to desribe it. Every library that I know of has it, as well as God is My Co-Pilot. It's really not all that hard to find. If you are even the slightest remoteness interested in what it was like in China between 1942 and 1945 this is a exellent book. I don't know how to put it into words... I just love his books. I'm sorry to say that I've never been able to read any of the others (Flying Tiger: Chennault of China, Boring a Hole through the Sky, God is Still My Co-Pilot, just to name a few). He's now over 90 I know that he flew a F-15 Eagle at age 89. Your really not supposed to.. but somehow he convinced them he could. Most everyone I've told says that there must be another seat for the navigator that somebody else went sat in. But, I garrenty you that there is only ONE seat in a F-15 Eagle. In short he is a incredible man, and has a incredible life. And I quote:

"Claire Lee Chennault was a indivialist, and some of that indiviualty must have rubbed off on me because I to have been a indiviaulast.. a mavrick general, in my carrer. But first I had to meet him, and that took some doing. I had to lie cheat and surely steal. There is a saying "never steal anything small" well what I stole was a B-17E FLying Fortress. Right or wrong, under the surrcumstances I did it. It is a long story and I have to Start at the beginning."

this is his best book of all!.......1998-05-14

This book is the Generals best by far because it chronicles pretty much everything about the man himself. His story is proof of what happens if you persist. If you want to get the whole snapshot of my hero, Gen Bob Scott- then this is the book you need to read!! Trust me.

The life story of an American hero!.......1998-03-13

Robert Lee Scott is one of the heros of our century who faded from our collective memory long ago. His 1943 best-seller, God is my Co-pilot, made him famous during WWII, and The Day I Owned the Sky brings the reader up-to-date (Well, up to 1988, anyway) on the further adventures of this magnificent Flying Tiger. This book will take the reader from his humble beginnings in Georgia, to his wartime exploits, and into his fun-filled retirement. If you love books like Yeager and Press On! you'll love this one, too!

Great book. I know where some are........1998-01-10

This is another great book by Gen. Scott. I feel that I am right in the cockpit with him. The last time I looked, there was a limited number of autographed editions available in the Air Force Museum gift shop at Robins AFB. Ga. Contact the gift shop for availability.

Born to Fly: The Heroic Story of Downed U.S. Navy Pilot Lt. Shane Osborn

Average customer rating:

A hero??? Hardly
The compelling story of a true American hero
Born To Fly
GREAT BOOK
Born to Fly

Born to Fly: The Heroic Story of Downed U.S. Navy Pilot Lt. Shane Osborn
Shane Osborn , and Malcolm Mcconnell
Manufacturer: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Military & Wars | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0385729995
Release Date: 2001-11-13

Book Description

From the age of three, Shane Osborn dreamed of being a pilot. He began learning the skills he would need to fly as a member of the Civil Air Patrol, a branch of the U.S. Air Force, when he was just twelve years old. But it wasn’t until he graduated from the naval ROTC program at the University of Nebraska and joined the navy that his dream became a reality. For five years, Osborn practiced rigorous training exercises, working tirelessly day in and day out until he advanced from navy pilot to mission commander.

All Lt. Osborn’s flying skills were put to the test when a Chinese F-8 II fighter jet collided with his EP-3E ARIES II plane during a U.S. surveillance mission through international airspace. The impact severely damaged Osborn’s aircraft, sending it plummeting toward the ocean. With almost certain disaster looming, Osborn managed to gain control of the crippled plane and land it safely on the Chinese island of Hainan–saving the lives of his twenty-three crewmates.

In Born to Fly, Shane Osborn describes these terrifying events in vivid detail, along with the years of dedicated training that made the emergency landing possible. This is the inspirational story of a boy with a dream, and of the extraordinary discipline and courage that made him a hero.

Customer Reviews:

A hero??? Hardly.......2005-07-02

If this guy were really a hero, he would have crashed his plane into the sea before letting the Communist Chinese gain access to the plane's high tech secrets. He valued his own skin above U.S. national security.

The compelling story of a true American hero.......2002-04-02

This true story of the downing of a US surveillance plane satisfies with technical details, suspense, and appropriate humor, but most importantly through the demonstration of the character of Shane Osborn and his crew. Although co-written, like most books of this type, his voice shines through with an excellently balanced acount of his life and experiences as well as the story of the headline news incident itself. This book should be required reading at all military academies.

Born To Fly.......2002-01-18

I like the book because it was about planes and the heroic story of downed U.S. Navy piolt Lt. Shane Osborn. I liked the book because it is a true story Shane Osborn and his crew. I also liked it because of the heroic chapter 18 plot of when Shane and his crew were going down in an aircaft. Also because it is just an all around good book about the Navy. The best part in the book is when Shane and his crew pulled up from the nose dive. The settings were great. The characters were real people and it was about a kid who accomplished his goal. The settings were good because of the real truth of where the settings take place. Shane is a young kid that has always wanted to fly and he finally accomplished his lifetime goal.

GREAT BOOK.......2002-01-18

This is a great story about the downed pilot from the US Navy! Michael French has done a great job on this book. Michale French is an excetional author!This is a great book for young people. I would recommend this book for the juvenile audience.

Born to Fly.......2001-12-13

The vivid accounts of the life of Shane Osborn growing up in Nebraska to his heroic actions while flying an American Reconnaissance plane gives the children of today a great role model and hero. Intermediate readers (and adults) realize that setting goals, working to achieve goals and keeping focused in life does result in success and in Shane's case saving 25 lives. Disappoints are not met with defeat, but rather the desire to achieve even greater levels of accomplishments. I love the message in this book and learned various Naval and aircraft terms. This is an awesome book for children looking for a hero.

Admiralty Pilot Series No 32. China Sea Pilot. Volume II

Average customer rating:

Admiralty Pilot Series No 32. China Sea Pilot. Volume II
Admiralty
Manufacturer: Admiralty Hydrographic Department
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J1DP9S

Average customer rating:

America Grows Up a History for Peter
G. W. Johnson
Manufacturer: William Morrow & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0688210155

China Pilot: Flying for Chiang & Chennault

Average customer rating:

China Pilot: Flying for Chiang & Chennault
Felix Smith
Manufacturer: Brassey's Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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