American Bombers

[Erfolg]

The second book which I personally have enjoyed and would recommend to all the those who are not interested in aircraft in superficial isolation, but rather see aircraft in a historical and development context is:

“American Bomber Aircraft Development in world War “” by Bill Norton , Pub Midland Books.

The book starts by outlining the USA political and social scene in the 1930s, the situation of the USA military, the financial realities, the world political situation, both local and the far flung corners   and the role of the military procurement.

From this point the book is presented in various strands, from light, to intercontinental bomber programmes. Each strand describes the specification as outlined by the procurement officials, the responses by the aircraft companies, the prototypes, development programme of equipment.

What is often ignored by many authors is the importance of engines and there development, often the history is presented that a suitable or not so suitable engine suddenly becomes available, without acknowledging, that these pieces of equipment are specified, funded and developed by the procurement programmes. In this book, they are an integral part of aircraft development.

Whilst each group of aircraft are described and discussed, they are both placed in the context as to their envisaged role and how operational demands are recognised in directing the selection and development programmes.

As with the previous book, again I found that there were many aircraft I was unaware of, yet were fundamental in the story of the aircraft we all know, the B17s, Liberators, Neptune, and Mars etc.

The story finishes with the B36, Mixmaster the various Northrop wings and what really was the reality of their performance.

Many hundreds of good quality pictures of both the detail and typical aircraft, supported where useful with good quality drawings.

I guess the one thing it is not, is a book about personal experiences of flying in operations. Operational experience is acknowledged in subsequent development and modifications, along with the changing operational realities.

Edited By Erfolg on 13/07/2014 17:10:53

Edited By Erfolg on 13/07/2014 17:12:50