Pacific Air: How Fearless Flyboys, Peerless Aircraft, and Fast Flattops Conquered the Skies in the War with Japan
408Pacific Air: How Fearless Flyboys, Peerless Aircraft, and Fast Flattops Conquered the Skies in the War with Japan
408Paperback
-
PICK UP IN STORECheck Availability at Nearby Stores
Available within 2 business hours
Related collections and offers
Overview
A majestic portrait of a proud era from dual perspectivesthe inventive minds of young aeronautical engineers and the deadly artistry of even younger combat pilots Pacific Air brings this important yet underappreciated chapter of World War II vividly to life.
Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9780306820786 |
---|---|
Publisher: | Hachette Books |
Publication date: | 05/29/2012 |
Pages: | 408 |
Sales rank: | 358,954 |
Product dimensions: | 5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.30(d) |
About the Author
Table of Contents
Part 1 State of War
1 The Embattled Farmers 3
2 My God! What's Happened? 12
Part 2 Hard Pressed
3 Prototypes 23
4 Terminal Velocity 37
5 Samurai 51
6 Low Blower 66
Part 3 A Precarious Honor
7 Sans Celebration 85
8 Jimmie and Butch 94
9 There Is Only One Mistake 110
10 Scratch Two Flattops 122
11 A Bag of Gold through a Lonely Forest 138
12 Return Buster 159
Part 4 Blue Skies, Green Hell
13 Get Down to Work 183
14 It Isn't Good 201
15 These Have Got Us 218
16 Attack! Repeat, Attack! 233
Part 5 The Hop Supreme
17 You Look Good Out There, Honey 253
18 Butch May be Down 273
19 They Will be Knocked Down 292
20 Missions Beyond Darkness 314
Notes 340
Glossary 350
Appendix: U.S. Navy Pilots and Crews 352
Bibliography 357
Acknowledgments 360
Index 361
Illustrations follow 180
What People are Saying About This
Kirkus Reviews, 5/1/11
“As a former naval officer who served during Vietnam, Sears brings an insider's knowledge of combat to this comprehensive history of the air war in the Pacific during World War II…A lively depiction of America's development of superior air power.”
Booklist, June 2011“[An] excellent volume on the navy’s air war in the Pacific during WWII…The author has almost certainly created the best one-volume study of the subject; libraries, take note.” Roanoke Times, 5/29/11“Sears illustrates the brilliant designs and incredible productiveness of the airplane builders and the heroic fortitude of U.S. sailors and airmen, whose gallantry helped lift the nation from the blood and smoke of Pearl Harbor to triumph in Tokyo Bay.” Tucson Citizen, 5/26/11“[A] wonderfully executed new book…Combining gripping personal stories with detailed military history, this page-turning book tells reveals sobering details of how a group of superbly trained Navy and Marine pilots…destroyed more than 5,000 Japanese aircraft.” Bookviews, June 2011 “Provides a panorama of the battle against Japan…Anyone who loves military history will thoroughly enjoy the stories of the many young men who helped write it against daunting odds.”
InfoDad.com, 6/9/11
“A well-researched, well-written work…The different engineering of such planes as the TBF Avenger, F4F Wildcat and F6F Hellcat is well explained and will surely be of interest to the subset of readers fascinated by aeronautical design and how it affects combat success.”
Corduroy Books blog, 6/13/11
“Compulsively readable.”
Relaxed Fit E-Zine, 6/6/11
“A nuts-and-bolts, briefing room viewpoint…An accurate, detailed narrative, covering the War in the Pacific at squadron level…Worth reading.”
WWII History, September 2011“An excellent book…Sears’s account is a tribute to the men who pioneered the aerial tactics that enabled the Navy and Marine aviators to beat the Japanese at their own game—and achieve victory.” Veterans Reporter, June 2011
“The stories in this book should be taught in every American history class, and in every military basic training course.”
Reference and Research Book News, August 2011
“[An] engaging historical narrative of air efforts against the Japanese.” Book Bargains and Previews
“If you are a WWII history buff, you will want to get a copy of this book. It is a well-written history of brave pilots, smart tactics, and timely engineering ll in a very readable format.” Naval History, October 2011
“A most useful, readable, and far-reaching account…Sears brings a vitality and dedication to fully understanding the events about which he writes…Sears has covered a huge amount of useful and interesting information in a concise and extremely readable narrative.” Collected Miscellany, 9/19/11“Popular history at its best. Sears does an excellent job of writing about the American effort to defeat Japan during World War II in an easy-to-read format…Very entertaining.”
Michigan War Studies Review
“Sears writes in an engaging and fluent manner, deftly selecting the telling fact or compelling incident to bring his subject to life…Will entertain military buffs interested in rousing tales of fighter pilots ‘yankin' and bankin'’ in aerial combat.”
Curled Up with a Good Book, 12/23/11
“A great read...Bring[s] the war to life…A great look at the Pacific War from the air, capturing all the cockiness, drama, and heartbreak as friends are lost, some never to be seen again. Anybody with an interest in World War II will find this a valuable addition to their collection.” Military Review, February 2012
“A compelling, readable account of aerial combat.”
War, Literature and the Arts“The book reads like a movie script: fast-paced, interlaced story-lines, weaving an array of historical personages into a vivid tapestry. Mr. Sears writes well and the book is difficult to put down…Sears’ history is composed of people, and the people he chooses to write about do great things. Nothing could be better.”
Naval Institute Proceedings’ “Notable Naval Books of 2011,” May 2012
“Taking the unusual tack of including the aeronautical engineers who designed the naval aircraft that fought and won the Pacific war along with those who flew them, David Sears has told an important and often overlooked story of how the Americans won this sweeping conflict…A readable, convincing account…Sears’ skills as a researcher and writer and grasp of his subject gained from his own experience as a former naval officer always lend authenticity and credibility to his work. This latest book is no exception.”
Politics and Patriotism, 5/16/12
“The author employs a carefully selected batch of well known sources to present the reader with a blend that showcase the tools, tactics, and technicians that propelled aviators on both sides of that war to victory or death…Should give the 21st Century reader a sense of what it might’ve been like to live through the events.”