Aviation Books

I bought this book to help me with my UFI to CFI-SP transition. It presents clear explanations of the content that will be covered by the test questions. It doesn't waste much time on content that is not on the test. Each and every FAA question is listed with the answers on the bottom of the page. Explanations are also given as to why each answer is right or wrong. There's no way I would have passed the written if I had not studied this book first.

This is one of the most informative manuals I have ever used. It get's right to the bottom of things. I also purchased the Prepware from ASA and the two combined should make it easy to ace the test.

If you're in to aviation history, and especially PanAm and the Clippers, you'll enjoy this book. Lots of interesting trivia.

Larry Weirather's excellent book about the cultural impact of the China Clipper is a great read. If you're a Clipper enthusiast or interested in popular culture you will enjoy this thoroughly researched book. I was amazed that Weirather could trace back many of what we think of as cultural norms to the era of the Great Flying Boats. The Clipper pilots were analogous to the astronauts of today. Their exploits helped lift American out of the malaise of the Great Depression. A must have book for the serious Clipper buff.

Jamie Dodson, Author
Flying Boats & Spies, A Nick Grant Adventure
[...]
Flying Boats & Spies

The pictures are absolutely stunning. Excellent coverage of the various types of chinese kites, beautiful color rendering. I gave my brother, a real kite professional, my copy, then regretted it so much I went and got another. An incredible bargain.

This book is excellent! Great pictures, great explainations, and instructions. The art of the kites was fully explained and examples were given. Overall, it is wonderful for those interested in making kites.

Mark James' delightful picturebook Christopher's Little Airplane is the engaging story of a little boy who is given a balsa wood airplane for Christmas. But the little toy airplane gets left outside and soon finds himself flying over the countryside on a winter's night and seeing the world from high up in the air. Missing Christopher, and through a combination of luck and fancy flying is ultimately able to be reunited with his young owner. Mark James enduring story of friendship and loyalty is wonderfully enhanced on every page with the color and artistry of Harold Smelcer's illustrations. Christopher's Little Airplane is easily recommended for children ages 4 to 8, and would grace any school or library children's picturebook collection.

"Christopher's Little Airplane" is a charming child's tale about a little boy's toy airplane that takes flight on its own adventure in aviation. The story is cute and the illustrations are beautiful, filled with stunning perspectives, rich colors and deep shadows. A keeper.

The best book of its type I have ever read. By the way, is the author also an actor who appeared in the cult movie Leon The Pig Farmer?

I thought it was an interesting insight into the world of aviation and not too difficult for a lay person to appreciate. I think one of the authors, Paul Simpkin, is also a comedy writer - and ex-Cambridge graduate. Obviously multi-talented.

This is a great aviation art book with some big plusses. In addition to the paintings, there is a detailed analysis of 6 of the most celebrated airplanes of World War II.

The B-17, P-47, P-51, Spitfire, Avro Lancaster & Messerschmitt 109 are depicted by 26 different artists. The paintings are all brilliant & extensive captions explain the historical significance of each.

Technical information includes a line drawing with specs. for each plane & a fabulous cut away rendering of a P-51 identifying the components. Also included are paintings & profiles of the key personalities associated with the aircraft.

There is a history of aviation art & its role in the war effort & in the cinema. This all serves only to enhance the artwork through a depth of understanding not achieved in other books.

The text is entertaining. The art is wonderful. The writer did a very good job pulling all of this together. One of the few books of this type to actually address some of the different "how tos" in executing aviation subjects in art. The book is done very well. Leaves you wishing for a sequel. J. Campbell "Cam " Martin

Whether you are a seasoned airliner aficionado like a casual or curious observer, or myself this small book contains a treasure trove of facts and anecdotes on airliners ranging from the 14-seat De Havilland Heron to the mighty Boeing 747-100/-200. Mr. Singfield accommodates nearly everyone's definition of a classic airliner; his criteria for inclusion are that the type must be out of production with at least one preserved survivor (air show circuit queen or museum piece) somewhere in the world. Sadly, this precludes inclusion of such fascinating types as Handley-Page HP-42 Heracles, and De Havilland DH-91 Albatross, the latter in my mind being one of the most beautiful aircraft ever built. At least the author explains this up front in the introduction. Similarly, we also no not get to see most of the wonderful old Clippers, such as the Martin M130, Sikorsky S-42, or Boeing 314 Clipper, but newly restored Vought-Sikorsky VS-44A is present in all its glory.

Mr. Singfield includes the venerable classics such as the DC-3, Lockheed Constellation, De Havilland DH-106 Comet, and Boeing 707, but the book's greatest strength lies in its inclusion of less well-known types, particulary old Soviet types that are only recently accessible to Western observers. This book helped me finally distinguish between the Ilyushin Il-12 and Il-14 and the Antonov An-8, An-10, and An-12. The author also points out how the Antonov An-8's design predated the mighty Lockheed Hercules. And speaking of old Soviet airliners, page 138 has a wonderful and highly historic 1956 picture of Tupolev Tu-104A CCCP-L5445 visiting Idlewild airport in 1956, the first production airliner to visit New York City (Boeings Dash-80 did make a visit earlier), predating BOAC's first London to New York Comet flight by some two years!

"I'm sure you will find ... other [airliners] that qualify for inclusion by age, scarcity, or interest," writes the author. Indeed I did: the McDonnell-Douglas DC-8 series -60 and -70, oldies but goodies widely praised for their durability and excellent economics. The 737-100 and -200 are included but not the 727 series, which enjoyed one of the longest production runs of any airliner until eclipsed by the 737 and A320 series. The early model 747s are there, but the DC-10 and Lockheed L1011 are not, though the latter two are rapidly disappearing from mainstream service. However, much to his credit, Mr. Singfield did include the Concorde, which with its recent (2003) retirement has become a cult symbol even among persons with no further interest in airliners.

All in all, this book has a lot to offer, and even a jaded aviation enthusiast who thinks he or she has seen it all will learn something new from this interesting book.

You can never get bored of this great book: for more than 3 months I kept it around with me everywhere, and if I had 5 minutes, I just opened it up randomly and forgot about the outside world. Not that much of technical specifications (just the basics), but lots of history and superb photographs (3 photos for each model!) about commercial airplanes of yesterday and day before yesterday, including legendary and less known makes and models. Each entry has information about production and about present availability of the model, whether airworthy or just a museum piece. The book is very rich in Russian-built aircraft, including models you may have never heard of. If you are an aviation fan, wherever you open this book, you will find something interesting to read and see. If you are not a specialist, going through this book, you may formulate a shocking idea about how the industry reached to where it is now. An excellent gift item to your son before he believes that travelling is Jumbo Jet or maximum an Airbus and an excellent gift item to your father to help him recall some possible personal experiences that he had already forgotten from the near past. Tom Singfields excellent work is a must for everybody, having the slightest interest for technical history of commercial aviation!

This book contains a collection of aircraft cutaways which were published in several British aviation journals during World War II. The book offers a unique perspective because unlike most modern reproductions, the cutaways were drawn from real aircraft by artists visiting the factories. Some details on the cutaways have been omitted for contemporary security reasons.

Each aircraft takes up two pages -- a page of text where the author comments on history and personal experience with the aircraft in question as well as on the accuracy of the cutaways and the omitted details, and a full-page cutaway. The cutaways for some of the larger aircraft span two pages (mercifully, done as a fold-out so none of the detail is lost in the binding crease).

The text is well-written although I could stand less lamenting (justified as it may be) about the decline of British aviation industry. The cutaways themselves are hand-drawn and while they don't have hundreds of items labeled in the key, they do represent the pinnacle of this lost artform.

The book covers predominantly British aircraft, including some rather obscure contraptions. Covered are: Whitley III (twice, by two different artists), Lysander I, Oxford I, Blenheim I and IV, Spitfire I (plus a Spitfire V labeled as Spitfire I), Gladiator I, Anson I, Sunderland I, Hurricane I, Henley, Hampden I, Bombay I, Skua I, Ju 86, Bf 109E and F, He 111, Stirling I, Halifax I and III, Hs 126, Do 17, Bf 110, Ju 87, Do 217, Fw 190, Catalina I, Lancaster I, Me 210, Ju 88, Beaufighter IF, Airacobra I, Mosquito II, Auster IV, Firefly I, Mustang I, Miles Messenger, B-17G Flying Fortress, Tomahawk I, Battle I/III, Wellington II, Miles Master I, Albemarle I, York I, Typhoon IB, Barracuda II, P-38 Lightning, Hamilcar, and Tempest V.

The book also covers several aircraft engines: Bristol Hercules XVI (including a great illustration of the complex sleeve-valve mechanism), Bristol Pegasus X, Napier Dagger, Napier Sabre II, Rolls-Royce Merlin I and XX, Rolls-Royce Griffon, Bristol Centaurus, BMW 801, and Daimler-Benz DB 601.

Highly recommended.

This is a history of both classic aircraftof WW2, and the development of the cutaway artform early years. Text includes both original extracts from the magazines "Flight" (for whom he later worked) and "The Aeroplane" from the war years, as well as commentary by Bill Gunston from a position of hindsight. Information on the artists as well. Like all Gunston's books, a sardonic strain of humour is evident, as well as some personal memories. It leaves me wishing for a similar effort covering early post war aircraft. Highly recommended.

The perfect follow-up to Tom Matowitz' book, The Cleveland National Air Races. Wonderful images that have been rarely or never published before. Makes a great addition to any library or great as a gift. Anyone interested in Cleveland history, Aviation History or times-gone-by will love it.

Mr. Matowitz has "hit another home run" with his latest aviation book, Cleveland's Legacy of Flight. The book is very thoroughly researched and well written and presents hundreds of fascinating pictures. Any aviation enthusiast or persons interested in serious aviation history will enjoy this book.Cleveland's Legacy of Flight (Images of Aviation: Ohio)

One heck of a book! It tells you everything you need to know. The "Concept Cars" book gives you tons of information on the classic, modern, and future concept cars. Each time you turn the page, its a different car. This book explains everything that you need to know, like how fast, or the car's history, it even tells you size, and seating positions, this book even tells you what the car's body is made up of. Like I said, there is everything there is to know about these cars in this book. I recomend this book because it gives alot of information, and also because I enjoy reading about cars. There is a total of 94 pages with many pictures and information. Read this book and you'll be one happy customer!

Concept Cars is an exceptional book! The cars are stunning. The book includes cars like a Dodge Copperhead, a Chrysler Atlantic, a Smart Car, and many other awesome vehicles. Concept Cars has interesting facts to offer and cars that you probably couldn't have dreamed of. If you want some information on some really radical cars, this is the book that you want to read! If you don't want to spend a lot for the real car, this is the next best thing!