IPMS/USA Reviews

Book cover

Time for an aviation pop quiz. Put away your smartphones, close your computer, and see if you can answer these questions the old-fashioned way.

• When asked to name their all-time favorite aircraft, Bob Hoover, Chuck Yeager, and Pete Everest all answered without hesitation that it was.......................
• Which of the four Douglas World Cruisers completed the 23,942-mile circumnavigation of the globe?....................................
• Where is the oldest surviving F-100 on display? ...........................
• What aircraft was the first to drop a British atomic bomb? ........................
• Who was the first actor to actually be in an aircraft that broke the sound barrier?.........................
• Which aircraft was used........................ Who was the pilot? ---------------------
• Where does the phrase "The whole nine yards come from?".................................

This new book from Specialty Press contains 1001 Aviation Facts such as the examples shown above. Edited by Mike Machat, authors Hank Caruso, Mark Frankel, Jim Keeshen, Craig Kodera, John Lewis, Jon Proctor, Nick Veronico, and the afore-mentioned Mike Machat have assembled an amazing and entertaining collection of aviation facts. Each of these authors is well-respected in their fields of aviation history and have combined their talent and knowledge into this very interesting book.

The "Facts" stories are organized into different categories including, military, commercial, sport aviation, pilots and personalities, aviation movies, TV shows and model building. The stories are augmented with 134 black/white images throughout the 336 pages of the book.

Not only are the stories interesting because of the technical information presented, but also there is much "human interest" included. For example, there those many who did not credit the Wrights as the first to achieve flight. There are a number of stories that address this issue.

Another example of "human interest" centers on Charles Lindberg and his positive view of Jimmie Stewart playing Lindberg in a movie. Lindberg was impressed with Stewart, who was clearly demonstrating his own ability to pilot an aircraft during the making of the movie.

This book is highly recommended for the detailed text, excellent photographs, and broad coverage of subject material. The organization of the content is excellent and it is a joy to read. Thanks to Specialty Press and IPMS USA for the opportunity to review "1001 Aviation Facts".