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- Corky Meyer's Flight Journal: A Test Pilot's Tales of Dodging Disasters - Just in Time
Designing high-performance military aircraft in the slide-rule era was challenging. Being the first person to fly these airplanes and expand an aircraft's flight envelope was often very frightening, if not downright deadly. It is hard to believe that someone could really endure 22 years in this occupation, plus another 30 years in the aircraft industry, often leading the industry-wide transition from large, too-complicated piston engines to doggy, unreliable jet engines and from 300-mile-per-hour "barn door" through slippery transonic and supersonic airframes. But this is, in fact, the truly remarkable, if not virtually unparalleled life story of Corky Meyer. In an occupation and time which killed many, if not most, this man had the brains, skill, and good luck to meet every challenge that faced him and survive to tell his amazing story. It is a story that covers the most important era in the history of flight, told by a man at the epicenter of the activity. Corky Meyer's Flight Journal is an electrifying tale of a very passionate and patriotic man, his wife and family, and of course his numerous sensational close calls as an experimental fighter test pilot.
Pages: 256
Size: 7 X 10 (inches)
Format: Paperback
Illustrations: b/w
Publisher: Specialty Press
ISBN: 9781580072038
Product Code: SP093P
Reviews
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Modeling Madness
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(Posted on 2/6/2006)"The book is written in a style that immediately puts the reader at ease. This isn't the usual rote of facts and figures, but is done in such a way that you feel the author is sitting in the chair next to you. You get the feeling of a best friend chatting with you during an evening's visit. It is a fascinating look into an interesting job during an equally interesting time in aviation: the transition from subsonic prop planes to supersonic turbojet powered aircraft. It is all here in a book that is one of the best I've ever read."
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Internet Modeler
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(Posted on 1/2/2006)"Every now and then a book shows up that ends up on the nightstand and keeps you awake at night for hours on end. Whatever your interest in aviation, this book is an excellent addition to your library. The stories are great to hear, and Corky Meyer writes in an easy, comfortable manner."
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IPMS
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(Posted on 4/3/2006)"All told, this is a fine volume and a nice companion to the straight ahead history books that fill most modeler's shelves. I would highly recommend it to anyone with more than a passing interest in naval aviaiton."
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Naval Aviation News
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(Posted on 6/30/2007)"This book is a wonderful collection of descriptions of flying first-line combat aircraft and some of the developmental finagling that often goes on during the plane's service, all written by a highly experienced aviator who never saw a second of combat but in his own way contributed much to keeping the U.S. Navy in the forefront of the battle."