Category Archives: Book Reviews

INNOVATION IN ATTACK AVIATION: The A-7 Avionics Case

Posted on February 24, 2023 by Ed

Blown Slick Series #16 The A-7A/B should be recognized as the end of the line for pure, iron bomb dive bombers including most famously the Dauntless and the A-1 Skyraider, and the A-7D/E as the  beginning of a new era of … Continue reading →

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Book Review: US Attack Aviation: Air Force and Navy Light Attack 1916 to the Present

Posted on November 13, 2022 by Ed

Blown Slick Series #15 The “attack” mission combines the capabilities and objectives of air interdiction, close air support, strike, and what has come to be known as strategic attack.      “This is a story about flying. It is told … Continue reading →

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Blown Slick Series update

Posted on November 10, 2022 by Ed

Blown Slick Series# 14 “… it has been decades since the last significant contribution to airpower theory. Given the shifting character of war and rapid technological change, a solid modern airpower theory will be required for the West to achieve … Continue reading →

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Testimony of Pilot (8) Neil Armstrong – Research Pilot

Posted on May 23, 2019 by Ed

Testimony of Pilot# 8 I thought the attractions of being an astronaut were actually, not so much the Moon, but flying in a completely new medium. The pictures above do not represent the common perspective  of Neil Armstrong the astronaut … Continue reading →

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Testimony of Pilot (7): Frederick Trapnell – Test Pilot at War

Posted on May 15, 2019 by Ed

Testimony of Pilot #7 Aeroplane testing . . . demands for satisfactory results the highest training. It occupies no special place by virtue of this—it merely comes into line with the rest of engineering. Now, one can learn to fly in a month . . . … Continue reading →

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TOPGUN – Book Recommendation (2)

Posted on March 27, 2019 by Ed

Highest recommendation for Dan Pedersen’s (CAPT. USN, Ret) just released book TOPGUN; An American Story … we sent our people out there not trained for dogfighting. We sent the aircraft out there not equipped for dogfighting… and we got into nose-nose combat … Continue reading →

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Scream of Eagles – Happy Birthday TOPGUN (1)

Posted on March 12, 2019 by Ed

As the first of two parts recognizing 50 years of training fighter pilots/instructors the below is a modified version of the article written for TOPGUN’s 40th anniversary and serves as introduction for a book review of TOPGUN; An American Story … Continue reading →

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FIGHT FIGHT – Book Recommendation

Posted on September 20, 2018 by Ed

Highest recommendation for Kevin Miller’s (CAPT. USN, Ret) newest novel Fight Fight. I was going to do a normal “book review”/recommendation but decided to just leverage my comments to Kevin along with  his response instead. I had done a recommendation on … Continue reading →

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“It’s Only Reading If You Do It”

Posted on August 9, 2015 by Ed

Blown Slick Series #6 It is a true statement but not an indictment, that the fleets of the world never had a formal requirement for an airplane, or a submarine, or a communications satellite. Instead, in all cases, a debate … Continue reading →

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The 4th of June – Remembered Sky Day

Posted on June 4, 2015 by Ed

Blown Slick Series#5 The A-7 Corsair II carried a healthy fuel load for a carrier based strike aircraft.  On major strikes – those to significant, highly defended targets – into North Vietnam called “Alpha Strikes” with 30 -40  A-7,s, A-6’s, F-4’s, bombers, … Continue reading →

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