air force

This Boeing Aircraft Company produced this 1943 manual of the B-17F model heavy bomber, which was issued to U.S. Army Air Force personnel assigned to fly and service this iconic World War II aircraft. There are extensively detailed illustrations and instruction pages with technical information on all parts of the aircraft. It is in surprisingly excellent condition.

Published in Great Britain in 1936 for young readers, this amply illustrated book covers the latest in aircraft in the British Empire between the world war periods. There are chapters on different aircraft types and their functions, with an emphasis on aviation as an advance in civilization and progress. Principal air routes across the world and the British Imperial Airways routes are featured. The color plates make it an especially attractive book for the time period.

This book tells the story of Frank Luke. Luke was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1897, one of nine children of German-American immigrants. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Aviation Section in 1917 during World War I. He was an agressive pilot who took on the unique challenge of attacking and destroying enemy observation balloons. These balloons were always heavily defended by anti-aircraft guns and enemy aicraft, but 2nd Lt. Luke was adept at the challenge and accounted for 14 enemy balloons destroyed and 4 enemy aircraft shot down.