U.S. Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Aviation, Volume II, Aircraft 1916-1942 Paperback - 2007

From the publisher

This book is the second in a planned series covering the history of Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Aviation from its origin in 1916 to the present time. The primary intent of this volume is to provide descriptions and illustrations of the various types of aircraft used by Naval Reserve Aviation Bases between World War I and World War II. The Naval Aviation Reserve of the 1920s and 1930s, although small in size, provided an invaluable cadre of aircraft, instructors, and maintenance personnel as the United States prepared for and became involved in World War II. Wihout this nucleus of equipment and personnel, the nation would have found it difficult, if not impossible, to expand its naval aviation forces with any speed approaching that with which it was accomplished. In spite of its small size, the aviation reserve operated a great diversity of aircraft during the short span of time from 1923 to 1940. Nany of the planes included herein were one-of-a-kind at any given base, and sometimes in the entire naval establishment. A comprehensive table in the book affords an overview of the numbers and types of aircraft assigned to each base during the period covered; a section of the book is devoted to illustrations of insignia adopted by reserve bases and squadrons and usually displayed on their aircraft; and a number of appendices provide synopsized descriptions of the engines and other equipment auxiliary to the aircraft.