The Influence of Air Power upon History

Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Company [A Giniger Book], 2003. Presumed First Edition, First printing. Hardcover. Very good/Very good. 447, [1] pages. Notes. Bibliography. Index. Walter J. Boyne (born 1929) is a retired United States Air Force officer, Command Pilot, combat veteran, aviation historian, and author of more than 50 books and over 1,000 magazine articles. He is a former director of the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution and a former Chairman of the National Aeronautic Association. In May 1951 Boyne entered the U.S. Air Force's Aviation Cadet program. On December 19, 1952 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. Boyne flew the B-50 Superfortress as a member of the 330th Bomb Squadron of the 93rd Bomb Wing. Boyne also flew the B-47 Stratojet for several years. Boyne was a nuclear test pilot with the 4925th Nuclear Test Group at Kirtland Air Force Base. Boyne served during the Vietnam War as commander of the 635th Services Squadron at U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Base where he flew 120 combat hours as a C-47 Skytrain instructor pilot. Colonel Boyne retired from the Air Force on June 1, 1974 with more than 5,000 hours in various military aircraft. The Influence of Air Power upon History makes a startlingly new analysis of the far-reaching implications flight has had on warfare, politics, diplomacy, technology, and mass culture. Boyne examines the application of air power from the very earliest days of the balloon down to the current era of space warfare and postulates some new and controversial theories. The Influence of Air Power upon History traces the development of air-power philosophy by examining the theory and practice of air power as it is exercised in both war and peace. The author unerringly depicts the contributions made by the people and planes of each era. He highlights the critical competence of individuals at every step of the way, comparing the works of Guilio Douhet, William Mitchell, John Warden, and others philosophically, even as he compares the combat capabilities of leaders such as Hugh Trenchard, Bomber Harris, Herman Goering, Curtis LeMay, and Henry Hap Arnold. Aircraft, their weapons, and their employment are given equal treatment. The Influence of Air Power upon History is an important book for the public and for the military.