Aviation

2012 · réf. 032631 — Osprey Publishing 2012. THE AUTHOR'S own copy WITH 32 signatures!! SIGNED by the AUTHOR Col. Ret. Gaillard R. Peck Jr. i.e. Evil. directly on the half title page his signature only NOT personalized to anyone. PHOTOS upon request. Laid-in are two internet downloads of the author's signature for comparisn / authentication. This copy is also signed with notes of gratitute to Col. Peck by approx. 31 Red Eagles -- aviators and crew who served under him. Many of those signatures also list the years they served under Col. Peck with their "Bandit" and unit numbers. PHOTOS upon request. At the end is an appendix of Red Eagle Alumni that lists many of the 31 who have signed here in tribute to Col. Peck most addressing him with his call sign "Evil." Very Good condition in a bright and shiny Near Very Good dust jacket. The cover has edge bumps but NO pages are affected i.e. no page creases. NOT a library discard. NOT a remainder. But for the ink tributes and signartures pages are clean and unmarked. Bound in the original silver-stamped blue boards. Complete with lightly frayed dust jacket. From the publisher: "This book is the story of a group of military pioneers who were intent on using their experience and knowledge to develop a new training paradigm for fighter pilots. As a Vietnam veteran and Phantom F-4 pilot Col. Gail Peck call-sign "EVIL" had been disappointed with the level of training offered to US fighter pilots. He was determined to ensure that US fighter pilots were unbeatable in the air particularly against their Cold War adversaries flying the already legendary MiG fighter jets. Working with the support of General Hoyt S. Vandenberg Jr. and under conditions of the upmost secrecy the CONSTANT PEG program was launched with Peck as the original "Red Eagle." This fascinating unknown history was first revealed in Steve Davies' acclaimed Red Eagles: America's Secret MiGs but this book is the insider's perspective complete with never-before published anecdotes and photographs revealing how Peck battled bureaucracy and skepticism to ultimately establish the premier fighter pilot training center. Along the way Peck explores many of the central questions surrounding the project: why did the combat Air Forces of the USA find themselves in need of a major revision in their approach to air-to-air combat training How did they secretly build an airfield to clandestinely conduct air-to-air combat training using actual MiGs as the adversary training platforms What was it like to be a Red Eagle pilot or maintainer and what were the major challenges they faced on a daily basis What did the USA get out of the program in terms of a return on investment Was it worth it and where do we go now Despite operating for a decade no single pilot ever revealed the secret nature of the training until the program was eventually declassified in 2006. Now for the first time we can read about what it felt like to build the airfields source the MiG aircraft and finally take them to the skies above America itself all in the quest to establish the USAF as the premier fighter jet force the world over." GoodReads rarting: 3.85 stars. Hardcover. Very Good condition/Near Very Good dust jacket. Illus. by THE AUTHOR'S COPY. 8vo. 320pp. 32 pages of photos. Great Packaging Fast Shipping. Osprey Publishing Hardcover