Cockpit: An Illustrated History of World War II Aircraft Interiors - Hardcover

Nijboer, Donald

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1550463748 ISBN 13: 9781550463743

Publisher: Boston Mills Press, 1998

Synopsis

While there is no shortage of books on Second World War fighter aircraft, Cockpit is the first book to take us inside so many of the most revered and feared fighters and bombers of the war, including rare shots of Japanese and German aircraft interiors. Built during the crisis of war, the cockpits and aircraft featured in this book were marvels of technology and ingenuity. A candid "pilot's perspective" accompanies the story of each plane. Cockpit offers an unprecedented inside view of these extraordinary airplanes and the men who flew them.

About this title

About the Author:

Donald Nijboer is a copywriter, screenwriter and longtime aviation enthusiast. He has worked for radio stations and advertising agencies in Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto. He currently teaches Radio Copywriting at Humber College in Toronto. A member of the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, he has attended many of the world's major air shows and toured aviation museums in England, the United States and Canada.

Since 1988 pilot-photographer Dan Patterson has published ten books. His Cockpit: An Illustrated History of World War II Aircraft Interiors, with Donald Nijboer, published in 1998 by Boston Mills Press has been translated into German and Japanese.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.:

INTRODUCTION

At the outbreak of the Second World War, the biplane was obsolete and the idea of fighting in an open cockpit was a thing of the past. New innovations in aircraft construction and aircraft systems produced the enclosed cockpit. Flying these new aircraft was far more demanding and required a greater degree of training. The cluttered, claustrophobic cockpit was rarely designed for comfort, and more powerful engines, variable-pitch propellers, variable flaps, and retractable landing gear added to the number of controls. Riding behind an ear-shattering 2,000-horsepower engine proved to be an exhilarating and sometimes deadly experience. Developed before supersonic designs and computers, the cockpits in this book depict the last generation of aircraft in which the pilot could feel totally in control.

Cockpit reveals what very few of us ever get to see. It is also a tribute to the people who restore and preserve these wonderful aircraft. Without their dedication and hard work this book would not have been possible.

At the heart of this book is the wonderful photography of Dan Patterson. Dan's technique, attention to detail, and enthusiasm for the subject matter is self-evident. Dan's photograph of a B-17 cockpit, which I saw for the first time at the USAF Museum, proved to be the inspiration for this book. Working with Dan has been a great pleasure.

Additionally, both veteran pilots and pilots who fly some of these aircraft today have contributed to this book. Their wartime recollections and rich insights paint a vivid picture of what it was like to fly and fight in these cockpits.

Not all of the cockpits represented in this book are stock. Some are in various stages of restoration, while others are flying examples. In some cases instruments have been added, while others have been moved for safety and convenience. It was not always possible to track down and photograph the most ideal cockpit. Be that as it may, what we have managed to accomplish is something quite striking. Rare cockpits, including the Me 410, the Kawanishi Shiden, the Kawaski Ki-100, the Ju 87, the Seversy P-35, and the Hawker Typhoon, are illustrated here for the first time in one volume. This is your chance to sit in the cockpit. Enjoy.

- Donald Nijboer

About this edition

• Publisher: Boston Mills Press
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 1550463748
• ISBN 13: 9781550463743
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 176