Jeannette Remak

We are sad to announce that on December 28, 2024 f our co-founding partner, Joseph Ventolo Jr passed away. We are deeply saddened and will miss him greatly. Phoenix Aviation Research will go on albeit with a heavy heart, just as Joe would have wanted. He was 88 yrs.

I am also working on a new book covering the history of hypersonic and stealth history and the USAF's search for both.

It will be followed by another book covering the Nuclear aircraft and its very new possibilities in the military aviation world.I am hoping for release on the hypersonic/stealth book for the end of 2025, maybe sooner.

Jeannette Remak - Biographical --- December 2021--We are happy to announce the release of "A-12 Declassified - The Lockheed A-12 Blackbird in a Revised 60th Anniversary edition." This new edition is to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the Lockheed A-12 Blackbird, Created by Lockheed"s brilliant Kelly Johnson for the CIA and flown in Operation Black Shield. We have added some new color photos, hardcover, paperback, and ebook editions, and updated information. It's a great way to celebrate this most elusive and beautiful aircraft and the Black Shield program.

While it took a little longer than we hoped, Speaking Volumes Publishing released--Eagle Eyes-The Development of Aerial Reconnaissance in the United States in December 2019. The new book tells the story of how aerial reconnaissance developed from very little interest into the mainstay of protecting the United States from her enemies. It's a fascinating look at a very complex and necessary tool in the armament of the United States.

Oct 2018-- The re-issue and updated version to "To Slip the Surly Bonds- NASA, the Shuttle Accidents and the Demise of the U.S. Manned Space Program" has just come out, redone with new information by Speaking Volumes press. It is available in paperback and Kindle form. I decided to redo this book to add more info and to put more into the appendices to further explanations in the book. Speaking Volumes did an awesome job in recreating this book.

Joe and I are pleased to announce our signing with Speaking Volumes Publishing. Our first release in2018 is "Black Lightning-The Legacy of the Lockheed Blackbirds, to be followed by "To Slip the Surly Bonds" later this year.

We are happy to announce two new books that have been released by Phoenix Aviation Research in July 2017 The Care and feeding of Lockheed A-12 in Captivity, a handbook on handling the fine points of care and display of the Lockheed blackbirds in Museums and on display. We have also added :The Blackbird's Tale or How an aircraft suckererd me into things I never believed possible with the help of an Aircraft Carrier! Its the true story of how Jeannette got started in Aviation. Its both funny and sad and very detailed about the start of a love affair with Aviation.

Joe and I have also done a few podcasts with some wonderful guys: Pieter Johnson at Aviation Xtended. Highly recommend you not only listen to our sessions but they have some awesome sessions on many aviations subjects. Here are the links to our podcasts:

This past June we did the Airplane Geeks, another great bunch of guys who really know their stuff.

We think you will enjoy all of these and find more there that I know you will love.

Phoenix Aviation Research releases a new book on the XB-70 Valkyrie Bomber called "XB-70 Valkyrie-The Return to Valhalla", it should be out within the month of June 2016 for the official opening of the Research and Development Gallery at the National Museum of the USAF, Dayton Ohio celebrating the new, permanent home of the XB-70. Jeannette's new book on the history of the venerable B-52 bomber for Fonthill Media, is out now.

We would also like to announce that the Phoenix Aviation Research page on FaceBook has some awesome photos of the A-12 Blackbird, YF-12 SR-71 D-21 and of course the XB-70 Valkyrie not to mention the Space shuttle. The page is loaded with great images and has a great following. If you are interested in images of these great birds, Phoenix Aviation Research Facebook page has it all.

Jeannette Remak is a military aviation historian, researcher, author, and artist. Her books include XB-70 Valkyrie: The Ride to Valhalla (1998, MBI Publishing, Co.) and A-12 Blackbird: Declassified (2001, also MBI)"The Archangel and the OXCART_The Dawn of Mach III Reconnissance"(Phoenix Aviation Research),NASA and the Shuttle Shuffle (Phoenix Aviation Research). She has also written articles for the Atlantic Flyer, as well as several articles for the AFA and blogs for Penny4NASA and the Phoenixblog site. She is currently released her fifth book, "To Slip the Surly Bonds, NASA, The Shuttle Accidents and the Demise of the U.S. Manned Spaceflight Program." The Boeing B-52 Bomber -Warrior Queen of the USAF (Fonthill Media 2015 Dec).

In the mid-1990s, Ms. Remak worked for six years as the Aircraft Historian for the Intrepid Sea-Air Space Museum in Manhattan. Her duties included doing the research for maintenance and restoration of many U.S. Naval and U.S. Air Force on loan to the Intrepid Museum. Prime among the aircraft she worked with on Intrepid's deck is the Lockheed A-12 Blackbird, an Air Force-owned but CIA-operated supersonic spy plane that preceded the later and better-known Air Force SR-71 Blackbird. At about the same time, Jeannette worked as a consultant for the Curator's Office and Research Division, U.S. Air Force Museum. She was nominated for the Volunteer of the Year, 1994 at the USAF Museum and praised by the Museum's then Director as having done things [on our behalf that] even we couldn't do [for ourselves].

Owing to her experiences in doing research for her books, and for the museums she has worked , she and her co-author, Joe Ventolo Jr. formed Phoenix Aviation Research in 1998. On a case-by-case basis, they provide historical research services for other writers, researchers, and historians.

Ms. Remak is an accomplished artist.

Although she has done a number of paintings with science fiction and fine art themes, for the past 15 years her work has been mainly aviation oriented. Ten of her paintings are part of the Air Force Art Collection. Her art has been shown at the U.S. Air Force Museum at historic Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, near Dayton, Ohio; the U.S. Air Force Art Presentation program at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, near Washington, DC; and placed in the Pentagon.

Her many accomplishments are listed in Who's Who Among American Women 1994-1995. She attended, New York Community College for Commercial Art, School of Visual Arts, and York College (CUNY) for Fine Arts (All NYC). She also holds a degree in Commercial Photography. She obtained her Masters Degree in Aviation Sciences in 2001

Jeannette Remak is a lifelong New Yorker, but has traveled extensively. She was born in Queens, NY and currently resides in Sunnyside, NY.

Joseph Ventolo:

Joseph A. Ventolo, Jr. is the former curator of the US Air Force Museum (now the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force), having retired on January 3, 199

Military Service

In November 1959 Ventolo joined the 269th Comm Sqn., Ohio Air National Guard, Springfield, OH. In February 1960 entered basic training at Lackland AFB, TX, and in April, transferred to Keesler AFB, MS, completed basic training there, and attended ground radio maintenance school at Keesler Technical Training Center. After graduation in November 1960, he returned to the 269th Comm. Sqn. and served four years as a Ground Radio Equipment Repairman, attaining the rank of Senior Airman. In 1965, he received a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Ohio Air National Guard, and was assigned to Headquarters, 251st Comm. Gp., Springfield, OH, as a communications officer. He left the Ohio Air National Guard in 1966 and transferred to the Air Force Reserve where he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant. He remained in the Air Force Reserve until 1970.

While attending Miami University, Ventolo worked as a radio announcer for radio stations WRMU & WMUB, Oxford, OH, and WPFB, Middletown, OH. He was also on the production staff of Miami University Broadcasting, an early educational television service. During summer vacations from Miami, he was employed as an Engineering Aid with the Communications & Navigation Laboratory, Wright Air Development Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. Following graduation from Miami University in 1958, he was hired by television station WLWD, Dayton, OH, as a traffic clerk, and later, as a film clerk and cutter/editor. In 1962, Joe joined the staff of the U.S. Air Force Motion Picture Film Archives at Wright-Patterson AFB as a Motion Picture Archivist. In 1969 he transferred to the Advanced Logistics Systems Center at Wright-Patterson AFB as a historian and public information officer. Shortly thereafter he was assigned to the Office of History, Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command (also at Wright- Patterson), as a staff historian. While there he authored several monographs and contributed sections to the command's annual official histories.

In 1979, he transferred to the Research Division, U.S. Air Force Museum as the Museum's Historian. Two years later he became a Curator of Aeronautics. While assigned to the museum's research division, he researched and wrote 12 editions of the annual history of the Museum, as well as countless display labels and information brochures for aircraft in the museum's collection. He wrote aviation articles for such periodicals Air Force Magazine, Warbirds International magazine and Aero News Photo. He also co-authored articles that appeared in such periodicals as Air Enthusiast, WW I Aero, and Friends Bulletin. In 1993 he was appointed Curator of the U.S. Air Force Museum and named Curator of the United States Air Force. He remained in that position until his retirement on January 3, 1995.