Exploding Flying Myths. Illustrated by Michael Deluca, George Sadler, Neil Fraser, Kenneth Dodson, Jake Schuffert, Bill Gass.

Shaffer, Maj. Walter J., United States Air Force, Retired.

Published by Published by the Author, . First Edition., 1968

About this Item

Signed and inscribed by the author to fellow pilot, Captain Derek Mason. Octavo, gray boards (hardcover), 89 pp. Near Fine, with bookplate; in a Fine dust jacket. From Introduction: Back in the days when airplanes were wood, wire and cloth, you had to learn flying the hard way. mostly on your own. Needless to say, the casualties were many! in this story, the author, a young "Pennsylvania Dutchman" with an adventurous spirit, found his way into the Lafayette Flying Corps by way of the French Foreign Legion; and in the Spring of 1917 learned to fly with the French Air Force. He describes his progression from the Penguins, airplanes that could not fly, to Spads and Nieuports, top fighter planes of their day. He tells of the first primitive "instrument" flights and of learning tailspins and other aerobatics. Having survived flying school and several crashes. though not enough to flunk him into the infantry. he was ready to do battle with the German Air Force, having amassed a total of fifty hours flying time! Major Walter J. Shaffer was shot down behind the German lines and taken prisoner in WW I. After several unsuccessful escapes, he finished the war in a prison camp hospital. Flying, however, became his life. He barnstormed in the perennial jenny, flew the old mailplanes, finally joined Eastern Air Lines when it was formed. In World War II he was again in the thick of things, flying transports all over the Pacific. Following the war, he went back to being an airline captain. He retired in 1952 after a thirty-five-year career in aviation. Aviation, Pilot Biography, Military Biography. nslic.

Seller Inventory # vita5834

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Exploding Flying Myths. Illustrated by Michael Deluca, George Sadler, Neil Fraser, Kenneth Dodson, Jake Schuffert, Bill Gass.
• Publisher: Published by the Author, . First Edition.
• Publication Date: 1968
• Binding: Hardcover
• Dust Jacket Condition: Dust Jacket Included
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)