Tales of a War Pilot

Rating:
Summary: Excellent tales, conveyed in a relaxed, very readable style!
Review: I purchased this book out of curiosity as the author's son is a life long friend and recently told me about it. I first purchased a gift copy, to be sent to my father who served with Dick Kirkland, SR. at Stead AFB in the late 50's & early 60's. It was during this time that Dick Jr. and I became friends. Despite a life long friendship with the author's son I never new of his father's historical adventures until we began discussing this book. I purchased my own copy after my father had read his and highly recommended it. I had no preconceptions when I began reading it, but I must admit I was a bit skeptical about a "first full length effort" at the authors stage of life. I needn't have been. It was an exciting read, very comfortable in it's pace with good character development and surprising content. I throughly enjoyed the book and would highly recommend it to any reader interested in the military during the 40's & 50's or, for that matter, practically anyone who enjoys a good historical tale, spiced up with interesting characters and personal experience!

Rating:
Summary: brisk adventure in tales amazingly recalled from 1 mans life
Review: I want to get this book for my father, also a war pilot, but I need to find it in Big Print. My local book stores say it is not available. Please help! I know he would really enjoy it. Thank you, Sincerely, Susan Robinson

Rating:
Summary: An ace indeed
Review: Tales of a War Pilot is about pilot Richard Kirkland who took me to islands near Japan. He flew treacherous rescue missions for the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (M.A.S.H.)in North Korea. The book includes stories like "Escape from the Stone Age" where a good friend of LT. Kirkland makes a critical mistake and is forced to bail out and survive alligators, malaria, and cannibals. Another memorable story,"Mystery of the MagnificentBeast," involved a huge Convair B-36 that disappears on Valentines Day with an A-bomb in its bay.

I very much liked the book. It was filled with tragedies and successes that kept me on the edge of my seat. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in airplanes and WW2 or anyone who is an Air Force fanatic like me.

Rating:
Summary: this book is afeat of outstanding recollection
Review: the author has a superior depth and ability to captivate a reader in his every written word. He has the agility of a combat artist who brings forth a true to life picture of more than 50 years ago with precise capability and brilliant memory. My congratulations to the author who's training and disciplines of yester-year have served him well as a talented literary ace. May he enjoy the twilight of his life sitting side by side on cloud 9 with his outstanding co-pilot and wife Maria. Always remember the Charles Linberg quote " extend your range by reducing R.P.M."

Rating:
Summary: This is not a history or true memoir
Review: The billing for this book is very misleading especially the Smithsonian History of Avaiation Series title. It is historical fiction and not truly a memoir or a personal account. I don't doubt that the piece is generally accurate. Once fiction is injected, however, the reader never knows what is true and what is not. Nothing is mentioned in the description here or on the book jacket that this is the case. I wish I had my money back.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic - Engaging tales, historical insight, great stuff!
Review: The real world experiences of Richard Kirkland provide a wonderful source of engaging tales. Although most of the stories involve military aviation, the diversity of the subject matter and truly likeable characters in this book go well beyond the field of flight. From detailed accounts of the action of fighter combat in MacArthur's Pacific campaign to compelling stories of unique cultural experiences in Japan, Kirkland brings his characters to life. He has been fortunate to have flown with (and even rescued) some of America's greatest combat pilots. This book is a fantastic opportunity to gain some insight into a not only military aviation, but the life and feelings of pilots in Korea and the Pacific theater of WWII. This book presents a great combination of fun stories, historical insights, and compelling characters.

Rating:
Summary: Tales of a War Pilot
Review: This story is very interesting and gives a lot of insight on the conduct of the air war in the Pacific in WWII. The author, Richard C. Kirkland, was a pilot very early in his life, age 20 or around that age. He is assigned to some very noteworthy units, one the famous Black Sheep Squadron where he was acquainted with Mjajor Richard Bong, the noted ace. He was also fortunate to fly with Lindberg, the Lone Eagle who first flew the Atlantic alone. He flew the P-38 and other aircraft and was a very good pilot apparently. The story is not strictly his however, he tells a couple of tales about pilots that he has heard about who have survived stressful situations. They are all interesting, but they are not his story. After WWII he serves in the newly formed Air Force and he is picked to transition into helicopters and this is a fine story of his exploits as one of the first chopper pilots in Korea and one of the first to airlift casualties from battle in a helicopter. This part of his book is superb. I gave this three stars because his tales of WWII in some instances seem contrived. Maybe it is just that he has waited too long to write this, and he does not remember clearly what he writes about. All in all it is a great read of air combat from first hand experience.