Hunting Warbirds : The Obsessive Quest for the Lost Aircraft of World War II

Rating:
Summary: Who's the Audience?
Review: "Hunting Warbirds" primarily relates the story of the location and extraction of an RB-29 lost in Greenland in 1947. As a story about modern archaeology it's fairly interesting, as a story about warbirds and collectors, it's superficial. Other reviewers have clearly outlined the rambling nature of the prose: we go from Greenland, to the States for an interview with a "unique" collector (that doesn't really shed insight into Warbird Enthusiasts, except to say that some are obsessed. Anyone's who's been to a gaming or Star Trek convention can observe the same behaviors in the minority of attendees), back to Greenland. But as I said above, "Who's the audience here?" One of the concepts I was taught in my undergrad days was to write to the knowledge base of the target audience. Mr Hoffman, seems to have ignored this advice in this work. His NUMEROUS inaccuracies regarding WW2 aircraft, and aviation are enough to put off aviation enthusiasts, (the logical target audience) while the narrow scope of the book would discourage general readers. The inaccuracies themselves always leave that "what else is missing, misquoted or just plain wrong here?" notion in the back of your mind. This is frankly surprising since his resume includes "Air & Space" and "Smithsonian" magazines. Finally, a better book would have at least summarized the efforts in Finland, Germany, and Russia to recover some of their warbirds from WW2. Operations that in ethnocentric America, don't get their deserved attention. If you are an aviation or WW2 aircraft enthusiast, you already know this story-the book offers no addtional insight-certainly none into WW2 salvage as a whole. If you have a slight interest in the subject matter, the documentaries about the salvage operation are a better medium.

Rating:
Summary: A Rare Inside Look at Warbird Salvage
Review: "Hunting Warbirds" paints the picture of a world few of us have traveled. I'm not talking about the deserted, frozen shores of Greenland, but the inner sanctum of the realm of warbird salvage. Living here are wealthy collectors, skilled restorers and daring pilots, each with a unique perspective and inner driving force. It's a small world that those of who attend airshows and read "Air Classics" don't often get to see in detail. Hoffman walked in their ranks and absorbed enough of their passion to coherently relate it. He lived though the same privations and fed off the same energy that keeps those die-hard warbird salvors working 18 hours a day, seven days a week at a remote recovery site. For me, it was a rare view of a world I will never be privileged to experience. Some reviewers have criticized Hoffman for technical errors. I suppose they are valid critiques, but I really think they miss the point. The book is more about the people than the planes. Though you certainly can't separate the planes from the warbird fanatics, Hoffman gives us a sense of what makes those guys tick. I for one enjoyed the hell out of it. Given the look we get, only the most techno-pedantic could fail to forgive the author for a few errors. That said, I hold back one star because so much more could have been included. Instead of a wall mural, we got a small canvas. After ingesting "Hunting Warbirds" I hunger for more.

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyed every word
Review: "Hunting Warbirds" primarily relates the story of the location and extraction of an RB-29 lost in Greenland in 1947. As a story about modern archaeology it's fairly interesting, as a story about warbirds and collectors, it's superficial. Other reviewers have clearly outlined the rambling nature of the prose: we go from Greenland, to the States for an interview with a "unique" collector (that doesn't really shed insight into Warbird Enthusiasts, except to say that some are obsessed. Anyone's who's been to a gaming or Star Trek convention can observe the same behaviors in the minority of attendees), back to Greenland. But as I said above, "Who's the audience here?" One of the concepts I was taught in my undergrad days was to write to the knowledge base of the target audience. Mr Hoffman, seems to have ignored this advice in this work. His NUMEROUS inaccuracies regarding WW2 aircraft, and aviation are enough to put off aviation enthusiasts, (the logical target audience) while the narrow scope of the book would discourage general readers. The inaccuracies themselves always leave that "what else is missing, misquoted or just plain wrong here?" notion in the back of your mind. This is frankly surprising since his resume includes "Air & Space" and "Smithsonian" magazines. Finally, a better book would have at least summarized the efforts in Finland, Germany, and Russia to recover some of their warbirds from WW2. Operations that in ethnocentric America, don't get their deserved attention. If you are an aviation or WW2 aircraft enthusiast, you already know this story-the book offers no addtional insight-certainly none into WW2 salvage as a whole. If you have a slight interest in the subject matter, the documentaries about the salvage operation are a better medium.

Rating:
Summary: Who's the Audience?
Review: "Hunting Warbirds" primarily relates the story of the location and extraction of an RB-29 lost in Greenland in 1947. As a story about modern archaeology it's fairly interesting, as a story about warbirds and collectors, it's superficial. Other reviewers have clearly outlined the rambling nature of the prose: we go from Greenland, to the States for an interview with a "unique" collector (that doesn't really shed insight into Warbird Enthusiasts, except to say that some are obsessed. Anyone's who's been to a gaming or Star Trek convention can observe the same behaviors in the minority of attendees), back to Greenland. But as I said above, "Who's the audience here?" One of the concepts I was taught in my undergrad days was to write to the knowledge base of the target audience. Mr Hoffman, seems to have ignored this advice in this work. His NUMEROUS inaccuracies regarding WW2 aircraft, and aviation are enough to put off aviation enthusiasts, (the logical target audience) while the narrow scope of the book would discourage general readers. The inaccuracies themselves always leave that "what else is missing, misquoted or just plain wrong here?" notion in the back of your mind. This is frankly surprising since his resume includes "Air & Space" and "Smithsonian" magazines. Finally, a better book would have at least summarized the efforts in Finland, Germany, and Russia to recover some of their warbirds from WW2. Operations that in ethnocentric America, don't get their deserved attention. If you are an aviation or WW2 aircraft enthusiast, you already know this story-the book offers no addtional insight-certainly none into WW2 salvage as a whole. If you have a slight interest in the subject matter, the documentaries about the salvage operation are a better medium.

Rating:
Summary: An extended magazine article...
Review: Any book that purports to be about obsession automatically attracts those that share the particular obsession. Unfortunately for the author of this book about collecting and preserving warbirds, a lot of the readers already know a lot about the subject and are quick to note his errors. Mr. Hoffman is a capable enough writer, but his knowledge of World War II aircraft is limited at best. He has been extraordinarily lucky in that he has been allowed to enter the world of the warbird collector and was paid to do so. Sadly, his enthusiasm is that of the professional magazine writer: get some facts, cobble them together with some character sketches, get it published and then move on to something else. The book has the feel of an extended magazine article as the chapters bounce back and forth between the efforts to recover a B-29 from Greenland and other warbird collecting stories. It's one long article on the B-29 and a series of short articles, none of which are particularly satisfying. I won't belabor the errors in nomenclature or descriptions of the warbirds other than to say that they are annoying to anyone who really does know the subject. This was a nice try, but the topic of collecting and preserving historic aircraft deserves better. Someone like the late Ernie Gann could have really done a great job with this subject.

Rating:
Summary: Thrilling
Review: As an aviation buff, I loved Hunting Warbirds; as a lover of narrative nonfiction and adventure, I loved it too. I followed the story of the Kee Bird on PBS and Hoffman's account brings it into focus and context, plus adds tons of detail about the story that I've never seen anywhere before. A bit of history, adventure, Greenland as a place, the story of two riveting characters, all interwoven in a narrative I couldn't put down. I did notice a few typos and technical errors, but I've noticed them in Ambrose's Wild Blue Younder, too, and none that mitigate the essence of the book and story, told simply. I guess, to me, the book transcends aviation - it's just an exciting story.

Rating:
Summary: HUNTING FOR A CONCLUSION TO HUNTING WARBIRDS
Review: Author Hoffman did well in bringing the Kee Bird (B-29) renovate-to-fly story to the reader. His vivid character descriptions made one feel he was in a smoke filled, "expat" barroom alive with dreams and deals. However much like the Kee Bird herself, Mr. Hoffman's book failed to clear the runway and fly the reader to a satisfying landing. After the Kee Bird tale the author lapsed into a meandering style as he wrote of hohum tell-me-about-yourself visits with vintage aircraft collectors and relatively mundane (cf. the Kee Bird) aircraft recovery ops. Additionally, as noted by another reviewer, if you are a student of vintage aircraft you already know of the Hoffman tales via PBS, Discovey, and aeronautical periodicals.

Rating:
Summary: HUNTING FOR A CONCLUSION TO HUNTING WARBIRDS
Review: Author Hoffman did well in bringing the Kee Bird (B-29) renovate-to-fly story to the reader. His vivid character descriptions made one feel he was in a smoke filled, "expat" barroom alive with dreams and deals. However much like the Kee Bird herself, Mr. Hoffman's book failed to clear the runway and fly the reader to a satisfying landing. After the Kee Bird tale the author lapsed into a meandering style as he wrote of hohum tell-me-about-yourself visits with vintage aircraft collectors and relatively mundane (cf. the Kee Bird) aircraft recovery ops. Additionally, as noted by another reviewer, if you are a student of vintage aircraft you already know of the Hoffman tales via PBS, Discovey, and aeronautical periodicals.

Rating:
Summary: Thrilling
Review: Carl Hoffman is a wonderful storyteller. He writes "Hunting Warbirds" in a way that gets the reader passionate about the planes, their recovery, and their history. I was in the middle of reading (for the first time) "the Hobbitt" by J.R.R. Tolkien when I bought this book, and "Hunting Warbirds" proved to be the more gripping tale. I couldn't put it down and left "the Hobbitt," a wonderful page turner itsself, with it's pages unturned while I finished "Warbirds." I grew up in the '70's and the '80's, knowing only modern jet fighters and maybe two or three WWII aircraft - this book prompted me to search my shelves for my airplane encyclopedias to learn about all the planes that Darryl Greenamyer and Gary Larkins go to the ends of the earth to salvage. It brings back the feeling of when I was a kid and was very excited to be reading and learning about all the different airplanes I could. Mr. Hoffman's writing leaves you with a true sense of vicarious experience in Greenland and the other places he travels. An educating and fun story - definitely worth a read!

Rating:
Summary: Adventure in Greenland!
Review: Carl Hoffman is a wonderful storyteller. He writes "Hunting Warbirds" in a way that gets the reader passionate about the planes, their recovery, and their history. I was in the middle of reading (for the first time) "the Hobbitt" by J.R.R. Tolkien when I bought this book, and "Hunting Warbirds" proved to be the more gripping tale. I couldn't put it down and left "the Hobbitt," a wonderful page turner itsself, with it's pages unturned while I finished "Warbirds." I grew up in the '70's and the '80's, knowing only modern jet fighters and maybe two or three WWII aircraft - this book prompted me to search my shelves for my airplane encyclopedias to learn about all the planes that Darryl Greenamyer and Gary Larkins go to the ends of the earth to salvage. It brings back the feeling of when I was a kid and was very excited to be reading and learning about all the different airplanes I could. Mr. Hoffman's writing leaves you with a true sense of vicarious experience in Greenland and the other places he travels. An educating and fun story - definitely worth a read!