WW II American War Eagles 1937-1942: America's Arsenal of Democracy-Volume 1

Flight Journal, Feb 2005 by Boyne, Walt

WW II American War Eagles 1937-1942: America's Arsenal of Democracy-Volume 1 by Warren M. Bodie. Widening Publications, 81 Sneaking Creek La., Hayesvttle, NC 28904; 194 pages; illustrated; $39.95.

The dazzling combination of brilliant Kodachrome color photos and Warren Bodie's writing makes this a great book for connoisseurs of aviation history. Great photographers such as Rudy Arnold, Hans Groenhof and Fred Bamberger supply startling images of a glorious prewar period during which Americans were convinced of their country's air superiority. The War years and their hard lessons were in the future, and the country could glory in the supposedly deadly prowess of the Bell Airacuda and the Brewster Buffalo. Of particular value are the photos of exceedingly rare aircraft, including the Seversky SEV3M-WW in Colombian markings. We see the great Roger Q. Williams in the cockpit, and a Bodie caption takes us from the Battle of Britain to the Thunderbolt.

And it isn't all about hardware; Bodie peppers the book with people. One remarkable shot includes, I believe, Maj. Gen. Oscar Westover climbing into a Northrop A-17Aperhaps the one in which he lost his life. There are plenty of pictures of ground crews servicing aircraft, and flight-gear aficionados will find much to pore over. You'll find all the standard aircraft of the time and also more unusual aircraft such as the Allison V-3420-powered XB-19, a Vought SBU-I (with a three-wheel fire-engine motorcycle parked nearby) and Jack Northrop leaning on the leading edge of a Northrop N-1M flying wing with a Lockheed Orion in the background. This is one book you must have because you'll return to it time and again.

-Walt Boyne