Stealth Fighter Pilot

A pilot recounts his experiences flying NATO missions in a F-117 stealth fighter over Kosovo in 1999.

An in-depth look at the lives of Stealth Fighter pilots describes how they are selected and trained and how they prepared for the air campaign during the Persian Gulf War.

Discusses the history and development of the United States Air Force's Stealth bomber, its design and special features, and some of the missions it has flown in Operation Desert Storm and in Kosovo in 1999.

The most in-depth Stealth fighter book ever follows the development, operation, technology, testing, and history of the F-117 Nighthawk. A special section details F-117 combat operations in Panama and the Gulf War.

Sketches featuring three famous fighter pilots presented in graphic novel format accompany information about the history of fighter planes and requirements for the job of fighter pilot.

The world is at war—Pearl Harbor and WWII. A desire to serve, a chance to fly—he joins the navy’s V-5 program, the finest flight training ever devised. Come fly with him in open-cockpit biplanes, low-wing trainers, dive bombers, and fighters as he wins the gold wings of a naval aviator, an officer’s stripes, and the designation of carrier-based fighter pilot. Recalled for the Korean War—this time to fly newly developed jets. Soar with him on his first flight, to heights he’d not reached and speeds he’d never seen. Recalled for the Korean War—take a front-row seat on a massive U.S. Navy aircraft carrier in combat and experience the riveting, heart-stopping life of a jet fighter pilot racking up fifty-five missions over Korea. Catapult launches, shootings and being shot at, and landing on a rolling, bobbing flight deck are vividly depicted—along with spectacular crashes and agonizing fatalities, while cavorting with stars in Hollywood and Palm Springs. Recalled for the Korean War – this time to fly newly developed jets. Soar with him on his first flight, to heights he’d not reached and speeds he’d never seen. Recalled for the Korean War -take a front-row seat on a massive U.S. Navy aircraft carrier in combat, and experience the riveting, heart-stopping life of a jet fighter pilot racking up fifty- five missions over Korea. Catapult launches, shootings and being shot at and landing on a rolling, bobbing flight deck are vividly depicted – along with spectacular crashes and agonizing fatalities. While cavorting with stars in Hollywood and Palm Springs.

"Don Henry is a world-class fighter pilot who gets to the bottom of what makes aerial tigers tick. He captures the excitement of getting shot at that haunts their self-proclaimed supreme confidence. Don Henry's Thunderchief is the equal on modern warfare to Stephen Crane�s Red Badge of Courage. " --Gen. Charles A. Hornercoauthor, with Tom Clancy, of Every Man a Tiger "Packed with action, emotion, and tragedy,Thunderchief is the authentic, moving story of a combat pilot�s struggle to overcome peer pressure and fear. Don Henry develops a superb portrait of fighter pilots and how they develop the Right Stuff. Along the way, he also tells us a lot about ourselves." --Walter J. Boyne author of The Influence of Air Power upon History When Americas space program began to look for astronauts, it initially turned to fighter pilots, finding in them men who could remain calm in the face of fear and uncertainty and solve intensely complicated problems in disarmingly simple and effective ways. Men who possessed these skills were said to have"the Right Stuff." Set in 1966 during the Vietnam War, Thunderchief is an extraordinary exploration of what the Right Stuff is and how jet fighter pilots pass it on within their close-knit community. Ashe Wilcox is a young pilot struggling to gain respect through the trials of initiation under fire. He is mentored by Hunter, a tortured POW-camp survivor obsessed with aerial combat and revenge. Ashe and Hunter's relationship, in which Hunter is a reluctant and demanding instructor, leads Ashe on a dangerous and passionate journey of self-discovery. Thunderchief explores the inner conflict and mortal spirit of people in combat and reveals the staggering impact on their families and relationships.

"Have Blue and the F-117A: Evolution of the "Stealth Fighter" documents the history, observations, and lessons learned from the development and acquisition of the first very-low-observable combat aircraft. The book is a case study of the high-payoff, low-profile strike fighter development effort (code-named "Have Blue" and "Senior Trend"). In 1991, the aircraft played a key role in the air campaign against Iraq during Operation Desert Storm. The book describes the clear vision, strong leadership and teamwork, rapid-response decision making, and keen focus on achieving an operational capability that marked the project. Also discussed are potential applications of the strategies used in the project to today's acquisition environment.