Tales of a War Pilot

I was lucky enough to get a copy of this book at the Reno Air Races several years ago,when Mr. Kirkland was promoting his book there. The book itself is a good read; good enough that when I saw that he had a second book out I ordered it promptly. I'll admit to being a little biased: the P-38 has always been my favorite plane of the era and being able to talk to a real life veteran and pilot of "The Forked Tailed Devil" was a fantastic experience.

This easy but captivating read of short stories from a military pilot's accumulated and varied experiences gives the reader an incredible insight into our past world of war and aviation. Probably never again to be duplicated, the military flying career of the author left me aghast at the breadth of poignant events and weighty situations faced by this one flyer in his long military career. I definitely yearned for more tales, more insight and more learning about the life of this man - which was spent significantly in the air! This is a winning first publication for Kirkland. I wish him many more.

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.

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."

A truly fascinating collection of tales. It really portrays the human element of World War II. The author is to be commended for bringing this aspect of the war to light as the 21st century begins.