The American Fighter Plane

THE AMERICAN FIGHTER PLANE, by the father-daughter team of Ted and Amy Williams, presents 40 U. S. fighters that saw service between 1919 and 1991, warbirds that marked significant milestones in the development of the American fighter and, often, made history in the process. The main attraction of the book is the computer-generated artwork done by the senior Williams, who formerly worked in oils and watercolors. Depending on how you view CG artwork, you may rate THE AMERICAN FIGHTER PLANE as a groundbreaking effort worthy of five stars. I gave it four as explained below. The Williams' book tops out at 176 pages. Coverage starts with the Thomas Morse MB-3 and ends with the Lockheed Martin F-22. In between those two designs, the Williams describe and illustrate such famous warplanes as the Curtiss P-6E, Boeing F4B, Curtiss P-36, Grumman F4F, Vought F4U, the North American P-51, Lockheed P-80, North American F-86, Vought F-8, McDonnell F-4, and General Dynamics F-16. Each bird gets a four-page spread with color artwork, brief specs, a three-view and three-five b & w and/or color photographs. The Lockheed Lightning entry, for example, has a page of text, four b & w pix, a three-view and Ted William's illustration of a P-38J. I had mixed feelings about the artwork. Some were quite good. Others seemed synthetic, lifeless, "assembled" rather than created. That's why the four stars. However, since beauty is in the eye of the beholder, you may give Williams' illustrations a big thumb's-up. New copies of THE AMERICAN FIGHTER PLANE sell for $19.00. Given that price tag, if you're a fighter fan, by all means, pick up a copy. Recommended.