Specialty Press

Testing Top Guns

by  Jamie Hunter

Reviewed By  Joe Hegedus, IPMS# 33868

MSRP: $36.95 ISBN: 1857802322 Format: 160 Pages, 375 color photographs, 8.5" x 11", Softbound From Specialty Press, www.specialtypress.com or 1-800-895-4585. When one thinks of US military flight test, the usual image that comes to mind is the High Desert in California and Edwards Air Force Base. What one may not be aware of is the number of other facilities around the country, both Air Force and Navy that are equally as important in the flight test field. This book does a good job of bringing those other facilities into the light. After a short chapter of introduction, the reader is taken on tours of all the major US Air Force and Navy Test facilities. Each major base is given a chapter: Edwards, Eglin, and Nellis Air Force Bases, and Patuxent River, China Lake and Point Mugu Naval Air Stations. We're given some history of each facility, then each of the major organizations of each base are described. The Edwards chapter includes a bonus section dealing with the NASA Dryden facility, and both the Eglin and Point Mugu chapters have sections that talk about QF-4 drone operations. For the Navy side, a history of VX-4/9, of the well-known "Bunny" aircraft fame, is included. Along the way, we're also treated to more in-depth discussions of several major programs including the F-22, F-35, MH-60S and F/A-18E/F and first-person accounts from some of the people involved with the test and evaluation of these systems. The main high point of the book is the plethora of color photos. All the major bases are well-covered, including a few black-and-white historical images. Among the Hornets, Falcons, and Eagles there are also some interesting and more rarely-seen machines including a light gray F-117. If you are a fan of modern jets, or of flight test, then this book should be on your shelf. Two thumbs up from this Navy flight test engineer! Many thanks to Specialty Press for providing the review copy.

Information, images, and all other items placed electronically on this site are the intellectual property of IPMS/USA ®.