by Harold Wade
TRAFFORD PUBLISHING
Suite 6E, 2333 Government St.
Victoria, BC, Canada V8T 4P4
1-888-232-4444, Order on-line at
http://www.trafford.com/robots/04-1029.html
US $18.99, C $24.00
"Been there, done that." That will be the reaction of most fighter pilots from the Fifties through the early Seventies after reading Harold Wade's memoirs of his USAF career. His many tales of "close shaves" in T-33 and F-86D/L aircraft will surely re-kindle memories of similar episodes.Those who have never flown high performance military aircraft will gain an appreciation for this demanding profession as it was not so long ago. Mr. Wade's book is an easy read, and he enhances his flying stories with details of his family life and noholds-barred accounts of his interactions with the military chain of command as he perceived it.
This reader was surprised at how familiar were the scenarios in which the author found himself. Primitive (by today's standards) navigation and communication equipment often made the fighter pilot's job a series of near-death experiences. As Mr. Wade says after telling of yet another harrowing flight, "This was the continuing story of my flying career; unfamiliar territory, in the dark, bad weather, and low on fuel." AMEN!
If you've been there, be prepared to remember many of your own adventures you haven't thought about in a long time. Have your grandkids read this in any event. If you're a "wannabe", you'll find the stories enlightening.
No portion of this article may be used or reprinted without permission from the President of the F-86 Sabre Pilots Association or the editor of Sabre Jet Classics magazine.