Hostile Skies

By James J. Hudson

Book Overview

"The single best treatment of the American Air Service in World War I". -- America and World War IFrom April to November 1918, the American Air Service grew from a poorly equipped, unorganized branch of the U.S. Expeditionary Forces to a fighting unit equal to its opponent in every way. Hostile Skies details the actual battle experiences of the men and boys who made up the service squadrons at the front -- Raoul Lufbery, Elliot Springs, Fiorello La Guardia, and, of course, Eddie Rickenbacker.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0815600615
• ISBN13: 9780815600619
• Release Date: January 1968
• Publisher: Syracuse Univ Pr
• Length: 342 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.5" x 1.3" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

A talented writer

I had the pleasure of being one of Hudson's students, especially when I was able to discuss the pilot on the dust jacket, Capt. Field E. Kindley, of Gravette, Arkansas, one of the first Americans flying in a US unit to shoot down a German. Hudson took great pains to insure the accuraccy of this book, and continued to seek out information about the men and units he wrote about in this book. It is THE BOOK on the fledgling American Air Service, and having been a WWII fighter pilot, Hudson wrote from a pilot's point of view, and was able to discuss the salient points and the bad points of the experiences that these men had and how it shaped the future of our air force. I strongly recommend it to any serious military student.

Hostile Skies a must for any WWI aviation historian

I bought this book on a whim. I'm glad I did. One of the best books I've read on WWI Aviation. Hudson's scholarship is solid. As a former AAF fighter pilot, he ties in his expertise to make Hostile Skies readable and enjoyable. It does not degenerate into an aces' scorecard of kills and losses, but rather includes various units of the Army Air Service--The Balloon Corps, Observation and Bombardment squadrons, and of course Pursuit. Hudson's use of personal interviews and first-hand accounts makes his work an excellent reference for WWI Aviation historians.