Whistling Death: The Test Pilot's Story of the F4U Corsair

by Boone T. Guyton and Bonne T. Guyton

Book Overview

Whistling Death is the true story, by the test pilot, of the rush to produce the F4U Corsair, the Navy fighter that brought America air superiority over the Japanese Zero in World War II. Here is the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0517575264
• Release Date: April 1991
• Publisher: Crown
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Very well written acount of the Corsair testing and development

It was very enjoyable read, with detail and well written. Anyone interested in the development of one of the finest and longest produced fighters of WW2 and Korea would find this fascinating.

Exclellent story of the developement of the Corsair

This book is about the development of the Corsair(My favorite airplane). It is well written and is hard to put down. It is very thorough without being overly technical with a good mix of personal glimpses and specifications. A good aviation read!

A great story about a great airplane

Mr Guyton was one of the primary Corsair test pilots from the experimental model all the way up to the Korean War and provides many details about the process Vought went through to improve the design over time. I thought the section on testing new aileron modifications on a dailly basis was particularly interesting. He basically had a tape measure extended between his knees. He also had a gauge on the top of the stick that measured the amount of lateral force he was applying to the stick. His job day-after-day was to move the stick an inch to the left and then record the roll rate and the pressure reading in a log book. Then move it and inch to the right and record. Then an inch and a half to the left. Then and inch and a half to the right... He was on a regular diet of airsickness pills. He told stories of having to open the canopy to eject his breakfast and hoping that his mechanics wouldn't find the evidence on the tail group. Very readable book. The sections on dive testing were thrilling and terifying as well. I can't imagine pushing a plane over into a dive that nearly killed you the prior day.

Test pilot Guyton -- a Good Read

Boone Guyton includes a lot of interesting information on the development history of the Vought Corsair. The narrative is conventionally done, starting with its role in the Pacific war, then a little bit on his getting started in aviation and in the Navy, and finally his flying experiences with Vought. Some unexpected and appreciated extras included his description of reassembly testing of Vought dive bombers in pre-war France and his experiences with the "Flying Pancake". His two accidents flying the Corsair, as well as the loss of some friends, vividly pointed out the hazards of the test pilot life. Overall, a very good read, interesting and well written.