Thursday, November 5, 2009

57 Books from the University Book Sale: Book 6

Title: The Official AAF Guide Book (Pocket Books, 1944)
Author: Uncredited (Forward by H.H. Arnold, Commanding General, Army Air Forces)
Cover artist: Uncredited (tiniest signature ever, but I can't make it out — back cover, right where the clouds meet the clear sky on the left...)

This was published in the summer of '44, when the War was still in full swing, so everything about the war is written in present tense. Tons of photos of war footage, of plane types, of insignias, of shoulder patches, etc. If you are into military history — of if you are the "Ralph" or "Theresa" whose names are written in cursive on the cover— let me know and I'll send this to you. It's kind of fantastic.

Publisher info page indicates that it is a "War Time Book" (strict restrictions on paper usage during the war)

Cover:



Back cover:



Endpapers!:



Title page! (I wonder if "Mother" and "Dad" have anything to do with the "Ralph" and "Theresa" of the cover)



Page 123~

In the AAF, we enter into a partnership with our machines and instruments.


~RP

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter]

3 comments:

Michael5000 said...

1) Sweet.

2) On the internets, like the Army airmen of old, we enter into a partnership with our machines and instruments. Except it's better, as there's no flack.

That Hank said...

My Granpa Fish was in the AAF and flew bombing raids in Japan. I wonder if his plane is in this book.

Happy Warriors said...

Nice. Saw this at a collectors fair in England recently. Wish I'd bought it now.