WITH A PHOTOGRAPH OF TWO HELLCATS IN FLIGHT SIGNED BY WWII ACE LOUIS ARTHUR MENARD

(MENARD, Louis Arthur) ANDERTON, David A.; WATANABE, Rikyu, illustrator. Hellcat. New York: Crown Publishers, (1981). Folio (10 by 13 inches), original pictorial boards. $225.

First edition of this history of the stalwart Grumman F6F Hellcat fighter plane, richly illustrated with photographs from the era and fine line drawings by Rikyu Watanabe, including three large fold-out color spreads. This copy with a photographic image of two hellcats in flight over the Pacific, signed by WWII ace Louis Arthur Menard.

Silver Star and Distinguished Flying Cross recipient Louis Arthur Menard recorded nine kills during his time flying combat missions in a Hellcat against the Japanese in the Pacific.

Text block stitching stretched but intact, binding sound, book clean and near-fine. Price-clipped dust jacket about-fine.