SIGNED BY 46 WWII ACES, INCLUDING JOHN MITCHELL, JOE FOSS, ALEX VRACIU, ROBIN OLDS, AND “TEX” HILL
WHELAN, James R. Hunters in the Sky. Fighter Aces of WWII. Washington, DC: Regnery Gateway, (1991). Folio, original half blue cloth, original dust jacket.
First edition of this richly illustrated survey of fighter aces from World War II, from both the Allied and Axis forces. Signed by 46 aces on four specially designed bookplates by P-51 aces, P-38 aces, Pacific Theater aces, and Luftwaffe aces. Several of signers are profiled in the book—including aces Joe Foss, the leading Marine Corps ace of WWII, Alex Vraciu, the fourth-ranking Navy ace of the war, and “Tex” Hill, second-ranking ace of the Flying Tigers, and John Mitchell, who helped shoot down Admiral Yamamoto.
The Pacific theater bookplate has been signed by renowned fighter aces Joe Foss (leading fighter ace of the USMC and a Medal of Honor recipient in 1943 for his role in the Guadalcanal campaign, 26 victories, mentioned several times in the book and with a photograph), Alex Vraciu (USN, 19 victories—for four months in 1944 he was the leading U.S. Navy ace, mentioned several times in the book), Scott McCuskey (USN, 14), Roger A. Haberman (USMC, 7), Roger Conant (USMC, 6), Richard H. May (USN, 6), Eugene R. Hanks (USN, 6), William Farrell (USMC, 5). The remaining five aces to sign the bookplate flew with the American Volunteer Group (AVG), famously nicknamed the Flying Tigers, which was composed of U.S. pilots recruited in 1941 and commanded by Claire Lee Chennault to counter Japanese aggression in China before the U.S. had officially entered the war. The Tigers are David "Tex" Hill (Squadron Leader with 10-1/4 victories with the Flying Tigers; 18-1/4 total for the war, mentioned several times in the book), Dick Rossi (6, mentioned several times in the book, with a photograph), Robert T. Smith (9), Ed Rector (6.5 with the Flying Tigers, 9.5 total, mentioned several times in the book with a photograph), and Ken Jernstedt (5).
The P-38 Lightning bookplate has been signed by aces John W. Mitchell (11 victories, plus another four in Korea; Mitchell led the surprise attack on Admiral Yamamoto's flight that resulted in the death of the Admiral, mentioned in the book), Robert Baker (7), John S. Lorsec, Robert De Haven (14), Jack Ilfrey (8), Calvin C. Wire (7), Frank D. Hurlburt (9), Robin Olds (five victories in a P-38 over Europe; Olds went on to record a total of 16 victories in World War II and the Vietnam War), and pilots Jerry LeVier, Joe Kuhn, and Dick Willsie.
The P-51 Mustang bookplate has been signed by Herschel H. Green (18 victories), Bob Barkey (6), Richard W. Dunkin (9), Walter J. Goehausen (10), Robert J. Goebel (11), Charles "Sandy" McCorkle (11), Arthur C. Fiedler (8), James L. Books (13), Joseph H. Bennett (8.5), [illegible], Robin Olds (12, plus 4 in Vietnam), Urban Drew (6), David L. "Tex" Hill (18.75), and Edward F. Rector (7.75). (Hill and Rector also have signed the Pacific theater bookplate; Olds has also signed the P-38 bookplate.)
The Luftwaffe bookplate has been signed by 10 German aces, including Walter Schuck (206 victories), Werner Streib (66, mentioned in the book), Horst Petzschler (26), Walter Boerner (13), Hajo Herrmann (9), and Hubert Heckmann (5).
Fine condition.