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Fighter Pilot  By  cover art

Fighter Pilot

By: Robin Olds, Christina Olds, Ed Rasimus
Narrated by: Robertson Dean
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Publisher's summary

A larger-than-life hero with a towering personality, Robin Olds was a graduate of West Point and an inductee in the National College Football Hall of Fame for his All-American performance for Army. In World War II, Olds quickly became a top fighter pilot and squadron commander by the age of 22—a double ace with 12 aerial victories.

But it was in Vietnam where the man became a legend. He motivated a dejected group of pilots by placing himself under junior officers and challenging them to train him properly. He led the wing with aggressiveness, scoring another four confirmed kills and becoming a rare triple ace. With his marriage to Hollywood actress and pin-up girl Ella Raines, his nonregulation mustache and penchant for drink, Olds was a unique individual whose story is one of the most eagerly anticipated military books of the year.

Christina Olds, the daughter of Robin Olds, holds a B.A. in English and creative writing from Vassar, is a member of the Air Force Association, and is the first honorary lifetime member of the Red River Valley Association.

Ed Rasimus is a retired USAF fighter pilot who holds a B.S. in political science and an M.S. in both political science and international relations. He has previously written two books on the Vietnam air war, When Thunder Rolled and Palace Cobra.

©2010 Robin Olds with Christina Olds and Ed Rasimus (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Massively welcomed by his legion of fans." (Walter J. Boyne, author and former director of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.)

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What listeners say about Fighter Pilot

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

An amazing story!

I couldn't but this audio book down! The story is so visual and vivid!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Best Air Force book you'll ever read!

Excellent narration and truly compelling story. Olds is wonderful rolemodel for Airman young and old.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Awesome. One of my favorite books ever.

One of my favorite books ever. The only bad thing is when it was over. I wanted to hear more.

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Thrilling!!

The best aviation biography I’ve ever encountered. Edge of seat action, and a real look into the life and career of a true heroic personality. I grew to love General Olds through his own words. I was spellbound.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Autobiography of Fighter Pilot Robin Olds

From West Point to the Air Force Academy. From D-day in WW2 to Danang during the Vietnam crisis, Olds's insights define the times, the missions and the buracracies that military fliers fought under and against.
Revealing and entertaining, Olds is personable and direct. Good read.



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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Great American, Ok book.

A little disappointed considering the topic and all of the great reviews.
Good book for his close friends and family members who can appreciate all of the detailed conversations he had with various people he interacted with over the years, as well as, all of the details about his many jobs in the military.
I was looking for more of a historical - non fiction - novel type of book about his air combat missions, the pilots that served with him, and the role of air combat in WWII & Vietnam. These topics were barely covered as the author details Robin Olds' life from college through 30 years of military service and all the many jobs he held. I might have enjoyed an abridged version.
With that said, Robin Olds was an amazing fighter pilot and our military needs more soldiers like him and David Hackworth. Search Robin Olds on YouTube for reenactment videos of his air combat missions against MIG fighters.
Narration was superb.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • DS
  • 02-21-13

AN INTERESTING LIFE

A member of the "Greatest Generation", a graduate of West Point, a talented fighter pilot, a principled commander and one very lucky guy. Robin Olds had an interesting life. He got to do exactly what he wanted to do, fly fighter planes. He did it very well, was lucky, and survived to tell the story. He married a Hollywood star, tragic mistake, although it lasted longer than most such marriages. A good life.

The last third of the book takes place during the Vietnam War He fought bravely and did a good job of fighting the Vietcong and protecting his pilots. He ultimately ended up as frustrated with the Executive Branch and the Diplomatic Service as the rest of us.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

WHAT AN INTERESTING LIFE! WELL TOLD.

Where does Fighter Pilot rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

IN THE TOP THIRED

What was one of the most memorable moments of Fighter Pilot?

HIS SECOND WWII COMBAT FLIGHTS

What does Robertson Dean bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

HIS VOICE BROUGHT THE ACTION ALIVE

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

THE LET DOWN AFTER THE WAR ENDED,NOW WHAT?

Any additional comments?

NO

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Well told

What does Robertson Dean bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrator did a very good job speaking for Robin Olds. Very good performance.

Any additional comments?

I am in the Air Force and am very glad I found this book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Best Military Memoir since U.S. Grant

This memoir was written from various scraps that BGen Olds had jotted down, typed, and placed into his computer over the years, and then masterfully assembled by his daughter and friend into an extremely listenable first person format while he was dying from Stage 4 prostate cancer, (he died from congestive heart failure).

Robin Olds' career stretched from the skies over Germany to the skies of Vietnam, and from the halls of West Point to the mountains of Colorado Springs. A Colonel in his early 30's Olds' fighter pilot mentality went against the prevailing "bomber" and "missile" generals who ran the USAF from the founding of the USAF to the 1990's.

His vivid recollections of air to air combats are textbook, as are his memories of duty in the Pentagon lessons on how NOT to get promoted. Since this is a first person narration, some of his accomplishments are omitted, but all of his antagonist actions towards higher echelons of command are listed in detail.

Unfortunately his tendency to over imbibe is noted. While writing about his movie star wife he is over sympathetic. Her career was already on a down swing when they married and nothing to do with his service.

Mr. Dean's narration is right on save his lack of Robin Olds' slight Texas twang! This is a book that I'll come back to re-listen repeatedly!

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