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Wings of Valor: Real-Life Aviation Adventures in War and Peace
- Narrated by: Jack Clancy
- Length: 2 hrs and 58 mins
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Wings of Valor: Real-Life Aviation Adventures in War and Peace
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Publisher's summary
From combat to commercial flight, Wings of Valor contains 17 rollercoaster rides through air and space. Strap in and fly along with courageous men and women in today's combat aircraft. You'll experience amazing tales of dangerous airfield maneuvers, remotely piloted aircraft and drones, bringing a dead aircraft back to life, and communicating from air to ground in enemy territory.
Travel into the past with gripping accounts of combat missions in World War II and Korea, a firsthand account of the Bay of Pigs invasion, and the terrors of enemy ordnance falling on American soil. Learn about heroic pilots who become astronauts, and how the wounded recover from the horrors of war. Also included are vignettes about airplanes that have been converted into restaurants, restoring classic aircraft, and things you didn't know about airport security procedures.
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- An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base
- By: Annie Jacobsen
- Narrated by: Annie Jacobsen
- Length: 16 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,662
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,880
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,870
It is the most famous military installation in the world. And it doesn't exist. Located a mere s75 miles outside of Las Vegas in Nevada's desert, the base has never been acknowledged by the US government - but Area 51 has captivated imaginations for decades. Annie Jacobsen had exclusive access to 19 men who served the base proudly and secretly for decades and are now aged 75-92, and unprecedented access to 55 additional military and intelligence personnel, scientists, pilots, and engineers linked to the secret base, 32 of whom lived and worked there for extended periods.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Disappointing
- By Mike From Mesa on 06-06-11
By: Annie Jacobsen
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Skunk Works
- A Personal Memoir of My Years of Lockheed
- By: Ben R. Rich, Leo Janos
- Narrated by: Pete Larkin
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 10,039
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 8,816
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 8,798
From the development of the U-2 to the Stealth fighter, the never-before-told story behind America's high-stakes quest to dominate the skies. Skunk Works is the true story of America's most secret and successful aerospace operation. As recounted by Ben Rich, the operation's brilliant boss for nearly two decades, the chronicle of Lockheed's legendary Skunk Works is a drama of Cold War confrontations and Gulf War air combat, of extraordinary feats of engineering and human achievement against fantastic odds.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Ben Rich's life story...but not in that order
- By Allstar on 11-05-16
By: Ben R. Rich, and others
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The Final Mission of Extortion 17
- Special Ops, Helicopter Support, SEAL Team Six, and the Deadliest Day of the US War in Afghanistan
- By: Ed Darack
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 7 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 767
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 702
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 702
The downing of Extortion 17 spurred a number of conspiracy theories, such as the idea that the shootdown was revenge for bin Laden's death. In The Final Mission of Extortion 17, Ed Darack debunks this theory and others and uncovers the truth behind this mysterious tragedy. His account of the brave pilots, crew, and passengers of Extortion 17 and the events of that fateful day is interwoven into a rich, complex narrative that also discusses modern joint combat operations and the history of the Afghan war to that date.
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4 out of 5 stars
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What the "Lone Survivor" wasn't.
- By Douglas on 09-29-17
By: Ed Darack
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Kelly
- More Than My Share of It All
- By: Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson, Maggie Smith, Brig. Gen. Leo P. Geary USAF - ret. - foreword
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 6 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 746
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 654
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Story5 out of 5 stars 651
Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson led the design of such crucial aircraft as the P-38 and Constellation, but he will be more remembered for the U-2 and SR-71 spy planes. His extraordinary leadership of the Lockheed "Skunk Works" cemented his reputation as a legendary figure in American aerospace management.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Memoir of a Legend
- By Jean on 08-26-19
By: Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson, and others
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Pathfinder Pioneer
- The Memoir of a Lead Bomber Pilot in World War II
- By: Raymond E. Brim
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 70
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 59
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 59
In this engaging audiobook, we see how an 18-year-old miner shoveling ore from deep in the ground in Utah suddenly found himself, only two years later, 30,000 feet in the air over Nazi Germany, piloting a Flying Fortress in the first wave of America's air counteroffensive in Europe. Pathfinder Pioneer gives us vivid insights into the genesis of the American air campaign, told with the humor, attention to detail, and humility that captures the heart and soul of our Greatest Generation.
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4 out of 5 stars
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A Good Recounting of WW2 Bomber Missions
- By Sean on 07-25-17
By: Raymond E. Brim
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The Dream Machine
- The Untold History of the Notorious V-22 Osprey
- By: Richard Whittle
- Narrated by: Kevin Foley
- Length: 18 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 143
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 101
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 105
When the Marines decided to buy a helicopter-airplane hybrid "tiltrotor" called the V-22 Osprey, they saw it as their dream machine. The tiltrotor was the aviation equivalent of finding the Northwest Passage: an aircraft able to take off, land, and hover with the agility of a helicopter yet fly as fast and as far as an airplane. Many predicted it would reshape civilian aviation. The Marines saw it as key to their very survival. Opponents called it one of the worst boondoggles in Pentagon history.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Innovation runs into government
- By Cx30 on 09-25-10
By: Richard Whittle
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Hell Above Earth
- The Incredible True Story of an American WWII Bomber Commander and the Copilot Ordered to Kill Him
- By: Stephen Frater
- Narrated by: Pete Larkin
- Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 68
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 58
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 59
Hell Above Earth tells an unforgettable story of two World War II American bomber pilots who forged an unexpected but enduring bond in the flak-filled skies over Nazi Germany. But there's a twist: one of them was related to the head of the Luftwaffe, Reich Marshal Herman Goering, and the other had secret orders from FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover to kill him if anything went wrong during their missions.
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4 out of 5 stars
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A very unusual story
- By David on 10-15-12
By: Stephen Frater
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The Vietnam Air War
- From the Cockpit
- By: Colonel Dennis M. "Mike" Ridnouer
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 13 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 142
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 125
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Story5 out of 5 stars 122
The Vietnam War is one of the most misunderstood military conflicts in 20th-century America. Showcasing 72 true stories told by American servicemen who fought from the skies, this unique and historically significant collection is a stunning record of the air war in Southeast Asia during the 1960s and 1970s.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Overall worthy and perspective broadening
- By Clayton Cartier on 11-03-20
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The Men Who Killed the Luftwaffe
- The U.S. Army Air Forces Against Germany in World War II
- By: Jay A. Stout
- Narrated by: Paul Woodson
- Length: 15 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 466
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 424
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 417
In this dramatic story of World War II, Jay A. Stout describes how the US built an air force of 2.3 million men after starting with 45,000 and defeated the world's best air force. In order to defeat Germany in World War II, the Allies needed to destroy the Third Reich's industry and invade its territory, but before they could effectively do either, they had to defeat the Luftwaffe, whose state-of-the-art aircraft and experienced pilots protected German industry and would batter any attempted invasion.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A must read for WWII buffs
- By david on 07-27-17
By: Jay A. Stout
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Vanished Hero
- The Life, War and Mysterious Disappearance of America’s WWII Strafing King
- By: Jay A. Stout
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 53
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 45
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 44
A hell-bent-for-leather fighter pilot, Elwyn G. Righetti remains one of the most unknown, yet compelling, colorful, and controversial commanders of World War II. Arriving late to the war, he led the England-based 55th Fighter Group against the Nazis during the closing months of the fight with a no-holds-barred aggressiveness that transformed the group from a middling organization of no reputation into a headline-grabbing team that had to make excuses to no one. Indeed, Righetti's boldness paid off as he quickly achieved ace status.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great Performance for a Great Story!
- By Carter L. on 11-03-17
By: Jay A. Stout
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The Mighty Eighth
- The Air War in Europe as Told by the Men Who Fought It
- By: Gerald Astor
- Narrated by: Kaleo Griffith
- Length: 23 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 352
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 321
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 319
Europe has fallen. Pearl Harbor is in flames. Enter: the Eighth. In 1941 the RAF fought a desperate battle of survival against the Luftwaffe over Britain. Then, from across the Atlantic, came a new generation of American pilots, gunners, and bombardiers, a new generation of flying machines called the B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-24 Liberator, the P-47 Thunderbolt, and the P-51 Mustang fighter.
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4 out of 5 stars
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A Good Listen with 1 problem
- By Matthew Schuller on 08-23-19
By: Gerald Astor
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Harnessing the Sky
- Frederick "Trap" Trapnell, the U.S. Navy's Aviation Pioneer, 1923-1952
- By: Frederick M. Trapnell Jr., Dana Trapnell Tibbitts
- Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor
- Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 26
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 25
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 25
A pilot of calculated courage, "Trap" entered the Navy when test pilots were more like stuntmen than engineers. Airplanes had not yet come into their own as weapons of war, and they had an undeveloped role in the fleet. His vision and leadership shaped the evolution of naval aviation through its formative years and beyond. When the threat of war in 1940 raised an alarm over the Navy's deficiency in aircraft - especially fighters - Trap was appointed to lead the Flight Test Section to direct the development of all-new Navy airplanes.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Superb Book
- By Peter H. Christensen on 09-27-19
By: Frederick M. Trapnell Jr., and others
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Flying from the Black Hole
- The B-52 Navigator-Bombardiers of Vietnam
- By: Robert O. Harder
- Narrated by: Bob Souer
- Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 87
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 80
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 79
Air Force navigators and bombardiers have long labored under the shadow of pilots - their contributions undervalued, misunderstood, or unknown to the general public. This was especially the case with the non-pilot officer aircrew in the Vietnam and Cold War-era B-52 Stratofortress. Of the six people who operated the bomber, three wore navigator wings - two of those men were also bombardiers, the other an electronic warfare officer. Without the navigator-bombardiers in particular, executing the nuclear war strike plan or flying Southeast Asian bombing sorties would have been impossible.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Today I learned something new.
- By Rob Wilson on 02-20-21
By: Robert O. Harder
-
Topgun
- An American Story
- By: Dan Pedersen
- Narrated by: Jim Meskimen
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 955
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 843
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 844
Dan Pedersen takes listeners on a colorful and thrilling ride - from Miramar to Area 51 to the decks of aircraft carriers in war and peace - through a historic moment in air warfare. He helped establish a legacy that was built by him and his "Original Eight" - the best of the best - and carried on for six decades by some of America's greatest leaders. Topgun is a heartfelt and personal testimonial to patriotism, sacrifice, and American innovation and daring.
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5 out of 5 stars
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I loved it!
- By "airplane_cfii" on 10-09-19
By: Dan Pedersen
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Tanker Pilot
- Lessons from the Cockpit
- By: Mark Hasara, Rush Limbaugh - foreword
- Narrated by: Danny Campbell
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 132
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 121
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 120
Get a glimpse of life in the pilot's seat and experience modern air warfare directly from a true American hero. Lt. Col Mark Hasara - who has 24 years of experience in flying missions around the world - provides keen and eye-opening insights on success and failure and emphasizes the importance of always being willing to learn. He provides 12 essential lessons based on his wartime experience and his own personal photographs from his missions during the Cold War, Gulf War, and Iraq War.
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5 out of 5 stars
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NKAWTG! Nobody!
- By David Stefano on 11-10-17
By: Mark Hasara, and others
-
Kangaroo Squadron
- American Courage in the Darkest Days of World War II
- By: Bruce Gamble
- Narrated by: Mark Boyett
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 147
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 132
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 131
In early 1942, while the American military was still in disarray from the devastating attacks on Pearl Harbor and the Philippines, a single US Army squadron advanced to the far side of the world to face America's new enemy. Based in Australia with inadequate supplies and no ground support, the squadron's pilots and combat crew endured tropical diseases while confronting numerically superior Japanese forces. Yet the outfit, dubbed the Kangaroo Squadron, proved remarkably resilient and successful.
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5 out of 5 stars
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5 star History!
- By DON COOKE on 03-13-19
By: Bruce Gamble
-
Lucky 666
- The Impossible Mission
- By: Bob Drury, Tom Clavin
- Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 935
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 859
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 855
From the authors of the New York Times best-selling The Heart of Everything That Is and Halsey's Typhoon comes the dramatic untold story of a daredevil bomber pilot and his misfit crew who fly their lone B-17 into the teeth of the Japanese Empire in 1943, engage in the longest dogfight in history, and change the momentum of the war in the Pacific - but not without making the ultimate sacrifice.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A WWII Pacific Tale
- By A. L. DeWitt on 11-15-16
By: Bob Drury, and others
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What listeners say about Wings of Valor: Real-Life Aviation Adventures in War and Peace
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- T
- 04-07-22
Very Shallow
Superficial treatment of topics and not enough to do justice to the book ambitious title.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Robert Henderson
- 08-29-19
Meh
Overt patriotism comes off a little corny. Some good stories, particularly the part about the Japanese balloon bombs.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alan Sahatjian
- 08-02-16
Great Variety!
I really enjoyed Wings of Valor. Each story had a unique setting and twist. Taken together they paint a picture of the brave and innovative men and women involved in aviation. Jack's read brought it all to life and kept me in the moment.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Michael Richards
- 09-08-16
Do Not Bother - A Collection of Snippets
Any additional comments?
This is just a collection of emailed questions and miscellaneous stories that turn out to be mostly harmless. There are 1 or 2 decent ones in there but it supplies about 15 minutes of pleasure and about an hour and a half of pain.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Kevin
- 02-07-17
Excellent listening for aviation buffs!
If you could sum up Wings of Valor: Real-Life Aviation Adventures in War and Peace in three words, what would they be?
Interesting, adventurous, & educational
What other book might you compare Wings of Valor: Real-Life Aviation Adventures in War and Peace to and why?
I would compare Wings of Valor to many different great aviation books I've read over the years. Some of the stories about unique bomb types were very intriguing.
What does Jack Clancy bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Clancy is passionate about the material and has good skills building the characters. He makes more a great listen!
Any additional comments?
I highly recommend this book!
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1 person found this helpful