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Lords of the Sky Unabridged
- Fighter Pilots and Air Combat, from the Red Baron to the F-16
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 17 hrs and 25 mins
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Lords of the Sky Unabridged
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Summary
The New York Times best-selling author of Viper Pilot and retired USAF F-16 legend Dan Hampton offers the first comprehensive popular history of combat aviation - a unique, entertaining, and action-packed look at the aces of the air and their machines, from the Red Baron and his triplane in World War I to today's technologically expert flying warriors in supersonic jets.
One of the most decorated fighter pilots in history, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Dan Hampton goes back 100 years to tell the extraordinary story of the most famous fighter planes and the brave and daring heroes who made them legend.
Drawing on his expertise, Hampton shines a spotlight on the pioneers who have ruled the air from World War I through the Cold War to today. He provides unique insight into gutsy pioneers such as Manfred von Richthofen and his red triplane, and the flyboys in the iconic P51 Mustang who faced the Nazi Lufwaffe. Here, too, is a thoughtful look at modern air warriors, including his own exploits in the high-tech f-16 Falcon.
Interwoven throughout this sweeping narrative history is Hampton's personal account of traveling the world to find these storied aircraft. Strapping himself into the cockpit of such planes, he shares the thrill and experience of flying each. Exhilarating, told in his acclaimed high-octane style, Lords of the Sky is a fresh look at the development of aviation for history and military buffs alike.
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What listeners say about Lords of the Sky Unabridged
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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
- Andyjn
- 04-05-20
Interesting
I found this book to be interesting and informative. I will definitely listen to it again.
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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
- Royston
- 09-08-16
A magnificent insight into the minder of a fighter pilot.
An interesting historical analysis of the fighter pilot and how air warfare has changed since its inception during the Great War. A masterful, educational study of how a pilot has adapt I'd to the new threats and differing methodology of dealing with these threats. I found this book informative and entertaining.
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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
- Andy
- 12-09-14
Bandits at 6 o'clock
I really liked this book and would recommend it but in-line with some other reviews the content of the book was slightly different to what i anticipated. I expected a book purely concerned with fighters and the pilots who flew them but large chunks of text are taken up with historical notes on the campaigns behind the fights. While these are done well anyone will a good understand of the conflicts may find these sections frustrating.
The core material focusing on the planes and pilots was done very well with the admiration the author has for all the aviators shining through.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mr. Duncan James Hardy
- 01-09-15
Fascinating and a brilliant story
A well written 'book' which is both informative and entertaining. The battle descriptions really put you in the cockpit with the pilots.
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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
- Paul S. Turner
- 11-07-14
The real top guns
Would you consider the audio edition of Lords of the Sky Unabridged to be better than the print version?
Some books are better listened to than read. And this is one of those
What was one of the most memorable moments of Lords of the Sky Unabridged?
Wild weasels over Vietnam
What about John Pruden’s performance did you like?
A very good narrator
If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
The very best of the best
Any additional comments?
A wonderful book
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2 people found this helpful
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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
- Geoff
- 02-12-14
Gripping tales of 100 years of fighter aviation
What did you like most about Lords of the Sky Unabridged?
After reading Viper Pilot I was keen to once more hear Dan Hampton's wonderfully worded proles on the ballet of air combat, to on non-flyer he really brings to life the excitement, terror and also the unbelievable complexity of dogfighting, so much more than point and shoot.
What did you like best about this story?
The historical background provided was at just the right level and in fact is quite excellently written. Hampton is quite opinionated and makes no apologies for it.
What about John Pruden’s performance did you like?
The performers' tone and accent fits perfectly with I'd imagine from a seasoned USAF pilot, not to mention the sound effects!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- a mcmeekin
- 22-06-22
An interesting story if you can overlook.......
..... the American "we're the greatest and best at everything!!" that creeps in here and there.
Once.past that occasional attitude the story is thoroughly engrossing.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- paul
- 12-05-15
Air combat from the start, a brilliant insight.
If you love Combat Aircraft & your history this book abyss of Knowledge you must read!
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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
- Trevor
- 02-08-15
Great listen great narrator
This is my second book from this writer and just as good as the last the narrator is great well worth buying
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 24-05-15
How American fighters won pretty much every war.
Would you try another book written by Dan Hampton or narrated by John Pruden?
No. The writer left some glaring errors. No mention at all of German night fighters in WW2 for instance, nothing on the Falklands War, which was unique and very interesting. No mention of one of the best fighters of WW2, the Mosquito. None of these events involved the US and that may be the reason, yet there is reference to the Yom Kippur War. The reader mis-pronounced many names and places.
What was most disappointing about Dan Hampton’s story?
The very American standpoint of the book made me wonder if Britain was ever involved in Korea for example. The writer describes in detail the success of the few US pilots that got airborne at Pearl Harbour when in fact the day was a big defeat for America. The writer is very partizan.
How did the narrator detract from the book?
The reader mangled many English words (he pronounced "Blenheim" as "Blen-hime" instead of "Blen-im" for instance) and I cringed as he said French and German names and places in neither the way they are said in their language or how English speakers commonly say them. He also has a strange, halting way of reading which isn't very fluent or comfortable to hear.
If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Lords of the Sky Unabridged?
There's a lot of blow-by-blow description of Vietnamese and Gulf war air-to-ground bombing missions with transcripts of radio calls. This is irrelevant in a book about fighters and quite boring too.
Any additional comments?
If you know nothing about the history of fighters, this will give you some insights but it's incomplete and written from a very American point of view and therefore suitable for non-US audiences.
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4 people found this helpful