“Air Force!” by Frank Harvey. Ballantine Books 329K (1959). Paperback original. Uncredited cover art.
“Missiles and earth satellites command the attention of the world. Already seven pilots have been chosen to train for man’s first venture into space. Here are the stories of the Air Force today – of planes that fly at twice the speed of sound, missiles that can hit a target 5,000 miles away, and here are the Air Force technicians and space pioneers who will soon launch a manned satellite into orbit around the Earth!
“Frank Harvey is an aviation writer who knows this exciting new field in both its scientific and military aspects. He has visited the launching sites and Air Force laboratories where the conquests of tomorrow are made. And he writes with electric tension of the men whose complex skills are tested every day in the high cold frontiers of space.” [From the back cover]
“A series of exciting slice-of-life vignettes depicting the thrilling and dangerous exploits of test pilots and others on the cutting edge of the 1950s Air Force . . .” –Goodreads.com
There are eight stories in all, including three that describe unique challenges posed by the new frontier:
“Moon Shot” (from “The Saturday Evening Post,” 1958) – On the brink of one of history’s most fateful moments, something went terribly wrong . . .
“Destruct Button” (from “Argosy,” 1959) – It’s bad enough pushing a destruct button on two million dollars’ worth of Atlas missile. And now there was something even more precious in the nose cone – a living human being!
“100 Miles Up” (from “Argosy,” 1958) – An unforgettable story of a man who conquered space – and couldn’t find the way back.
“Air Force!” by Frank Harvey. Ballantine Books 329K (1959). Paperback original. Uncredited cover art.
“Missiles and earth satellites command the attention of the world. Already seven pilots have been chosen to train for man’s first venture into space. Here are the stories of the Air Force today – of planes that fly at twice the speed of sound, missiles that can hit a target 5,000 miles away, and here are the Air Force technicians and space pioneers who will soon launch a manned satellite into orbit around the Earth!
“Frank Harvey is an aviation writer who knows this exciting new field in both its scientific and military aspects. He has visited the launching sites and Air Force laboratories where the conquests of tomorrow are made. And he writes with electric tension of the men whose complex skills are tested every day in the high cold frontiers of space.” [From the back cover]
“A series of exciting slice-of-life vignettes depicting the thrilling and dangerous exploits of test pilots and others on the cutting edge of the 1950s Air Force . . .” –Goodreads.com
There are eight stories in all, including three that describe unique challenges posed by the new frontier:
“Moon Shot” (from “The Saturday Evening Post,” 1958) – On the brink of one of history’s most fateful moments, something went terribly wrong . . .
“Destruct Button” (from “Argosy,” 1959) – It’s bad enough pushing a destruct button on two million dollars’ worth of Atlas missile. And now there was something even more precious in the nose cone – a living human being!
“100 Miles Up” (from “Argosy,” 1958) – An unforgettable story of a man who conquered space – and couldn’t find the way back.