Aviation Books

Weekend Chief Publishing, hardcover with jacket, 138 pages., 8.5 x 11 x.5 in., B&W photographs with color ephemera section.

This book is about the formation of Transcontinental Air Transport, Inc. (forerunner to TWA), the emergence of air travel in the United States, and for a while, the blending of air service with the dominant mode of the time, rail travel.

More about the airline than the coordinated rail service, this book provides great insight into the early days of passenger aviation. Numerous photographs accompany the text. Most photographs are of the airline's equipment and personnel but also rail accommodations are presented.

Includes a 6-page color section of ephemera relating to this service.

Contents:

• Ch. 1. Gestation, p. 2-17
• Ch. 2. Shopping List, p. 18-33
• Ch. 3. A Period for Planning, p. 34-61
• Ch. 4. Takeoff, p. 62-91
• Ch. 5. Setback, p. 92-107
• Ch. 6. Comes the Revolution, p. 108-119
• Epilogue, p. 120-125
• Ephemera, p. 126-131
• Index, p. 132-133
• Photo Index, p. 134
• Acknowledgments and Bibliography, p. 135-136
• Fleet List, p. 138.

South Platte Press for R&I Press, softcover, 138 pages, 8.5 x 11. 25 in., 230 color photographs.

This book has quite a selection of early airlines and airliners including famous, infamous and little-known ones. The first picture is of an Air West F-27 at San Diego in Pacific Airlines paint. The book includes Braniff's Great Pumpkin landing at LAX, Lockheed Electras in various paint schemes plus a couple of photographs of Zia Airlines which lasted a few years flying around New Mexico.

Longtime railroad historian and South Platte Press author I.E. Quastler turns to his other major transportation interest, airlines, for this fascinating look at the more unique aspects of commercial aviation.

The aircraft photographed by the author for this book, starting in 1969, range from commuter airliners at unusual locations to jumbo jets in flight. The topics also range from airlines and services that lasted only a few months, to those of long standing which may be unfamiliar to many readers.

Short essays describe the content and setting of each photograph. This book is being made available to South Platte Press for distribution by R&I Press.

Contents:

• Some of My Earliest Airline Photographs, pp. 1–26
• Early and Mid-1970s, pp. 27–56
• The Late 1970s, pp. 57–74
• Overseas Adventures, pp. 75–94
• Into the 1980s and 1990s, pp. 95–130
• Some Former Students, pp. 131–134
• Index, pp. 135–138.