Boyne, Walter J(ames) 1929-

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BOYNE, Walter J(ames) 1929-

PERSONAL: Born February 2, 1929, in East St. Louis, IL; son of Walter William (a physician) and Emily (a teacher; maiden name, Campbell) Boyne; married Elizabeth Jeanne Quigley, December 26, 1952; children: Mary Louise, Katherine Elizabeth, William James, Margaret Ann. Education: University of California—Berkeley, B.S. (with honors), 1958; University of Pittsburgh, M.B.A. (with honors), 1963; Salem College, Ph.D., 1985.

ADDRESSES: Home—9134 Continental Dr., Alexandria, VA 22309. Offıce—21028 Starflower Way, Ash-burn, VA 20147-4700. E-mail—wboyne@cqi.com.

CAREER: Aviation writer and consultant. U.S. Air Force, career officer and command pilot, 1951-74, retired as colonel; National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC, assistant curator, 1974-75, curator, 1975-78, executive officer, 1978-80, assistant director, 1980-82, acting director, 1982-83, director, 1983-86. Wingspan television channel, chair of board of directors; Discover Communications, aerospace expert in residence; Fighter Pilot Productions, vice president.

MEMBER: American Aviation Historical Society (member of national advisory board), National Press Club, National Space Club (member of board of governors), Author's Guide, Daedalians, Sons of the Desert (grand sheik), Cosmos Club.

AWARDS, HONORS: Meritorious service medal and Bronze Star, U.S. Air Force; Robert A. Brooks Award, Smithsonian Institution, 1980, for excellence in administration; Best Foreign Book award, Aero Club de France, 1982; Cliff Henderson Trophy, 1986; Best Fiction and Nonfiction awards, Aviation Space Writers, 1987; Thomas McKean Memorial Cup, 1989; Gil Robb Wilson award, AIA, 1997; named Elder Statesman of Aviation, National Aviation Association, 1998.

WRITINGS:

NONFICTION

German Aircraft and Armament: Informational Intelligence, Summary No. 44-32, October 1944, Office of the Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Intelligence (Washington, DC), 1944, Brassey's (Washington, DC), 2000.

Flying: An Introduction to Flight, Airplanes, and Aviation Careers, Prentice Hall (Englewood Cliffs, NJ), 1980.

Messerschmitt Me 262: An Arrow to the Future, Smithsonian Institution Press (Washington, DC), 1980, Schiffer Publishing (Atglen, PA), 1994.

Boeing B-52: A Documentary History, Janes Information Group (London, England), 1981, Smithsonian Institution Press (Washington, DC), 1982, Schiffer Publishing (Atglen, PA), 1994.

Aircraft Treasures of Silver Hill: The Behind-the-Scenes Workshop of Our Nation's Air Museums, Rawson Associates (New York, NY), 1982.

The McDonnell Douglas F-4 in Combat, Janes Information Group (London, England), 1983.

De Havilland DH-4: From Flaming Coffın to Living Legend, Smithsonian Institution Press (Washington, DC), 1984.

Jet Combat History: Phantom, Janes Information Group (London, England), 1984.

Phantom in Combat, Smithsonian Institution Press (Washington, DC), 1985.

The Leading Edge, Stewart, Tabori, & Chang (New York, NY), 1986.

(With Steven L. Thompson) The Wild Blue: The Novel of the U.S. Air Force, Crown (New York, NY), 1986.

The Smithsonian Book of Flight, Smithsonian Institution Press (Washington, DC), 1987.

Power behind the Wheel: Creativity and the Evolution of the Automobile, Stewart, Tabori, & Chang (New York, NY), 1988.

The Smithsonian Book of Flight for Young People, Aladdin Books (New York, NY), 1988.

Flight, Time-Life Books (Alexandria, VA), 1990.

Art in Flight: The Sculpture of John Safer, Hudson Hills Press (New York, NY), 1991.

Gulf War: A Comprehensive Guide to People, Places, and Weapons, New American Library (New York, NY), 1991.

(Author of introduction and consultation) Weapons of Desert Storm, Publications International (Chicago, IL), 1991.

Silver Wings: A History of the United States Air Force, Simon and Schuster (New York, NY), 1993.

Clash of Wings: Air Power in World War II, Simon and Schuster (New York, NY), 1994.

Clash of Titans: World War II at Sea, Simon and Schuster (New York, NY), 1995.

Classic Aircraft, Magna Books (New York, NY), 1996.

Beyond the Wild Blue: A History of the United States Air Force, 1947-1997, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1997.

(Contributor) Legends of Flight: With the National Aviation Hall of Fame, Publications International (Chicago, IL), 1997.

Beyond the Horizons: The Lockheed Story, Thomas Dunne Books (New York, NY), 1998.

B-2 Spirit: The Most Capable War Machine on the Planet, McGraw-Hill Professional (New York, NY), 1999.

B-17 Flying Fortress: The Symbol of Second World War Air Power, McGraw-Hill Professional (New York, NY), 2000.

Pushing the Limits, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2000.

Hitler's Squadron: The Fuehrer's Personal Aircraft & Transportation Unit, 1933-1945, Brassey's (Washington, DC), 2001.

(With John C. Fredriksen) International Warbirds: An Illustrated Guide to World Military Aircraft, 1914-2000, ABC-CLIO (Santa Barbara, CA), 2001.

Aces in Command: Fighter Pilots as Combat Leaders, Brassey's (Washington, DC), 2001.

The Best of Wings Magazine, Brassey's (Washington, DC), 2001.

Two O'Clock War: The 1973 Yom Kippur Conflict and the Airlift That Saved Israel, Thomas Dunne Books (New York, NY), 2002, published as The Yom Kippur War and the Airlift Strike That Saved Isreal, St. Martin's Griffin (New York, NY), 2003.

The 451st Bomb Group in World War II: A Pictorial History, 2002.

(With Lon O. Nordeen) Air Warfare in the Missile Age, Smithsonian Institution Press (Washington, DC), 2002.

Dawn over Kitty Hawk: A Novel of the Wright Brothers, Forge (New York, NY), 2003.

The Influence of Air Power upon History, Pelican Publishing (Gretna, LA), 2003.

(With Gary E. Weir) Rising Tide, Basic Books (New York, NY), 2003.

Operation Iraqi Freedom: What Went Right, What Went Wrong, and Why, Forge (New York, NY), 2003.

"EAGLES" SERIES; FICTION

Trophy for Eagles, Crown (New York, NY), 1989.

Eagles at War, Crown (New York, NY), 1991.

Air Force Eagles, Crown (New York, NY), 1992.

Eagles at War: Demonology, Random House (New York, NY), 1996.

EDITOR

(With Donald S. Lopez) The Jet Age: Forty Years of Jet Aviation, Smithsonian Institution Press (Washington, DC), 1979.

(With Donald S. Lopez) Vertical Flight: The Age of the Helicopter, Smithsonian Institution Press (Washington, DC), 1984.

Amelia Earhart and George P. Putnam, Last Flight, Orion Books (New York, NY), 1988.

J. D. Morelock, The Army Times Book of Great Land Battles: From the Civil War to the Gulf War, Berkley Books (New York, NY), 1994.

Timothy M. Laur and Steven L. Llanso, Encyclopedia of Modern U.S. Military Weapons, Berkley Books (New York, NY), 1995.

Fly Past, Fly Present: A Celebration of Preserved Aviation, Arms and Armour (London, England), 1995.

Tom Donnelly and Sean Naylor, Clash of Chariots: The Great Tank Battles, Berkley Books (New York, NY), 1996.

Dan Cragg, Generals in Muddy Boots: A Concise Encyclopedia of Combat Commanders, Berkley Books (New York, NY), 1996.

Brayton Harris, The Navy Times Book of Submarines: A Political, Social, and Military History, Berkley Books (New York, NY), 1997.

(With Philip Handleman) Brassey's Air Combat Reader, Brassey's (Washington, DC), 1999.

Air Warfare: An International Encyclopedia, foreword by Michael J. Dugan, ABC-CLIO (Santa Barbara, CA), 2002.

OTHER

Author of introduction to Classics: U.S. Aircraft of World War II, Howell Press (Charlottesville, VA), 1987; Aviation: A History through Art, Howell Press (Charlottesville, VA), 1992. Author of foreword to Around the World in Eight Days: The Flight of the Winnie Mae, Orion (New York, NY), 1989; Men in the Air: The Best Flight Stories of All Time from Greek Mythology to the Space Age, Crown (New York, NY), 1990; The Book of Air Shows, Schiffer Aviation History (Atglen, PA), 1993; The Greatest Flight: Reliving the Aerial Triumph That Changed the World, Andrews and McMeel (New York, NY), 1995; How to Write, Publish and Sell Your Own Aviation Books, Tri-Pacer Press (Pembroke Pines, FL), 1998.

Author of "Guess What," a monthly column in Air Line Pilots Association Journal. Contributor of more than 200 articles to magazines. Associate editor of Wings and Airpower; contributing editor of Aerophile. Beyond the Wild Blue was translated into Chinese, 2000.

SIDELIGHTS: After serving his country in the U.S. Air Force as a career officer and command pilot, Walter J. Boyne rose through the ranks of the administration at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, becoming its director in 1982. Boyne has also written widely on aviation topics, publishing hundreds of articles and dozens of books, including four novels. As he once told CA, "My career has been devoted to aviation, writing, and the historical research required to present new material from primary sources."

While the public often perceives a historical topic from a certain perspective, Boyne acknowledges its complexity: "I believe that the only thing you find in archives is a record of what the last man wanted you to think. It is imperative to cross-check historical records with principals, where possible, and with independent sources." Among Boyne's many publications number works on individual aircraft, histories of flight in general, the U.S. Air Force, jet aviation, the helicopter, the Lockheed Company, and individual aircraft designs, as well as biographies of American military commanders and fighter pilots, and legendary pilots. He has also served as editor for series of works on aviation and Air Warfare: An International Encyclopedia.

Although many of his early books are histories of individual models of aircraft, Boyne also wrote a quartet of novels called the "Eagles" series about pilots' exploits during the world wars and the Korean War. In the mid-1990s, Boyne penned a trio of books about military vehicles, armaments, and strategies employed during important battles: Clash of Wings: Air Power in World War II, Clash of Titans: World War II at Sea, and Clash of Chariots: The Great Tank Battles. In the first title, Boyne provides readers with an overview of the aircraft, leaders, and strategy used during World War II. Booklist contributor Roland Green described its author as "knowledgeable and literate," an American Heritage reviewer praised Clash of Wings as a "brisk, well-written history," and a Publishers Weekly critic called it a "stimulating overview." Similarly, in Clash of Titans Boyne provides, with what a Publishers Weekly critic called "fervid enthusiasm," an overview of naval operations during World War II. The critic praised Boyne's ability to explain complex maneuvers in a "refreshingly outspoken" manner. In Clash of Chariots, as editor Boyne surveys armored vehicle operations from the Battle of France during 1940 to Desert Storm in 1991, which a Publishers Weekly critic described as "well-written and informed."

Written to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Air Force, Beyond the Wild Blue: A History of the United States Air Force, 1947-1997 is a "thorough and readable history" to quote Library Journal contributor Mel D. Lane. While a Publishers Weekly critic commented that Boyne "effectively describes the development of aerospace technology," the same critic drew on newly declassified documents to express reservations about the slant of Boyne's history. The critic suggested that Boyne "spin-doctored" errors in judgment, disputes between tactical and strategic factions of the air force, and the reorganization that took place in the early 1990s. On the other hand, Roland Green of Booklist, acknowledging that Boyne presents the air force perspective on controversial matters, praised him for giving "full justice" to many aspects of the topic and in a very readable text. In Aces in Command: Fighter Pilots as Combat Leaders, Boyne profiles a quartet of Air Force aces: Eddie Rickenbacker, Hubert Zemke, Frederick Blesse, and Robin Olds. He focuses on the combination of qualities that made them successful: "a warrior ethos, charisma, and superb teaching skills," as John Sherwood explained in Air Power History. Sherwood noted that Boyne's is the first study to explore aces as commanders, concluding "this compelling volume" contains "much of interest."

In his 1998 title, Beyond the Horizons: The Lockheed Story, Boyne chronicles in detail the history of the Lockheed company from its founding by the Lough-head brothers in the 1910s to its merger with the Martin Marietta company in 1995. According to Booklist reviewer David Rouse, Boyne gives little attention to some of the management and financial problems and the bribery scandal of the 1970s that beset the company, creating an "admiring and somewhat sanitized" company history. Even if this is so, Rouse thought the book "quite worthwhile," and Library Journal contributor Mel D. Lane called it a "solid history of a unique business."

Boyne alsopublished The Best of Wings Magazine, a collection of some two dozen of Boyne's articles from Wings magazine, of which he was associate editor, and Two O'Clock War: The 1973 Yom Kippur Conflict and the Airlift That Saved Israel. In the latter Boyne recounts the events of the Yom Kippur war and U.S. involvement in it, particularly the massive American military airlift, which a Publishers Weekly critic called the "best and most useful" part of the volume. A Kirkus Reviews contributor commented that not only does Boyne describe wartime events, he "does a fine job . . . of correcting the historical record."

Reflecting on his career as a writer, Boyne once told CA: "The military life is far different than it is commonly portrayed in film and literature. While there is a core of regimentation at the working level, there is far more opportunity for individualism and creativity than one finds in corporate work. There is more tolerance, more appreciation and more competition than anyone imagines. There is a facade that is deceptive; underneath it is an intensive, stimulating environment.

"The world of museums presents an almost opposite situation; outwardly a calm, placid and scholarly outpost of academe, it is actually like any other community of people, filled with turbulence, personal conflict, jealousy, rage, hurt feelings, achievement, and, hopefully, some public satisfaction. In many respects, museum people are closer to theatre people than to academics; there is always a show that must go on, and while it is based on research efforts rather than acting ability, the final product is intended to please a demanding audience."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Aerospace Power Journal, summer, 2002, review of The Best of Wings Magazine, p. 123.

Air & Space Smithsonian, August, 1992, review of Air Force Eagles, p. 86.

Air Power History, winter, 1997, review of Beyond the Wild Blue: A History of the United States Air Force, 1947-1997, p. 62; fall, 2001, John Sherwood, review of Aces in Command: Fighter Pilots as Combat Leaders, p. 48.

American Heritage, October, 1994, review of Clash of Wings: Air Power in World War II, p. 102.

American History Illustrated, January, 1988, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight, p. 8.

American Spectator, December, 1986, review of The Wild Blue, p. 27.

Appraisal, summer, 1989, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight for Young People, p. 14.

Aviation History, March, 2001, C. V. Glines, review of Brassey's Air Combat Reader, p. 58; March, 2002, Mike Hill, review of The 451st Bomb Group in World War II: A Pictorial History, pp. 60-61.

Best Sellers, December, 1986, review of The Wild Blue, p. 324; January, 1987, review of The Leading Edge, p. 392.

Booklist, February 15, 1983, review of The Aircraft Treasures of Silver Hill, p. 751; October 1, 1984, review of Vertical Flight: The Age of the Helicopter, p. 176; July, 1986, review of The Wild Blue, p. 1561; November 15, 1987, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight, p. 523; January 1, 1989, review of Power behind the Wheel: Creativity and the Evolution of the Automobile, p. 738; March 15, 1989, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight for Young People, p. 1292; April 15, 1989, review of Trophy for Eagles, p. 1409; November 1, 1990, review of Trophy for Eagles (audiobook), p. 554; April 15, 1991, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight for Young People, p. 1634; May 15, 1991, review of Weapons of Desert Storm, p. 1763; May 15, 1994, Roland Green, review of Clash of Wings, p. 1661; May 1, 1995, Gilbert Taylor, review of Clash of Titans: World War II at Sea, p. 1549; April 15, 1997, Roland Green, review of Beyond the Blue, pp. 1367-1368; September 1, 1998, David Rouse, review of Beyond the Horizons: The Lockheed Story, pp. 41-42.

Book Report, March-April, 1989, William J. Smith, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight for Young People, p. 39.

Book Watch, May, 1991, review of Weapons of Desert Storm, p. 8.

Business Week, December 12, 1988, review of Power behind the Wheel, p. 133.

Children's Book Review Service, January, 1989, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight for Young People, p. 56.

Choice, December, 1984, review of Vertical Flight, p. 577; November, 1987, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight, p. 499.

Finescale Modeler, May, 1995, review of Silver Wings: A History of the United States Air Force, p. 73.

Flying, October, 1986, review of The Wild Blue, p. 91; January, 1988, Richard L. Collins, reviews of The Smithsonian Book of Flight and Classics, p. 95.

Horn Book, March, 1989, Margaret A. Bush, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight for Young People, pp. 223-224.

Journal of Military History, July, 1994, review of Silver Wings, p. 568; April, 1995, Kenneth P. Werrell, review of Clash of Wings, pp. 357-358; October, 1995, review of Clash of Titans, p. 749; January, 2002, Timothy P. Mulligan, review of The Navy Times Book of Submarines, pp. 247-248.

Junior Bookshelf, December, 1989, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight for Young People, p. 289.

Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 1986, review of The Wild Blue, p. 1222; November 15, 1988, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight for Young People, p. 1671; April 1, 1989, review of Trophy for Eagles, p. 481; March 15, 1991, review of Eagles at War, p. 340; April 15, 1992, review of Air Force Eagles, p. 479; April 1, 1994, review of Clash of Wings, p. 448; April 15, 1995, review of Clash of Titans, p. 521; March 15, 1997, review of Beyond the Wild Blue, pp. 427-428; September 1, 1998, review of Beyond the Horizons, p. 1247; June 15, 2002, review of The Two O'Clock War, pp. 850-851.

Library Journal, February 15, 1983, review of The Aircraft Treasures of Silver Hill, p. 406; March 1, 1983, review of The Aircraft Treasures of Silver Hill, p. 450; September 1, 1984, review of Vertical Flight, p. 1682; October 15, 1986, Andrea Lee Shuey, review of The Wild Blue, p. 107; February 1, 1989, Jack F. Peretti, review of Power behind the Wheel, p. 80; March 1, 1989, Ellis Mount and Barbara A. List, review of Power behind the Wheel, p. 46; May 1, 1994, Mel D. Lane, review of Clash of Wings, pp. 119-120; May 15, 1995, Michael Coleman, review of Clash of Titans, p. 81; June 1, 1997, Mel D. Lane, review of Beyond the Wild Blue, p. 112; May 1, 1998, Stephen L. Hupp, review of Clash of Titans (audiobook), p. 158; October 1, 1998, Mel D. Lane, review of Beyond the Horizons, p. 106; February 15, 1999, review of Clash of Titans (audiobook), p. 127; March 15, 1999, Richard Drezen, review of Beyond the Horizons, p. 44; May 15, 2003, Joseph M. Eagan, review of Dawn over Kitty Hawk, p. 122.

Library Talk, May, 1989, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight for Young People, p. 28.

Los Angeles Magazine, December, 1986, Tom Link, review of The Leading Edge, p. 302.

Los Angeles Times, May 30, 1997, James P. Pinkerton, review of Beyond the Wild Blue, p. B7.

Los Angeles Times Book Review, May 21, 1989, review of Trophy for Eagles, p. 10.

Marine Corps Gazette, May, 1995, review of Clash of Wings, p. 82.

Military Review, March, 1995, review of Clash of Wings, p. 108.

Motor Trend, October, 1991, review of Power behind the Wheel, p. 26.

Naval War College Review, fall, 1995, review of Clash of Wings, p. 125; summer, 1998, review of Clash of Titans, p. 150.

Newsweek, February 18, 1991, review of Weapons of Desert Storm, p. 62.

New York Times Book Review, October 12, 1986, Richard Witkin, review of The Leading Edge, p. 29; November 23, 1986, Mason Buck, review of The Wild Blue, p. 24; August 27, 1989, Tom Ferrell, review of Trophy for Eagles, p. 16; November 23, 1997, Russell F. Weigley, review of Beyond the Wild Blue, p. 40.

Parameters: U.S. Army War College Quarterly, fall, 1995, review of Clash of Wings, p. 118.

Publishers Weekly, August 29, 1986, Sybil Steinberg, review of The Wild Blue, p. 385; September 19, 1986, Genevieve Stuttaford, review of The Leading Edge, p. 130; April 8, 1988, Penny Kaganoff, review of Last Flight, p. 87; September 2, 1988, Genevieve Stuttaford, review of Power behind the Wheel, p. 94; November 25, 1988, Genevieve Stuttaford and Kimberly Olson Fakih, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight for Young People, p. 66; May 5, 1989, Sybil Steinberg, review of Trophy for Eagles, p. 65; April 5, 1991, Sybil Steinberg, review of Eagles at War, p. 132; March 30, 1992, review of Air Force Eagles, p. 88; November 2, 1992, review of Art in Flight: The Sculpture of John Safer, p. 70; May 16, 1994, review of Clash of Wings, p. 59; April 17, 1995, review of Clash of Titans, pp. 43-44; July 8, 1996, review of Clash of Chariots: The Great Tank Battles, p. 70; April 28, 1997, review of Beyond the Wild Blue, pp. 65-66; November 10, 1997, review of The Navy Times Book of Submarines: A Political, Social, and Military History, p. 64; September 21, 1998, review of Beyond the Horizons, p. 68; April 5, 1999, review of Brassey's Air Combat Reader, p. 234; September 10, 2001, "Stars, Stripes, and Air Power," review of The Best of Wings Magazine, p. 85; July 1, 2002, review of The Two O'Clock War, p. 68.

Reading Teacher, May, 1989, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight for Young People, p. 730.

Reference & Research Book News, December, 1988, review of Power behind the Wheel, p. 30; February, 1998, review of Beyond the Wild Blue, p. 168; August, 1999, review of Brassey's Air Combat Reader, p. 179; August, 2001, review of Aces in Command, p. 256.

Road & Track, May, 1989, Jonathan Thompson, review of Power behind the Wheel, p. 105.

School Library Journal, February, 1987, Rita G. Keeler, review of The Leading Edge, p. 100; December, 1987, Trevelyn E. Jones, David Gale, and Lillian N. Gerhardt, review of The Leading Edge, pp. 39-40; January, 1989, Dennis Ford, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight for Young People, p. 96; October, 1991, Pat Royal, review of Eagles at War, p. 160.

Science Books & Films, May, 1987, review of The Leading Edge, p. 308; May, 1989, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight for Young People, p. 303; special edition, 1998, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight for Young People, p. 55.

SciTech Book News, December, 1986, review of The Leading Edge, p. 36; March, 2001, review of German Aircraft and Armament, p. 176; December, 2001, review of The Best of Wings Magazine, p. 175.

Social Education, April, 1989, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight for Young People, p. 235.

Technology and Culture, April, 1990, Charles K. Hyde, review of Power behind the Wheel, p. 314.

Tribune Books (Chicago, IL), December 4, 1988, review of Power behind the Wheel, p. 14; May 17, 1992, review of Air Force Eagles, p. 6; October 30, 1994, review of Clash of Wings, p. 6.

Voice of Youth Advocates, April, 1989, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight for Young People, p. 51.

Wall Street Journal (Eastern edition), June 1, 1995, John Lehman, review of Clash of Titans, p. A12.

Washingtonian, June, 1989, Howard Means, review of Trophy for Eagles, pp. 76-77.

Washington Post Book World, July 22, 1984, review of Vertical Flight, p. 12; October 5, 1986, review of The Wild Blue, p. 10; July 2, 1989, review of Trophy for Eagles, p. 4; December 6, 1989, review of The Smithsonian Book of Flight, p. 17; June 23, 1991, review of Eagles at War, p. 12; July 30, 1995, review of Clash of Titans, p. 13; January 17, 1999, review of Beyond the Horizons, p. 6.