Introduction by Richard Vandervord

Unsurprisingly when I first glimpsed Steve’s latest completed master work, it was immediately apparent that is was well up to the standard of the five volumes that have gone before it. Perhaps I’m a little biased as not only do these books target the era of military aviation which I find most rewarding, but I am a stickler for top quality photos and moreover the way that slide scans are processed. Ok, the Kodachromes that Steve has sourced over all these years are second to none in quality to start with, but he has an uncanny knack of producing the most glorious scans from them - being well into such work myself, I can only guess at the hours of processing involved.

Anyway, when a friend asked what I thought of the preview, the first expression that came to mind was obscenely wonderful. I know of few if any other publications which can rival the Good Old Days series for sheer visual punch, backed by succinct but relevant and useful information presented in an attractive format. As if all those 50mm ramp shots of F-4s, F-8s and other glorious old VF- squadron types in the most tremendous schemes ever applied to military aircraft were not enough, Steve has included US Navy Test and Evaluation Centers and USN in Europe which take the colour a step further with such delights as A-3s, C-121s, P-2s and many other types in all manner of extravagent marks, not to mention those lovely piston transports that served the NAFs.

Cannot recommended highly enough, at any price. Steve generously provides a full preview on Blurb so it is not difficult to see what I am enthusing about.