When I first got this CD from Chris, I was really wondering just what it was all about. First thing you need is a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be found free at the Adobe website. The CD is self starting and opens a window in your computer. Once the Acrobat program is installed on your hard drive, you simply click on the program and off you go. Each disc is password protected. The CD comes in a plain black case and there is no artwork on the case or CD. Nothing fancy to drive up the price.

What Chris has done is to provide several very interesting sections. First is, as the title says, a chronological history of the USAF from inception until 2002. If you want to know when AFCS became ACCS or when the last F-100 was taken out of active service, then it is all there. The second section is a listing of references to all USAF aircraft types and it is broken down by mission. You'll find the F-4 under fighters and the B-50 under bombers. This section has a rather extensive listing of book and magazine articles on the aircraft in question. If you are researching an particular aircraft, this portion alone makes it well worth the cost of the CD.

In addition to the above, there are a number of photographs of the various types. Many were taken by the author at the USAF Museum at at local air shows. They include a number of close-ups that will be of use to modelers. While the quality of the pictures isn't always the greatest, they are still quite usable and the effort is appreciated. The final section of the CD is one that I found the most interesting because it was something about which I knew the least. This part has a history of the various US nuclear missile systems; including air launched and sea launched platforms. A really fascinating subject that could well have been a book on its own. Naturally a very large biographical section is provided for those who wish to do their own research.

It is not very often that one comes upon a really great deal and this is one of them. It is most highly recommended.

Review book courtesy of Chris Reed at http://www.nauticom.net/www/cmr707/usafbook.html  , where you can order your copy

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