Book Review By, Carl Chance, WingsOverKansas.com
Aviation history aficionados owe a debt of gratitude to Walter J. Boyne for being the prolific aviation writer that he is. His credentials as former Director of the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum and the Founder of Air & Space Smithsonian magazine most assuredly set the stage for his development as an aviation historian and author.
Walter’s direction in writing The Influence of Air Power upon History was to look into the development of air-power philosophy over its history by examining the theory and practice of air power as demonstrated not only in war, but also in politics, diplomacy, technology, and mass culture. Walter has recounted the history of air power on a selective basis, choosing as examples historic events that demonstrate the influence of air power