Circumspect
ACCESS: Restricted
- Joined
- 2 March 2008
- Messages
- 23
- Reaction score
- 2
Mr Pelzig,
Needless to say sir, if ever such a book as your: "Italian Secret Projects" could actually materialize, you would be Johnathan Thompson's worthy 'successor' (at least here in the 'states') and he could be justly proud of you, and so should we! (I believe this renowned automotive author is recently deceased? and it's a pity I just could not opportune to see him in person, when I was in California many years ago.)
I mail-ordered his: "Italian Civil and Military Aircraft" (Aero Publishers, 1963) from Bill Dean's "Sky Books International" shop/NYC - as an 8th-grader! (in 1965 from an Air Progress magazine order-form). In my Boy Scouts troop, it became the oddest aviation book around, amid the Anglo-American-German aviation enthusiasts always found in a American Legion sponsored boys club like this. "Gees...I didn't think 'them' Italians were all that advanced!..." was the usual reaction of boys (and their WWII-Dads).
Johnathan W. Thompson's primary renown (as automotive writer), highlighted curious choices for his (once in a while) aviation interests, but his solid 'automotive' reputation lent credibility to aviation subjects - lesser writers would be insecure with. (Reminds me of Robert Frost's poem: "Two paths diverged in the woods, and I? I took the one least traveled; that made all the difference.") He seemed to have the right stuff: I still consult "Italian Civil and Military Aircraft" as still being up to date. But, even as a 13 yr-old (and forever awaiting AIRFIX to finally 'deliver' a 1/72 P.108 - so I can finally prove to my Troop the Italians could build 4-engined aeroplanes, too!), I vaguely anticipated books on Italian, Japanese, and Russian secret aircraft - the need for them, even as a junior highschool-er. And this anticipation continues even today!
Just as Mr Thompson would have found our high school lunch conversations - about cars! - bemusing; nonetheless, even at my age now (58), the same spirit that once led my fingers to always page over first to the "Detroit Report" and "International Report" within Motor Trend magazine (in our high school library)- is still the same that anticipates these books of yours, 40+years later! (However, there was nothing sophomoric about Mr Thompson's understanding of serious historical context, automotive writer or not. At every level, careful technical discrimination and perspectival maturity moulded his text.) His 1963 book already reckoned Giorgio Apostolo! - whose later contributions in finally bringing Italian aviation to Anglo-speaking aviation communities has become, unto our day, incalculable and unsurpassable. So, I anticipate your book on Italian secret projects as a further reckoning and continuation of the great work of both these giants. (I hope you add their names in the preface.)
Best wishes.
By the way, I recall at least two phone conversations with Rene Francillon, at his home, almost 10 years ago. Actually, Mr Francillon tried several times to interest Putnam Books to do a book on Italian aircraft and French aircraft, under his authorship, owing to extended professional contacts within both France and Italy. Rene's efforts came to no avail: he attributed this failing to the 'new' Putnam editorialship, having no corporate memory of his past excellent partnership with their vieille garde - to his great chagrin!
Needless to say sir, if ever such a book as your: "Italian Secret Projects" could actually materialize, you would be Johnathan Thompson's worthy 'successor' (at least here in the 'states') and he could be justly proud of you, and so should we! (I believe this renowned automotive author is recently deceased? and it's a pity I just could not opportune to see him in person, when I was in California many years ago.)
I mail-ordered his: "Italian Civil and Military Aircraft" (Aero Publishers, 1963) from Bill Dean's "Sky Books International" shop/NYC - as an 8th-grader! (in 1965 from an Air Progress magazine order-form). In my Boy Scouts troop, it became the oddest aviation book around, amid the Anglo-American-German aviation enthusiasts always found in a American Legion sponsored boys club like this. "Gees...I didn't think 'them' Italians were all that advanced!..." was the usual reaction of boys (and their WWII-Dads).
Johnathan W. Thompson's primary renown (as automotive writer), highlighted curious choices for his (once in a while) aviation interests, but his solid 'automotive' reputation lent credibility to aviation subjects - lesser writers would be insecure with. (Reminds me of Robert Frost's poem: "Two paths diverged in the woods, and I? I took the one least traveled; that made all the difference.") He seemed to have the right stuff: I still consult "Italian Civil and Military Aircraft" as still being up to date. But, even as a 13 yr-old (and forever awaiting AIRFIX to finally 'deliver' a 1/72 P.108 - so I can finally prove to my Troop the Italians could build 4-engined aeroplanes, too!), I vaguely anticipated books on Italian, Japanese, and Russian secret aircraft - the need for them, even as a junior highschool-er. And this anticipation continues even today!
Just as Mr Thompson would have found our high school lunch conversations - about cars! - bemusing; nonetheless, even at my age now (58), the same spirit that once led my fingers to always page over first to the "Detroit Report" and "International Report" within Motor Trend magazine (in our high school library)- is still the same that anticipates these books of yours, 40+years later! (However, there was nothing sophomoric about Mr Thompson's understanding of serious historical context, automotive writer or not. At every level, careful technical discrimination and perspectival maturity moulded his text.) His 1963 book already reckoned Giorgio Apostolo! - whose later contributions in finally bringing Italian aviation to Anglo-speaking aviation communities has become, unto our day, incalculable and unsurpassable. So, I anticipate your book on Italian secret projects as a further reckoning and continuation of the great work of both these giants. (I hope you add their names in the preface.)
Best wishes.
By the way, I recall at least two phone conversations with Rene Francillon, at his home, almost 10 years ago. Actually, Mr Francillon tried several times to interest Putnam Books to do a book on Italian aircraft and French aircraft, under his authorship, owing to extended professional contacts within both France and Italy. Rene's efforts came to no avail: he attributed this failing to the 'new' Putnam editorialship, having no corporate memory of his past excellent partnership with their vieille garde - to his great chagrin!
That is a big bummer.
