Dead Downwind: Ten Harrowing Days That Changed Aviation History

Dead Downwind: Ten Harrowing Days That Changed Aviation History by Riddle, Bill. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780615216942.

In 1924 . three years before Charles Lindbergh makes his historic flight over the Atlantic - post WWI America is convinced she can do anything she puts her mind to. In the midst of the RoaringTwenties however, the boisterous nations capitol is rocked by political infighting for the control of military aviation. The brash young army general Billy Mitchell is attempting to wrest air power away from both the army and navy to create an independent air force under his own command. To counter this move, the brilliant navy Rear Admiral William Moffett has challenged Hawaii-based Commander John Rodgers with a deathdefying mission; one designed to sway the politicians and the public alike, to the navys side. If Rodgers accepts, he will command three planes in a seemingly impossible mission; the first non-stop flight from San Francisco to Honolulu. This bold gamble could make or break the navys bid for control of its own air power and unbeknownst to Rodgers, Moffett has lined up a second publicity-grabbing stunt involving the worlds largest dirigible. In this gripping historic novel, follow John Rodgers spellbinding story to its riveting conclusion as political intrigue, inter-service rivalries, engineering challenges and personal hurdles all conspire to doom the mission. Then, an anxious public is forced to hold its collective breath when one of the planes is forced down in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean and matters are made worse as the navy dirigible experiences serious trouble of her own. The dramatic aftermath will change the course of aviation history.