Douglas (Images of America)

The book opens with an introduction to Donald Douglas, the founder of the company that bears his name. Chapter 1 covers military types through World War II, including aircraft designed by other companies but built at the Douglas factories, such as the Boeing B-17. Chapter 2 covers airliners and military transports from the DC-1 through the DC-9/C-9, including such limited-edition and one-off aircraft as the DC-1, DC-4E, and DC-5. Though several KLM aircraft are included, I was surprised that KLM's PH-AJU, second-place winner in the England-to-Australia race was not. Chapter 3 returns to the military, covering X-planes and Navy jets, and Chapter 4 covers McDonnell Douglas commercial and military aircraft, including the helicopters built by Hughes. Readers will be disappointed in the lack of coverage of McDonnell Douglas airliners; there is no mention of the MD-90, MD-95/Boeing 717-200 series or the final acquisition of that company by Boeing.