David Oliver (1) (1942–)
Author of Wings over water : a chronicle of the flying boats and amphibians of the twentieth century
For other authors named David Oliver, see the disambiguation page.
About the Author
David Oliver describes the development and production of the Harrier from the original Kestrel project, which was the only successful attempt at a vertical take-off and landing aircraft at the time. He follows the Harrier into service with the RAF and also covers the development of the Sea Harrier, show more with its special characteristics and its extraordinarily successful performance in the Falklands War where its unique engine made it an agile fighter. He also describes the use of the Harrier in other deployments such as Belize and Afghanistan, covers Anglo-US developments and examines the legacy of the Harrier in the shape of the F35B Lightning II multi-role fighter. show less
Series
Works by David Oliver
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Oliver, David
- Legal name
- Oliver, David Brian
- Birthdate
- 1942-04-25
- Gender
- male
Members
Reviews
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 20
- Members
- 225
- Popularity
- #99,815
- Rating
- 2.5
- Reviews
- 3
- ISBNs
- 94
- Languages
- 5
All of this makes Oliver's a book an enjoyable enough read, but it is also a frustrating one. While he describes the many ways in which these planes were employed, he never really provides a context for his information. What readers get is the what and the when, but not the why of flying boats and amphibians. Such a context might better explain some of the outsized fascination these planes have held for people, as well as how they were eventually superseded in many of their roles by other craft. Anyone interested in answers to these questions has to look elsewhere, as Oliver's book ultimately serves as little more than a visual introduction to these fascinating and functional creations.… (more)