From Balloons to Drones

Join us as we look at what literary treasures await us in upcoming books in aerospace defense history. What are we excited about, what have we been reading? What have you been reading, and what are you excited for? Let us know! Also covered: Star Wars, Antz vs. A Bug's Life

We look back at 50 episodes of the "From Balloons to Drones" podcast, revisit our favorites, and look at where we're heading in the future!

For every military aircraft that takes to the skies, there are so many others that never got off the drawing board, or never made it into full production. Renowned and prolific aviation historian Kenneth P. Werrell talks us through his new book, Air Force Disappointments, Mistakes, and Failures, to talk about some of these projects and why some airplanes never seem to take off.

The Pacific Theater of WW2 was massive, not only in size, but in the huge numbers of ships and airplanes. Keeping a force like that operational and effective takes a huge amount of work behind the scenes. In this episode, Navy Commander Stan Fisher takes us through his new book, Sustaining the Carrier War, to show the often overlooked people behind the scenes: the mechanics and maintainers who kept the planes working and kept the carriers able to keep air power in the air in the war against Japan.

Today we put our own co-host Brian Laslie, in the hot seat to talk about his newest book: Fighting from Above: A Combat History of the US Air Force, from University of Oklahoma Press. He discusses the earliest days of American air power up through the present and looking into the future.

During World War II, men were not the only ones flying military airplanes. Many women flew all kinds of aircraft in a variety of roles, many of them members of the Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). Their story doesn't end with the war either, as they fought for recognition as veterans throughout the 1960s and 70s. We're joined by Dr. Sarah Myers to talk all about the unique roles these women played in the war and beyond, and what their legacy is today.

We're so excited to be joined by veteran astronaut Tom Jones to talk about the history of the U.S. Space Shuttle Program. Having flown in space on four shuttle missions, Jones shares not only his own perspective, but reflects on the entirety of the shuttle program based on the interviews and research that informed his new book: Space Shuttle Stories: Firsthand Astronaut Accounts from All 135 Missions, from Smithsonian Books.

Dr. Luke Truxal is author of the new book, Uniting Against the Reich: The American Air War in Europe, from University Press of Kentucky. In it, he traces how the structure of command over air forces in World War II created a mess of problems. Only late in 1943 and into 1944 did these command structures change, enabling air power to become more effective. Truxal takes us into the dramatic relationships between leaders like Dwight Eisenhower, Carl Spaatz, and more, showing why, in positions of leadership, personality matters.

This year (2023) is the 30th anniversary of the announcement of the first American women combat fighter pilots. How did the U.S. go from women not being allowed in military airplanes to having women combat pilots? Eileen Bjorkman (Col., USAF, ret.) joins us to talk about these momentous changes. She is a former flight test engineer who has flown in aircraft like the F-4 Phantom and the F-16 Fighting Falcon, and she is author of: Fly Girls Revolt: The Story of the Women who Kicked Open the Door to Fly in Combat, from Knox Press.

The American spaceflight program is a popular, inspirational story that many of us are familiar with, but what about the Soviet Union's space program? To explore it, we're joined by Dr. Cathleen Lewis, curator of international space programs and spacesuits at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, and author of Cosmonaut: A Cultural History, from University of Florida Press. She tells us not only about how the Soviet space program worked, but about it's cultural effect on the people of the Soviet Union, and how it has been remembered since then. We do apologize for an audio problem with one of our microphones that we were not aware of until editing, when it was too late to fix.

Former F-4 Phantom pilot Lee Ellis was a prisoner of war in the "Hanoi Hilton" in Vietnam for over five years. But in the time since, he noticed that he and many other POWs had gone on to experience dramatic love lives. Ellis joins us to talk about his new book: Captured By Love: Inspiring True Romance Stories from Vietnam POWs.

For this episode, Mike and Brian have each come up with questions to ask each other about what it's like to be a historian, and pick on some of their favorite topics about aviation history.

Colonel Kim 'Killer Chick' Campbell was an A-10 Thunderbolt II 'Warthog' pilot with over 100 combat missions. On one of her early missions, her plane was heavily damaged by ground fire. She tells us the harrowing story, and how her flying experiences apply to other areas of life. For more detail, she has a new book: Flying in the Face of Fear: A Fighter Pilot's Lessons on Leading with Courage, from Wiley Press.

In 1972, the USS Kitty Hawk was in the middle of conducting bombing raids against North Vietnam, when violence broke out on the ship itself. Long-building racial tensions exploded into a series of assaults that were quickly labeled a race riot. Marv Truhe was one of the JAG lawyers assigned to defend the African American sailors charged in the incident. He tells the story of a series of racial injustices in his shocking new book, Against All Tides: The Untold Story of the USS Kitty Hawk Race Riot. He joins us on the podcast to discuss the incident and the legacy it leaves for changes in race relations in the Navy and the US military.

Amidst the news of classified intelligence leaks, it's a great time to look back at the US Air Force Security Service - the USAF's own intelligence agency that gathered critical intelligence throughout the Cold War. From using surveillance aircraft to spy on potential threats to helping fighter pilots shoot down MiGs over the skies of Vietnam, Philip Shackelford takes us through the story of this mysterious organization, as he details in his new book: 'Rise of the Mavericks,' from Naval Institute Press.

This episode is all about the F-14 and F-15 fighters, two very popular and historically significant airplanes. We're joined by Tal Tovy, senior lecturer at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, and author of 'Tomcats and Eagles: The Development of the F-14 and F-15 in the Cold War' from Naval Institute Press. Tovy gives us an up close look at the motivation behind designing these aircraft, and speaks to how to Israeli Air Force experience had a special influence.

50 years ago this month (January) was the signing of the Paris Peace Accords, which ended major U.S. combat operations in the Vietnam War. To look back on the air campaigns that were so crucial to that war, we talk with Michael Weaver, professor at the U.S. Air Force's Air Command and Staff College and author of 'The Air War in Vietnam' from Texas Tech University Press. Join as we look at the use of air power in Southeast Asia and talk about some of the legacies it leaves behind. Weaver's comments are his alone and do not reflect the policies of Air University, the Air Force, or the Department of Defense.

Join us for a retrospective on our favorite books of the year, with the 'From Balloons to Drones' editor-in-chief, Dr Ross Mahoney! Each of us discusses our top three reads of 2022, and we take a look forward at some topics we'd really like to hear more about in the future. The books: 'Malayan Emergency and Indonesian Confrontation, 1950-1966' by Mark Lax 'Air Power in the Falklands Conflict: An Operational Level Insight into Air Warfare in the South Atlantic' by John Shields 'Air Power Supremo: A Biography of Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir John Slessor' by William Pyke 'Black Snow: Curtis LeMay, the Firebombing of Tokyo, and the Road to the Atomic Bomb' by James Scott 'A Long Voyage to the Moon: The Life of Naval Aviator and Apollo 17 Astronaut Ron Evans' by Geoffrey Bowman 'Dark Horse: General Larry O. Spencer and His Journey from the Horseshoe to the Pentagon' by Gen. Larry O. Spencer, USAF (Ret.) 'Wings of Gold: The Story of the First Women Naval Aviators' by Beverly Weintraub 'Tomcats and Eagles: The Development of the F-14 and F-15 in the Cold War' by Tal Tovy 'Because Our Fathers Lied: A Memoir of Truth and Family, from Vietnam to Today' by Craig McNamara

How did the U.S. get from the first flight of an airplane in 1903, to full-fledged military-capable airplanes in only short few years? Dr. Larry Burke, the aviation curator at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, takes us through the people that made that journey happen. He explores the different approaches to the airplane made by the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marines Corps, and why each of them went about exploring military aviation in a unique way. Larry is also the author of At the Dawn of Airpower: The U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps' Approach to the Airplane, 1907–1917, from Naval Institute Press.

The threat of nuclear war seems to be rising once again as tension among global powers increases. With that in mind, we turn back to look at what the nuclear wars plans of the U.S. were during the early Cold War, and what a nuclear war might have looked like, and how it would have potentially been waged. We're joined by Sean Maloney, professor of history at the Royal Military College of Canada, author of Emergency War Plan: The American Doomsday Machine, 1945–1960, from Potomac Press.

We are joined by General Larry O. Spencer, former Vice Chief of Staff of the U. S. Air Force. He recounts his journey from being raised in Southeast Washington, D. C. to enlisting the U. S. Air Force, and eventually rising through the ranks to become one of only nine African Americans to wear four stars. In an organization that tends to favor pilots and aircrews, General Spencer's background as a support officer brings a different lens through which to look at the USAF and the use of airpower.

In the post-World War II years, the U.S. shifted its strategy to one focused on air power and delivery of nuclear weapons--but why and how did this happen? John Curatola, the Military Historian for the Center for War and Democracy at the National World War II Museum, takes us through the fierce rivalry between the U.S. Air Force and Navy, the scandalous "Revolt of the Admirals," and the development of thermonuclear weapons. For more, see his new book: Autumn of Our Discontent: Fall 1949 and the Crises in American National Security, from Naval Institute Press.

We're joined by F-15 pilot and MiG-killer Rick Tollini. He tells us all about the harrowing missions flown in the opening of the 1991 Gulf War. For more, check out his recent book: Call-Sign Kluso, from Casemate Press.

After WW2, women were not allowed to fly in military aviation roles, until things changed in the 1970s. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Beverly Weintraub tells up about the story of six women Naval aviators from her book: Wings of Gold: he Story of the First Women Naval Aviators from Lyons Press

Fred Haise was on Apollo 13, flew the space shuttle Enterprise, and had an extensive military aviation career. In this episode he joins us for a deep dive into all of those experiences and reveals how he is able to keep calm in tough situations and not panic. That's the subject of his new book, 'Never Panic Early: An Apollo 13 Astronaut's Journey,' from Smithsonian Books.

The Apollo program, including the moon landing, is one of the most famous events in world history, and one of the most inspirational. Dr. Teasel Muir-Harmony, curator of the Apollo collection at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, joins us to re-evaluate Apollo and look at its political dimensions across the world. She is the author of Operation Moonglow: A Political History of Project Apollo, from Basic Books.

Colonel Merryl Tengesdal flew helicopters in the US Navy before transferring to the US Air Force to become the first (and so far, only) African American woman to fly the U-2. She tells us the fascinating story of her career, what it's like to fly an aircraft on the edge of space, and drops some inspirational advice along the way.

During WW2, many allied air crews were shot down in Europe. Some escaped, some were captured, but many others became victims of Lynchjustiz (lynch justice). These lynchings were committed not just by Nazi officials, but civilians as well, as Nazi propaganda emphasized the air war. Author Dr. Kevin T. Hall joins us for a look at this difficult topic.

Our own co-host Michael Hankins goes into the hot seat to talk about his new book, Flying Camelot: The F-15, the F-16, and the Weaponization of Fighter Pilot Nostalgia, from Cornell University Press. We look at the development process of the Eagle and the Fighting Falcon, talk about the elements of fighter pilot culture, and the ever-controversial Col. John Boyd.

The interwar period between World War I and II was a very important time for the development of air power, and this was especially true in Australia and New Zealand. Alex Spencer, curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, joins us to talk about these developments, which he discusses in his new book: British Imperial Air Power: The Royal Air Forces and the Defense of Australia and New Zealand Between the World Wars.

Drones have become increasingly key to contemporary warfare, even iconic. But are they really as revolutionary as they appear? Dr. Michael Boyle joins us to discuss his recent book, The Drone Age: How Drone Technology Will Change War and Peace. He examines the drone phenomenon as it has currently affected global conflict, and how drones might shape the future.

The War in Syria featured heavy reliance on air power, not just by the US and its allies, but by the Russian Air Force as well. In this exciting episode, Dr. Aaron Stein discusses his new book, The US War Against ISIS, which details how air power played a key role in the conflict against terrorist groups in Syria. He also reveals the fascinating and almost unbelievable engagements between US and Russian aircraft in this complex conflict.

During World War II, the Civil Air Patrol conducted anti-submarine operations, including giving civilian volunteer pilots the authority to drop bombs on enemy targets. To tell us about the role CAP played in the war, we're joined by Dr. Frank A. Blazich, curator of modern military history at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and author of “An Honorable Place in American Air Power”: Civil Air Patrol Coastal Patrol Operations, 1942–1943 from Air University Press. The book is available for free here: https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/AUPress/Display/Article/2440096/an-honorable-place-in-american-air-power-civil-air-patrol-coastal-patrol-operat/

Next year is the 50th anniversary of the Linebacker campaigns--the last major bombing campaigns of the Vietnam War. To evaluate the legacy of air power's contribution to that war, Brian Laslie discusses his new book, Air Power's Lost Cause: The American Air Wars of Vietnam.

In World War II, American airmen flew key missions in the China, Burma, India theater. A vastly higher percentage of them were able to survive and return home after being shot down, compared to other theaters. To examine why, and reveal the exciting stories of these airmen and the various people who helped them on the ground, we are joined by Daniel Jackson, author of Fallen Tigers: The Fate of America's Missing Airmen in China During World War II. You can also see more of his work, including a database of downed air crews, oral histories, and more, at: http://www.forgottensquadron.com/

John Glenn captured the hearts and imagination of many Americans as the first US astronaut to orbit the earth, and he had extensive combat experience as a pilot before that. Prolific and celebrated author Jeff Shesol joins us to talk about Glenn, not just about his place in the history of the Cold War, but in deeply personal terms. He explores all this in his new book: 'Mercury Rising John Glenn, John Kennedy, and the New Battleground of the Cold War.'

The recent book 'The Bomber Mafia' (by Malcom Gladwell) has generated a lot of interest in the topic of strategic bombing in World War II. On this episode, three of the editors at From Balloons to Drones, Mike Hankins, Brian Laslie, and Luke Truxal, go beyond the book to talk about various issues related to bombing in WW2.

Before and during the Vietnam War, some of the most popular magazines among those who served were pulp fiction men's adventure magazines. Greg Daddis (former US Army Colonel and professor of military history at San Diego State University) is with us to unpack the relationship between fiction and reality, how we talk about wars and choose to remember them, and how constructions of gender really matter. It's the subject of his new book, Pulp Vietnam: War and Gender in Cold War Men's Adventure Magazines, from Cambridge University Press.

Lt. Gen. David Deptula (USAF, retired) was the principal attack planner for the Desert Storm coalition air campaign in 1991. Today, 30 years after the Gulf War, he joins us for a talk about that air campaign - planning it, executing it, and evaluating it.

Rebecca Siegel, author of 'To Fly Among the Stars: The Hidden Story of the Flight for Women Astronauts,' joins us for a chat about the Mercury Program and the 13 women who went through astronaut training, but were not allowed to become astronauts. She also tells us about the process of how to make these complex, nuanced histories accessible to a younger audience.

What happens when one country steals another's airplane? Not just to fly it, but to mass produce it? Dr. Robert M. Farley joins us for a discussion of how intellectual property dominates the world of military aircraft technology. From the Wright Brothers, to the Soviet version of the B-29, to the F-35, air power is all about IP law.

Eileen Bjorkman is a retired USAF Colonel and flight test engineer with over 700 hours in the cockpits of F-4s, F-16s, C-130s, and C-141s. She's also the author of 'Unforgotten in the Gulf of Tonkin: A Story of the U.S. Military's Commitment to Leave No One Behind.' She joins us to talk about combat search and rescue operations in the Vietnam War and the harrowing story of F-8 pilot Willie Sharp.

The Gallipoli Campaign during World War I is not usually connected with the pioneering use of air power, but should it be? We talk to Sterling Michael Pavelec about his new book that talks about the important role air power played at Gallipoli.

Katherine Sharp Landdeck is here to tell us all about the WASPs, the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II. She's the author of 'The Women with Silver Wings: The Inspiring True Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II.' She goes beyond some of the familiar figures like Jackie Cochran and Nancy Love to tell us about other, lesser-known women in the program. And of course, we will talk about Walt Disney, because Brian will find a way!

We're joined by Dr. Peter Westwick, director of the Huntington-USC Aerospace History Project and author of Stealth: The Secret Contest to Invent Invisible Aircraft! We'll talk about the design process of stealth planes like the F-117 and B-2 at Lockheed and Northrop and answer the tough questions, like why did stealth research seem to be focused in California? What role did Russian research play in stealth development? And of course, how is Disney connected to all this?

Hosts Mike Hankins and Brian Laslie are joined by Tyler Morton to discuss his new book, 'From Kites to Cold War: The Evolution of Manned Airborne Reconnaissance.' Not only do we get some incredible stories about aerial surveillance (especially from the WW2-era), but we have a blast talking about our biggest "nerd moments" from the archives, and why that type of work is so powerful and exciting!

To kick off the 75th anniversary year of the end of World War II, we are joined by Stephen Bourque, author of Beyond the Beach, to talk about the allied bombing of occupied France. Through a detailed look at local French sources, combined with official US sources, Bourque provides as thorough--and possibly controversial--assessment of Eisenhower's use of air power.

Today we talk to Dr. Roger Launius, former NASA historian, about the history, legacy, and memory of the Apollo program and the moon landing, at the 50th anniversary of Armstrong's famous steps for all mankind. Looking back after all this time, what does the Apollo program really mean for us today?

Today we're joined by Valerie Insinna, the air warfare reporter for Defense news. She tells us all about the world of defense journalism and reporting, focusing on the realm of aircraft and military air power technology. Of course we can't help but also indulge in some nerdy fandom.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr Mel Deaile, former B-52 and B-2 pilot and Associate Professor at USAF Air University for a talk about his book: 'Always at War: Organizational Culture in Strategic Air Command, 1946-62.' We discuss the early days of SAC and it's culture, as well as the controversies surrounding General Curtis LeMay.

On the first episode of the 'From Balloons to Drones' podcast, we talk to Dr Timothy Schultz, former U-2 pilot, current Associate Dean of Academics for Electives and Research at the Naval War College, and author of 'The Problem with Pilots: How Physicians, Engineers, and Airpower Enthusiasts Redefined Flight' from Johns Hopkins University Press. He takes us on a journey through how military aviation technology evolved in the early years of flight in order to respond to the limits of the human body.