Smith B.D. Fire Bombers in Action

Minneapolis, MN: Motorbooks International, 1995. — 96 p.Fire bombers are aircraft that play a specific role: they carry water or chemical fire retardant to put out brush and forest fires. The low-level flights over hot and high terrain, along with the up- and down drafts place a huge load on the airframe. Only the sturdiest of aircraft are up to such demanding tasks. Yet, it is worth noting that most of these aircraft are vintage machines - World War II bombers, military cargo planes, and Douglas civil airliners, for the most part, as well as Navy aircraft built to withstand hard carrier landings that are, in reality, controlled crashes. Barry Smith went out to photograph these hardy birds; in addition, he has written an informative text, making this volume more than a pretty picture book.