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Original 1943 WWII U.S. Army Air Forces Pilot Training Class Book
Offered is an original copy of TORQUE – “The Book With a Twist,” Class 43-D, produced for the Army Air Forces pilot training program at Pecos Army Air Field, Pecos, Texas, in 1943.
This is an especially interesting example because it appears to have been the personal copy of Bill Barry, a member of the class. Barry is identified by name in one of the period photographs, and the book contains numerous original handwritten signatures, inscriptions, personal messages and post-training addresses from fellow cadets and personnel.
The book contains extensive period photography documenting the pilots, instructors, officers, aircraft and activities at Pecos during WWII. Individual cadet portraits include their names and hometowns.
The Army Air Forces Collection documents this exact Class 43-D edition as a 64-page 1943 advanced-pilot class book, edited by Glade Hill, and specifically records cadet hometowns and signatures among its features.
Highlights include:
* Original 1943 WWII Army Air Forces publication
* Pecos Army Air Field, Texas
* Advanced Pilot Class 43-D
* Numerous original wartime cadet signatures and inscriptions
* Personal messages and addresses written by classmates
* Identified original owner associated with the name
Condition: Vintage condition with expected age-related wear, discoloration/toning and cover wear. Interior remains quite attractive for an approximately 83-year-old training book. Numerous handwritten inscriptions are original period additions and are an important part of the book’s history. Please examine photographs carefully for exact condition.
A fascinating surviving record of the young American pilots training during World War II.
