Flying the Hump In Original World War II Color
By Jeff Ethell & Don Downie
Osprey Publishing, ©1995, 2004
ISBN 0-7603-1915-4
168 pages
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Well before the Berlin Airlift, the first major long-term airlift supply
effort in aviation history was born during World War II when the Japanese
captured the Burma Road, cutting off the supply lines between northern
India and China. This often overlooked theater, referred to as the CBI
(China, Burma, India), was suddenly in jeopardy as allied operations in
China would not be able to continue without food, ammunition, fuel and
other logistical essentials. Standing between northern India and China
were several hazards including Japanese fighters, the towering Himalaya
mountains and some of the worst flying weather in the world.
 Flying
the Hump was considered was considered more hazardous than flying a bomber
over Europe, with over 1,300 pilots and crew killed and over 500 transport
aircraft lost. Nevertheless the air bridge between India and China was
maintained and airlift would come into its own. With the lessons learned
in the CBI, future airlift operations like the Berlin Airlift were assured
a much greater probability of success.
The late Jeff Ethell and Don Downie have compiled an interesting insight
into the stories behind the history of CBI airlift operations. This book
is also full of beautiful photography that keeps in line with Jeff Ethell's
other historical military titles - all full-color photography.
This is a must-have for the aviation historian and the modeler alike.
Flying the Hump is an excellent read and fills that much-overlooked portion
of US military aviation history.
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