Book Review of
Travis Air Force Base
The USAF’s Transport Superbase in Action
Authors: Scott Cuong Trang & Nick Tran
Key Books
ISBN: 978-1-913295-79-0
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2022
MSRP: $24.95
ISBN: 978-1-913295-79-0
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2022
MSRP: $24.95
ABOUT:
Travis Air Force Base, situated in Fairfield, California, is the “Gateway to the Pacific”, handling more cargo and passengers than any other American military air terminal, and is the transportation hub for the West Coast. Flying the KC-10 Extender, C-47 Globemaster III, and the C-5 Galaxy, Travis can handle any airlift mission for the United States Air Force, and its airmen have distinguished themselves in military operations at home and around the world, including the recent humanitarian evacuation from Kabul.The logistical capabilities at Travis help maintain American military might by supplying people and parts to the right places at the right time.
THE BOOK:
Key books is based in the UK.
This book is of soft-cover with 96 pages in 6 ¾” x 9 ½” page format.
The front cover art shows a massive C-5 preparing to land at Travis, with all 28 tires ready to touch down on the runway. It is overall light-grey, with black U.S. Air Force on the sides of its nose, a black outline of a star with bars on its fuselage sides, an American flag over black AMC, over a white horizontal band with black Travis, over black serial no. 66158 on its rudder sides.
The rear cover art shows another C-5 in flight, with same color scheme.
With 149 color photos and some illustrations, most of which have never been published before, this book documents the aircraft, the technology, the airmen and the behind-the-scenes operations at Travis.
Aircraft photos are of:
The KC-10 AM Extender Tanker and a shot of its boom, interior, crewmen of a C-17A Globemaster III – including its interior, dashboard, black words on the side of the fuselage of 60th AMW over 349th AMW, and followed by a white circle with Travis Air Force Base in red with 75th anniversary 1943-2018 on it.
A KC-135, a C5M Super Galaxy with interior photo, engine and missile warning system shown.
Color illustrations of unit badges shown are for the:
The 60th Air Mobility Wing shield insignia of the 349th.
The round circle insignia with an American flag, eagle, yellow sword on it and “Lets Roll”.
The shield insignia for the 621st Contingency Response Wing.
The circular badge insignia for the Phoenix Raven Global Protection unit.
The circular badge insignia of the USAF Nondestructive Inspection Office, including shots of their electronics, exercise gear and robot.
The circular badge insignia for the 60th Security Force Squadron, “Strength and Service”.
Photos of 3 security men at the 621st, a hangar, construction man working on the 46A Pegasus hangar, inside and out photos of the control tower, 2 security men with guard dogs and sparing exercise treadmill, their cloak-room, a R-11 fuel truck, a R-12 pump truck, liquid oxygen tanks, the fuel yard and pumping station, the negatively pressurized connex and control unit, a patient room, seating in aircrafts, musicians at the officer’s club.
This book is quite a tour of Travis and shows pretty much all that is there. It will be of interest to modelers and aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Key Books and all Key titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Travis Air Force Base, situated in Fairfield, California, is the “Gateway to the Pacific”, handling more cargo and passengers than any other American military air terminal, and is the transportation hub for the West Coast. Flying the KC-10 Extender, C-47 Globemaster III, and the C-5 Galaxy, Travis can handle any airlift mission for the United States Air Force, and its airmen have distinguished themselves in military operations at home and around the world, including the recent humanitarian evacuation from Kabul.The logistical capabilities at Travis help maintain American military might by supplying people and parts to the right places at the right time.
THE BOOK:
Key books is based in the UK.
This book is of soft-cover with 96 pages in 6 ¾” x 9 ½” page format.
The front cover art shows a massive C-5 preparing to land at Travis, with all 28 tires ready to touch down on the runway. It is overall light-grey, with black U.S. Air Force on the sides of its nose, a black outline of a star with bars on its fuselage sides, an American flag over black AMC, over a white horizontal band with black Travis, over black serial no. 66158 on its rudder sides.
The rear cover art shows another C-5 in flight, with same color scheme.
With 149 color photos and some illustrations, most of which have never been published before, this book documents the aircraft, the technology, the airmen and the behind-the-scenes operations at Travis.
Aircraft photos are of:
The KC-10 AM Extender Tanker and a shot of its boom, interior, crewmen of a C-17A Globemaster III – including its interior, dashboard, black words on the side of the fuselage of 60th AMW over 349th AMW, and followed by a white circle with Travis Air Force Base in red with 75th anniversary 1943-2018 on it.
A KC-135, a C5M Super Galaxy with interior photo, engine and missile warning system shown.
Color illustrations of unit badges shown are for the:
The 60th Air Mobility Wing shield insignia of the 349th.
The round circle insignia with an American flag, eagle, yellow sword on it and “Lets Roll”.
The shield insignia for the 621st Contingency Response Wing.
The circular badge insignia for the Phoenix Raven Global Protection unit.
The circular badge insignia of the USAF Nondestructive Inspection Office, including shots of their electronics, exercise gear and robot.
The circular badge insignia for the 60th Security Force Squadron, “Strength and Service”.
Photos of 3 security men at the 621st, a hangar, construction man working on the 46A Pegasus hangar, inside and out photos of the control tower, 2 security men with guard dogs and sparing exercise treadmill, their cloak-room, a R-11 fuel truck, a R-12 pump truck, liquid oxygen tanks, the fuel yard and pumping station, the negatively pressurized connex and control unit, a patient room, seating in aircrafts, musicians at the officer’s club.
This book is quite a tour of Travis and shows pretty much all that is there. It will be of interest to modelers and aviation historians alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the N. American distributor of Key Books and all Key titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.