Former Topgun Instructor Takes Readers On The Ride Of A Lifetime
(This press release may be reprinted in part or entirety by any print or broadcast media outlet, or used by any means of social media sharing)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dave Baranek knows exactly what it means to “ride into the danger zone.” In his new release, Tomcat RIO, he plants readers firmly in the cockpit of the legendary F-14 Tomcat fighter, blazing along at twice the speed of sound seven miles above the ocean and the carrier that hurled it off its deck.
Tomcat RIO is a superbly crafted book that pulls readers into the exciting world of the F-14 and Navy carrier operations. Readers can ride along as Baranek expertly shares all the stomach-dropping thrills of dogfighting and the pulse-pounding tension of patrolling the skies over Iraq with the ability to launch a 100-mile Phoenix missile at the touch of a button.
An expert in fighter tactics and aircraft carrier operations, Baranek (whose call sign is “Bio”) ascended to the command of an F-14 fighter squadron of more than 300 people, and he shares the challenges and unexpected trials that come with leading a squadron in the dynamic environment of Naval Aviation.
Full of adventures, lessons and inspiration, Tomcat RIO also includes dozens of Bio’s best and most acclaimed photos, including one that’s been hailed by photographer George Hall as “one of the best Tomcat photos ever taken.”
Bio immerses readers in rich detail, where they can practically smell the jet exhaust and feel the gut-wrenching g-forces. Tomcat RIO pitches readers into the thick of it as only Bio can tell it. Strap in, and get ready for a wild ride!
Dave “Bio” Baranek is also the author of Topgun Days and Before Topgun Days. He enjoyed a successful and satisfying 20-year career in the United States Navy, starting with assignments to F-14 Tomcat squadrons and the elite Topgun training program as an instructor, and on to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the US 7th Fleet. Baranek retired from the Navy in 1999 and is now a defense contractor. He is married and lives in Satellite Beach, Florida.
Tomcat RIO Publisher: Skyhorse Release Date: September 2020 (est.) ISBN-10: 1510748229 ISBN-13: 978-1510748224 Available online from Amazon, Simon & Schuster, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million and others
Trish Stevens Brian Johnson Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone 800.854.2207 Fax
(This press release may be reprinted in part or entirety) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hump Pilot: Courage And Sacrifice High Above The Himalayas Helped The Allies To Victory In WWII
Vienna, VA – In a high-flying narrative flashing between the life of American pilot Ned Thomas and events of World War II, Nedda Thomas recreates her father’s most dangerous missions. Lethal and capricious weather conditions, radio silence and the uncharted terrain of the “roof of the world” meant the pilots put their lives at risk every time they took off. In Hump Pilot (The History Publishing Company), author Nedda Thomas pays homage to the pilots who made it possible for the U.S. to reach victory in the Pacific, interweaving the story of the dashing young pilot who also won the heart of the woman destined to become his wife, the romance that brought her into existence.
Pilots of the Hump, as they called this critical air-supply route over the Himalayas, faced the most hazardous flying and highest fatality rates of any air-war mission in World War II. The airlift was the largest the world has ever known, setting the bar for all others to come, including Berlin and Korea.
Calm, genuine, young and courageous, Ned brings a human dimension to the story of the Hump. The forbidding Himalayas, Sanskrit for House of Snow, tell their own tale of beauty, danger, and military significance. American climber Clayton Kuhles’ recent expeditions into the Himalayas to recover the remains of downed Hump aircraft have helped gain for these lost pilots a new and passionate public.
“The Hump is a larger-than-life epic that deserves to be told,” Thomas says. “And how better than through the eyes of a man who experienced it, my father, Ned Thomas, who brought me up to speed on aircraft and flying in the Pacific Theater.” It is a story of courage and historical significance, told through the life of a brave man who takes our hearts into the sky.
Nedda Thomas is a poet and has worked as magazine editor and published a number of articles about creative and interesting historical figures. Growing up in a military/diplomatic family and living in the U.S., France, and the Far East, all expanded the author’s world view. She holds a master’s degree in human development, and also attended seminary. Family memories help nurture her passion for history; she speaks French and English and lectures on several different topics.
For more information, please visit http://www.HumpPilot.com
Hump Pilot The History Publishing Company Available in fine bookstores and online everywhere $18.95 ISBN 978-1940773094
