Steve Birdsall Explained

Steve Birdsall (born 1944)^[1] of Sydney, Australia, is an aviation writer who has authored many articles and books since the 1960s. He has been published by Air Classics, Flying Review International, Airpower Historian, and the American Aviation Historical Society Journal. His wife is Sandra Birdsall.

Birdsall toured briefly in Vietnam during the Vietnam War, as a correspondent for an Australian magazine. He flew several airborne missions including one in the A-1 Skyraider, about which he later wrote an illustrated history.^[2]

It was Birdsall who tracked down and confirmed the existence of 91st Bomb Group combat veteran B-17G Shoo Shoo Baby in the late 1960s, sitting dormant at Creil Air Base, Creil, France.^{[3] [4]}

He should not be confused with American travel writer Stephen S. Birdsall.

Published books

• The A-1 Skyraider, (January 1970)^[5]
• Log of the Liberators: An Illustrated history of the B-24, (June 1973 hardcover)
• Hells Angels, Challenge Publishing Co.
• Flying Buccaneers: The Illustrated Story of Kenney's Fifth Air Force, (January 1977)
• B-17 Flying Fortress, TAB Books, (May 1979)
• B-24 in Action, (October 1979)
• Saga of the Superfortress: The Dramatic Story of the B-29 and the Twentieth Air Force, (October 1980 hardcover)
• Superfortress, the Boeing B-29 (Aircraft Specials series (6028)), (January 1984 paperback)
• B-26 Marauder in Action (Aircraft No. 50), (February 1982)
• B-17 Flying Fortress in Color (Fighting Colors series (6561)), (August 1986)
• B-24 Liberator (Famous Aircraft series), (February 1986 paperback)
• Claims to Fame: The B-17 Flying Fortress (with Roger A. Freeman), (October 1997 paperback); (March 1995 hardcover)
• Pride of Seattle: The Story of the first 300 B-17Fs (Aircraft Specials series (6074)), (June 1998 paperback)

Notes and References

1. http://www.pacificwrecks.com/people/authors/birdsall/ Interview with Steve Birdsall, January 2010
2. Pacific Wrecks interview
3. Burnett, Paul C., Editor, "From the Editor's Desk...", The Ragged Irregular, 91st Bombardment Group (H) Newsletter, Auburn, Alabama, April 1969, Volume 2, Number 3, page 9.
4. News: The Ragged Irregular . 7 July 2024 . 3 . April 1969.
5. Editors, "Airman's Bookshelf", Air Force and Space Digest, Air Force Association, Washington, D.C., January 1971, Volume 54, Number 1, page 24.