Waterton, William A. Testpilot in Turbulenzen. Erfolge, Probleme, Zwischenfälle. Testpilot in England von 1945 bis 1955

First published in England in 1956 and reprinted in 2012, a German translation of "The Quick and the Dead" is now available here for the first time. The account of the experiences of one of the best-known British test pilots of the post-war period has lost none of its relevance and importance since then. The book is an unsparing expose of conditions in the British aviation industry and associated organisations in the years around 1950.

Written from the point of view of pilot William Arthur Waterton with great candour and honesty, which eventually cost the author his job as aviation correspondent for the Daily Express. Written at the beginning of the jet aircraft era, Waterton describes in detail the development of the Gloster "Meteor" and the "Javelin". The book also provides interesting and vivid insights into the political conditions and management style in the industry at the time. Clearly he addresses the resistance of officials and designers in fixing known mistakes during aircraft development. Mistakes that cost several lives. In the end, one should always remember that it is people who design aircraft, manage projects and ultimately make things work. This fact is more than clearly described in Waterton's very insightful and fascinating book.