First Love

Even as a young boy Hank Koenig dreamed of piloting his own airplane.He first fell in love with flying when he and his mother watched a largegroup of barnstormers and airplanes flying above the airport of theirsmall Illinois town. Ever since that day he went to the airport wheneverpossible and began taking lessons soon after. <p>Koenig earned his pilot's license at the age of sixteen and landed a jobas a commercial pilot taking people for observation rides at the StarvedRock National Park. Soon he had enough to buy his own airplane andcontinued his flying ventures through high school and college. <p>But it was during the Korean War that Koenig had his chance to becomea true fighter pilot. Since he was disqualified for medical reasons toserve in the U.S. military he went to Canada and enlisted with the RoyalCanadian Air Force. He went to Korea in 1953 and flew mainly P51Mustangs and F86 jets. Koenig found himself in several dog fights andfaced death more than once. Following his stint in Korea Koenig cameback to the United States and continued his love of flying. <p>Honest and candid this heartfelt autobiography tells the story of oneman's love affair with flying.