The Dive Bomber

Written by L. Ron Hubbard

Narrated by Kristin Proctor, Josh R. Thompson, Jim Meskimen and Max Williams

Lucky Martin is a daredevil of the skies—a test pilot who lives to break the rules and push the envelope. Sound like a perfect role for Errol Flynn? It did to Hollywood, as Flynn was cast in the movie of the same name. Lucky’s a trailblazer—flying higher and faster than any pilot out there. His latest invention could change the face of air warfare and alter the balance of world power. It’s The Dive Bomber—a perfectly designed aircraft for the U.S. Navy. There’s only one problem—up to now every test flight has ended in disaster. The reason: sabotage. America’s enemies will go to any length to get their hands on his design—from savage attacks to kidnapping his fiancé. Lucky will have to push his luck to the very limit to save his plane, save his girl . . . and save his country. As a barnstorming pilot in the early days of aviation, Hubbard was dubbed “Flash” Hubbard by the aviation magazines of the day. Expanding his knowledge even more, he visited Boeing in Seattle where the president and chief engineer gave him an inside look at their test pilot program. His unique and pioneering insight of flight streaks across the page in novels like The Dive Bomber. Fasten your seat-belt and hold on to your crash helmet as the audio version of The Dive Bomber takes you on the high-flying ride of your life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Galaxy Press
• Release date: Mar 21, 2013
• ISBN: 9781592124428

L. Ron Hubbard

With 19 New York Times bestsellers and more than 350 million copies of his works in circulation, L. Ron Hubbard is among the most enduring and widely read authors of our time. As a leading light of American Pulp Fiction through the 1930s and '40s, he is further among the most influential authors of the modern age. Indeed, from Ray Bradbury to Stephen King, there is scarcely a master of imaginative tales who has not paid tribute to L. Ron Hubbard. Then too, of course, there is all L. Ron Hubbard represents as the Founder of Dianetics and Scientology and thus the only major religion born in the 20th century.

Reviews for The Dive Bomber

[strogan_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Received from Member Giveaways.I had heard a bit here and there about L. Ron Hubbard over the years, but ahd not read (or listened to) any of his works.Quite honestly, I was not expecting much.Reading the promotional materials that came included with the CDs, I came away with the feeling that the copywriter tried to, well, oversell the author. While I don't disagree with the sentiments, I am one of those "less is more" kind of people in this regard.Listening to the audiofiles, the story fits into what I know of the genre, if a little bit overdramatic for my tastes.While it certainly kept me listening, if only to find out how it ended, The Dive Bomber is better suited for different tastes than mine.

[jmourgos · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Story about a struggling airline that could make it big by selling an aircraft design to a slimy fella who may be a part of an enemy government. Lucky knows that his design works and that it will create the fastest bombers in the business.

But people keep dying and he nearly does (!) when he tries his design out. The wings fold up and there's quite an explosion on the fields!

Bad luck gets worse when the military bows out of financing this boondoggle. Could it be someone is tampering with his plane to make him look bad? And what of the girl who now has taken over the business? Will she falter and tell Lucky to take the money and run? Five million is nothing to sneeze at, especially in 1940!

Interesting pulp tale, written before Pearl Harbor (1941); I thought the mix of airplane master designer, some corny love tale, and sprinkled with some espionage makes for a tasty pulpy dish.

Check it out.

[nathanaels_19 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I do not recommend this book, because philosophy is always woven into a writers works, and this author's philosophy is strange. This is good production for an audio book, but it is the content that I dislike from a philosophical perspective.

[chris177 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is one of L. Ron Hubbard’s “stories from the golden age” of fiction. The story was originally published in 1937 in a pulp monthly. Now this short story is told on two CDs by a cast of talented actors, musicians and sound effects technicians. I found the story of the Dive Bomber to be interesting and the performance well worth the time. I am looking forward to listening to more of these performances. The two CD set comes with an attractive 38 page booklet on the history of L. Ron Hubbard and his role in pulp fiction.

[mnorris3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received this as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program.Despite my misgivings about L.Ron Hubbard and Scientology, I love his pulp fiction.This story is fast paced and had enough twists and turns to keep you turning the page.

[dokfintong · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have received several of these Hubbard audio books from librarything.com. The Dive Bomber tells the tale of "Lucky" Martin and the development of a new plane for the US Navy pre-World War Two. The story and performances are terrific. The sounds effects, as in all of the stories in this series, are wonderful.The story begins with Tom O'Neal, owner of O'Neal Motors, arguing with his daughter Dixie, demanding to test pilot the new dive bomber himself. The plane is strong enough, he argues, and at 48 he is not too old (How times have changed!) and he will not let Lucky Martin, Dixie's fiancé and the company's regular test pilot take the glory. A short time later, though, Tom dies in a fiery crash when the plane's wings rip away and he is trapped inside the cockpit. In the weeks following the disaster, the Navy tells Dixie and Lucky that the plane has not been certified for military use and that the new wing design is best for sports planes. Without the anticipated military contract, O'Neal Motors is bankrupt. Lucky takes some test pilot assignments and Dixie mortgages her house, and the company builds a second test plane which also crashes. Lucky narrowly avoids being killed and gains a new nickname – UnLucky! Then Mr. Joe Bullard slithers onto the scene. A Sydney Greenstreet character, in public Mr. Bullard purports to have clients overseas for a big order of sport planes but he brags to Lucky and Dixie that he sabotaged the test plane and can frame Lucky for the murder of Tom O'Neal. He blackmails Lucky and Dixie into building the "sport" planes and prepares to export them to some unnamed country where they will be fitted with powerful engines and bombing harnesses and used in the European war theatre. Lucky and Dixie are helpless.At the last thrilling moment Lucky uses one of the new planes to turns the tables on Bullard. He saves the day and, at the same time, wins Navy approval for the new planes.The multi-cast audiobook is one of the best in the series. It is well performed, the narrator R. F. Dailey is super. The sound effects are worthy of a Hollywood movie.We can imagine that Galaxy Press, publishers of these audiobooks, is a Scientologist outfit, but there is nothing that points directly to a link.You need to save the cast list that comes in the mailer because there seems to be no other list online or in the main packaging of these Galaxy Press audio books.

[dealsharingaunt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was cool to listen to. Hearing the planes and Lucky. I could picture the plane going straight down. I also liked the idea of the Navy having better equipment than the enemy. I have built plastic model planes before, Ju-87's, as well as Line Control Planes that really flew in the air, by using a motor. The thought that this plane stresses the wings at nine times the plane's weight, is amazing. The dynamics used to make this work are amazing. No wonder why foreign powers want the plane for themselves. This would be a cool cd to listen to on surround sound. I was worried when Lucky was almost killed, and I liked the puns around his name. This was also made into a movie and there was some drama concerning Hubbard's credit. This is one of my favorites by Hubbard. I am giving this Audiobook a 5/5 and will be renting the movie! I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own!

[eheinlen_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received a set of L. Ron Hubbard audiobooks to review. This was one of them. The audiobook portion was very well-done and was more like a radio drama of old and less like a traditional audiobook. I did not care for the actual book though.

[drled_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Reviewed for LibraryThing as an early reviewer.This is simply a well told story. Tension is balanced with shots of comic relief, sound effects underpin the plot, and the sound quality is great. The acting is very good, especially considering that 16 characters are portrayed by five actors. It is interesting that when this was published in 1937 Great Britain was referred to as a ‘foreign power’ rather than an ally.

[pixiedark · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

 I received "The Dive Bomber" by L. Ron Hubbard from Library Thing early reviewers and member giveaways. The Dive Bomber is about daredevil test pilot Lucky Martin. He has perfected the design for a new bomber plain the Navy is sure to buy. Unfortunately for Lucky, hostile foreign powers are determined to see him fail so they can scoop up the planes design for their own use.The Dive Bomber is an audio book from the golden age stories series by Galaxy Press. Actually it is much more than just a plain old audio book. The Dive Bomber is more like an audio play, a multicast performance with music and sound effects. Very much like the radio shows back in the 1930's This story and other stories are part of the pulp fiction golden age. I enjoy hearing these audio books and love reading them. I enjoy the writings of the master story teller L. Ron Hubbard. If you want action and adventure, read stories from the golden age and join the pulp revival!

[momwholovestoys · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another fun read/ listen! Like the others in this series I really enjoy how the sound affects take you right back to when they were written. It transports me back before tv, to the radio dramas. I look forward to others in this series!

[atracy69 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Like all the other stories from the golden age by L Ron Hubbard these audio book's were good to listen to every time music came on you felt chilis run though you and waiting to see what happens next it is so much different to listen to book's than to read them in word print these are the first audio book's I have ever had and after listing to these book's on them I will look for more in the furture to listen to great author.