Fightin' Air Force #21

A wounded pilot's anguished face dominates the cover of this June 1960 Charlton issue, his goggles pushed up and a speech bubble crying "I'm going DOWN!" as a chaotic swirl of warplanes — U.S. jets, prop fighters, and enemy aircraft bearing the Rising Sun insignia — fills the air around him. Cover art by Sam Glanzman and Bill Montes captures the desperation of aerial combat with real energy, surrounding that central close-up with streaking missiles and dogfighting planes on both sides. Rounding out the package is a Transogram Sweepstakes promotion promising prizes including a live pony — a charming time-capsule detail from 1960 Charlton publishing.