Dave Menard died on Feb. 5, 2013, in Dayton Ohio where he lived since 1977. He was born in Elmhurst Ill on May 5, 1936, moved to Lombard Ill in 1945 where he graduated from Glenbard High in 1954, followed by a year of study at the University of Illinois at Navy Pier.
He followed his boyhood dream and joined the air force in 1955 where he served maintaining aircraft in Africa, four countries in Europe, Greenland, and five Asian countries, in addition to six stateside postings. After retiring as a master sergeant in 1977, he continued his work on aircraft at the Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton, OH. He served as a historian due to his encyclopedic knowledge of aviation history. After retiring in 1999, he began following his other passion, care of children by volunteering at the Dayton Children’s Hospital, amassing 32,000 hours, the equivalent of working 16 years at forty hours a week fifty weeks a year!!!
Meanwhile, he developed a passion for Irish step dancing, viewing River Dance over sixty times and supporting several Irish dance troupes. He lived his life in service to his country….and children in general.

Colors & Markings of the F-100 Super Sabre, Part 1: Regular Air Force Fighter Wings – C&M Vol. 14
by David W. Menard (Author)
Paperback – May 1, 1990
 
 
 
 
P-61 Black Widow in Action – Aircraft No. 106
by Larry Davis  (Author),‎ David Menard (Author),‎ Joe Sewell (Illustrator),‎ Don Greer (Colorist),‎ Perry Manley (Colorist)
Paperback – September 1, 1990
 
F-100 Super Sabre in Color – Fighting Colors series (6565)
by Robert Robinson  (Author),‎ David Menard (Author)
Paperback – October 1, 1992
 
 
 
 
Colors & Markings of the F-100 Super Sabre, Part 2 – C&M Vol. 21
by David W. Menard (Author)
Paperback – May 1, 1994
 
 
 
 
Douglas A-1 Skyraider
Larry Davis and David Menard
Specialty Press, Dec 1, 1997
The photos in this edition are black and white. The A-1 had a lot of names over the years… some unofficial, some not-and some that were not complimentary. In 1945, it was introduced as the Dauntless II; in 1946 it was renamed the Skyraider. To its crews though, it was the Able Dog, Spad, Queen, Big Iron Bird, Flying Dump Truck, or simply the AD. Its missions were varied as its nicknames. A-1s flews as dive bombers, torpedo bombers, airborne early warning craft, flying ambulances, aerial tankers, and search-and-rescue support. While this propeller-driven aircraft may appear to have been an analogy in the jet age, the A-1 proved to be an effective and versatile platform well into the 1970s. It even served in Vietnam, scoring victories over North Vietnamese MiGs. Authors Larry Davis and Dave Menard have pulled together more than 200 photos and diagrams to illustrate the A-1’s long service life. The authoritative text covers the A-1’s entire history, including service in Korea and Vietnam, its many variations, and its armament. It’s a fascinating look at one of the 20th Century’s most versatile aircraft.
 Before Centuries: USAFE Fighters, 1948-1959
by David W. Menard (Author)
Hardcover -1998
A showcase of the U.S. fighter squadrons in Europe during the tense Cold War period; color photographs highlight squadron markings on the P-80, F-84, F-86 Sabre, and more.
Republic F-105 Thunderchief
Larry Davis and David Menard
Specialty Press, 1998
The photos in this edition are black and white. Filled cover-to-cover with vintage photos, drawings, exploded views, and excerpts from previously ‘secret’ and ‘restricted’ technical manuals. Emphasizes the unique, groundbreaking, and technical characteristics of the versatile F-105. Covers the Wild Weasel versions, and A-F models and variants. Includes missile and ECM installations, and Vietnam coverage.
 
F-84 Thunderjet in Action – Aircraft No. 61
by Larry Davis  (Author),‎ David Menard (Author),‎ Don Greer (Illustrator)
Paperback – September 1983
The Air Force General Operational Requirement called for a mid-wing day fighter aircraft with a top speed of 600 mph and a combat radius of 850 miles. the aircraft would have 8 .50 caliber machine guns as its main armaments, and would be designated the XP-84, powered by the new General Electric TG-180 axial flow turbojet engine.

 
F-100 Super Sabre in action – Aircraft No. 190
by Larry Davis (Author),‎ David Menard (Author),‎ Dave Gebhardt (Illustrator),‎ Darren Glenn (Illustrator),‎ Don Greer (Colorist)
Paperback  2003
 
 USAF Plus Fifteen: A Photo History 1947-62
by David W. Menard (Author),
‎ Full-color photo history of the early USAF covers the great variety of fighters, transport, helicopters and many other aircraft in use during this period.
 
Paperback January 1, 2004

Buzz Numbers
M. Peter Bowers and W. David Menard
Specialty Press, 2006
The Buzz Number system, the famous identification system for U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force aircraft from late 1945 into the mid-1960s, was developed as a deterrent to 8th Air Force pilots engaged in unauthorized low-level flying over post-war Europe. This practice, called ‘buzzing’, prompted the need for ground observers to be able to identify and report a particular offending aircraft. In response to this need, a system of letters and numbers was developed to uniquely identify each aircraft in inventory. This book includes an in-depth explanation of the buzz number system as well as its many applications. This book is the ultimate buzz number reference for modelers and aviation enthusiasts.
 F-100 Super Sabre Units of the Vietnam War (Combat Aircraft)
by Peter E. Davies and David Menard (Authors),‎ Rolando Ugolini (Illustrator)
Osprey Publishing; 1 edition (November 20, 2012
The F-100 Super Sabre may have been superseded by the superior technology of the F-105 Thunderchief and the F-4 Phantom by the Vietnam War it remained in service. The Super Sabre was deployed as an air defense fighter, and was later given nuclear capability. The F-100’s toughness, adaptability and reliability made it ideal for the incessant missions that were demanded by close support and counter-insurgency missions. 242 Super Sabres and 87 aircrew were lost during the war but their role, particularly in developing the tactics used for discovering and destroying SAM sites, was invaluable. This book describes some of the most important actions that the F-100 took part in, looks at the pilots who flew it and analyses the impact of the aircraft on the war.