What do you think?
Rate this book
F/X-26
A radical new sixth generation air superiority fighter…Betrayal and murder…A fight for survival.
A retired Air Force test pilot, Kostan knew the future of air superiority fighters lay in unmanned remotely controlled vehicles. To prove his theory, he started a company to build luxury jets for the wealthy, a testbed for the F/X-26.
When faced with betrayal by one of his directors and assistant – a case of love spurned – he orders his chief of security to kill them to keep the F/X-26 secret. Completed, Kostan demonstrates the radical fighter to the military, a first vital step to have it accepted by the Pentagon in its budget submission to Congress. The aerospace lobby launches a campaign to destroy the F/X-26, as it threatens their own programs for the next generation fighter.
Determined to do whatever it takes to push his concept, Kostan blackmails corrupt politicians to counter the aerospace lobby. When the FBI gets involved, life for Kostan suddenly becomes a little more difficult. Will he see his fighter fly?
A novel that explores a person’s drive to succeed at all costs, battling the aerospace lobby and Congressional vested interests.
A retired Air Force test pilot, Kostan knew the future of air superiority fighters lay in unmanned remotely controlled vehicles. To prove his theory, he started a company to build luxury jets for the wealthy, a testbed for the F/X-26.
When faced with betrayal by one of his directors and assistant – a case of love spurned – he orders his chief of security to kill them to keep the F/X-26 secret. Completed, Kostan demonstrates the radical fighter to the military, a first vital step to have it accepted by the Pentagon in its budget submission to Congress. The aerospace lobby launches a campaign to destroy the F/X-26, as it threatens their own programs for the next generation fighter.
Determined to do whatever it takes to push his concept, Kostan blackmails corrupt politicians to counter the aerospace lobby. When the FBI gets involved, life for Kostan suddenly becomes a little more difficult. Will he see his fighter fly?
A novel that explores a person’s drive to succeed at all costs, battling the aerospace lobby and Congressional vested interests.
426 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 15, 2021
1 person want to read
About the author
Stefan Vucak
39 books126 followersStefan Vučak has written twenty-one novels, which include eight SF books in the Shadow Gods Saga. His Cry of Eagles won the coveted Readers’ Favorite silver medal award, and his All the Evils was the prestigious Eric Hoffer contest finalist and Readers’ Favorite silver medal winner. Strike for Honor won the gold medal. He also spends time as an editor and book reviewer. Stefan lives in Melbourne, Australia.
To learn more about Stefan, visit his:
Website: www.stefanvucak.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/StefanVucakAuthor
Twitter: @stefanvucak
To learn more about Stefan, visit his:
Website: www.stefanvucak.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/StefanVucakAuthor
Twitter: @stefanvucak
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 24, 2021
F/X -26 is a military thriller story about Koston, a retired Air Force test pilot who owns a company that builds luxury jets for the rich. He creates a testbed for the F/X-26 and is determined to have it approved by the Pentagon and his submission to Congress; however, things don’t exactly happen as planned since the whole secret is threatened to be exposed by one of his directors. If that isn’t enough, the campaign itself is ordered to be destroyed, and so, the novel displays a desperate attempt – at all costs- for Koston to succeed, battling anything and everything that comes his way.
I truly admired Koston’s ambition and drive. No matter what extent he went to get his way or how bad he was willing to be, it was still admirable. The character was exceptionally created and was entertaining to the point where I wanted him to succeed.
The literature was written very well, and I found enjoyment in reading the book. The pace was steady but did not sway from the premise of the story. It felt like the author was in his element and knew what he was writing about.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read a good thriller.
I truly admired Koston’s ambition and drive. No matter what extent he went to get his way or how bad he was willing to be, it was still admirable. The character was exceptionally created and was entertaining to the point where I wanted him to succeed.
The literature was written very well, and I found enjoyment in reading the book. The pace was steady but did not sway from the premise of the story. It felt like the author was in his element and knew what he was writing about.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes to read a good thriller.
January 14, 2022
FX 26
By Steven Vucak
2022
Reviewed by Angie Mangino
Rating: 4 stars
At the beginning readers meet Ogdan Kostan.
“A former Air Force major, he had what other men called command presence. With his tall, trim frame, he dominated everybody around him, expecting deference and usually getting it. He did not have to work at it. That’s how he was: driven, ambitious, and ruthless. Only the survivors ruled. The rest followed in his jet wash. During his abridged career as an advanced fighter test pilot, they’d taught him well how to survive… at every level. To him, a customer was simply a bag of money, and a competitor someone to destroy because they took money he felt rightfully belonged to him. …He held high hopes for his F/ X-26 Wasp sixth generation fighter concept prototype.”
His ambition brings readers into the inner world of his civilian aviation business Rebus, and his interactions with the Air Force, the US Department of Defense at the Pentagon, the Secretary of State, and the US Congress, as week as with his employees and competition.
The cutthroat industry, with sabotage, bribes, unloyalty, and fierce competition, governs the initial chapters, making getting to know or like Ogdan Kostan difficult. This complicated world of his at first provides readers only a one-sided look at the man.
For readers interested in the process to produce such a protype, they will find the details.
For readers interested in sabotage and competition, they will have their appetite satisfied.
For readers interested in the government workings to attain fighter planes, they will find an inside look.
For readers more interested in people, rather than specifications, antagonism, or politics, the beginning is a bit slow moving, but some patient reading further into the book will provide what they seek. They will get to know more of the enigma that is Ogdan Kostan, along with the people in his work and private life.
https://amzn.to/3fjs1Qi
Angie Mangino currently works as a freelance journalist and book reviewer, as well as author of 17th Century Tottenville History Comes Alive, first in a series of Tottenville History books. www.AngieMangino.com
By Steven Vucak
2022
Reviewed by Angie Mangino
Rating: 4 stars
At the beginning readers meet Ogdan Kostan.
“A former Air Force major, he had what other men called command presence. With his tall, trim frame, he dominated everybody around him, expecting deference and usually getting it. He did not have to work at it. That’s how he was: driven, ambitious, and ruthless. Only the survivors ruled. The rest followed in his jet wash. During his abridged career as an advanced fighter test pilot, they’d taught him well how to survive… at every level. To him, a customer was simply a bag of money, and a competitor someone to destroy because they took money he felt rightfully belonged to him. …He held high hopes for his F/ X-26 Wasp sixth generation fighter concept prototype.”
His ambition brings readers into the inner world of his civilian aviation business Rebus, and his interactions with the Air Force, the US Department of Defense at the Pentagon, the Secretary of State, and the US Congress, as week as with his employees and competition.
The cutthroat industry, with sabotage, bribes, unloyalty, and fierce competition, governs the initial chapters, making getting to know or like Ogdan Kostan difficult. This complicated world of his at first provides readers only a one-sided look at the man.
For readers interested in the process to produce such a protype, they will find the details.
For readers interested in sabotage and competition, they will have their appetite satisfied.
For readers interested in the government workings to attain fighter planes, they will find an inside look.
For readers more interested in people, rather than specifications, antagonism, or politics, the beginning is a bit slow moving, but some patient reading further into the book will provide what they seek. They will get to know more of the enigma that is Ogdan Kostan, along with the people in his work and private life.
https://amzn.to/3fjs1Qi
Angie Mangino currently works as a freelance journalist and book reviewer, as well as author of 17th Century Tottenville History Comes Alive, first in a series of Tottenville History books. www.AngieMangino.com
July 16, 2021
Reviewed By Pikasho Deka for Readers’ Favorite
F/X-26 is a fast-paced thriller written by Stefan Vučak. Ogdan Kostan is a former advanced fighter test pilot for the United States Air Force and an utterly ruthless businessman. Being a founder and CEO of Rebus Aviation, Kostan never hesitates to employ extreme measures to get his way and uses his chief of security – a man named Lockyard – to eliminate anyone who threatens his company. After a successful foray into selling private jets and a failed marriage, Kostan puts all of his efforts into developing an advanced 6th Generation unmanned fighter jet called F/X-26 Wasp for the military. But he soon finds that building the Wasp was easier than getting it approved by the Pentagon. He must now use every ounce of his cunning to maneuver Washington lobbyists before his audacious gamble brings the company down.
Filled with suspense and intrigue, F/X-26 takes you through the ruthless world of weapons manufacturing companies and gives you a front-row view of how corporate lobbying influences policy-making decisions in Washington. The characters seem morally grey, and it makes them all the more compelling. Kostan is a single-minded individual whose limitless ambition and devotion to his company drive his every action. I found the dialogue to be crisp and apposite. Author Stefan Vučak uses multiple POVs to create an engaging and immersive narrative. The plotting is intricate with a few twists and turns along the way. F/X-26 hooked me from the beginning, and I was engrossed throughout the pages. I highly recommend it to readers who love thrillers.
F/X-26 is a fast-paced thriller written by Stefan Vučak. Ogdan Kostan is a former advanced fighter test pilot for the United States Air Force and an utterly ruthless businessman. Being a founder and CEO of Rebus Aviation, Kostan never hesitates to employ extreme measures to get his way and uses his chief of security – a man named Lockyard – to eliminate anyone who threatens his company. After a successful foray into selling private jets and a failed marriage, Kostan puts all of his efforts into developing an advanced 6th Generation unmanned fighter jet called F/X-26 Wasp for the military. But he soon finds that building the Wasp was easier than getting it approved by the Pentagon. He must now use every ounce of his cunning to maneuver Washington lobbyists before his audacious gamble brings the company down.
Filled with suspense and intrigue, F/X-26 takes you through the ruthless world of weapons manufacturing companies and gives you a front-row view of how corporate lobbying influences policy-making decisions in Washington. The characters seem morally grey, and it makes them all the more compelling. Kostan is a single-minded individual whose limitless ambition and devotion to his company drive his every action. I found the dialogue to be crisp and apposite. Author Stefan Vučak uses multiple POVs to create an engaging and immersive narrative. The plotting is intricate with a few twists and turns along the way. F/X-26 hooked me from the beginning, and I was engrossed throughout the pages. I highly recommend it to readers who love thrillers.
October 16, 2023
This novel is dark and powerful, with suspense and intrigue the hallmarks of F/X-26.
It will be a hit with any of the many Tom Clancy or Robert Ludlum fans.
One gets the impression the author has not only inside knowledge of the murky world of the arms trade and an intimate knowledge of military aircraft and weapons, but also how the finance and business side operates. The author’s easy description of military hardware is meticulous and completely believable. The lobbying of corrupt politicians in Washington is sadly only too convincing.
Kostan is a very believable character, single minded with boundless ambition, and a bit of a philanderer. That’s ok, all heroes need some flaws. I’d like to compliment the author regarding a sex scene; they are difficult to write and can easily degenerate into trashy porn. In this novel it works.
Obviously, not only is plot vitally important, but equally dialogue, which in this novel is outstanding. My only criticism of Kostan is when he gulps a tumbler of single malt without savouring its flavour. A flippant criticism, that aside he’s a very strong character.
The author Stefan Vučak has an excellent grasp of “the hook”. The hooks keep coming, guaranteeing the reader will keep turning the page. Even the final words are a hook,
“We have a development. Two, actually…”
Well done Stefan Vučak, you deserve a legion of fans.
It will be a hit with any of the many Tom Clancy or Robert Ludlum fans.
One gets the impression the author has not only inside knowledge of the murky world of the arms trade and an intimate knowledge of military aircraft and weapons, but also how the finance and business side operates. The author’s easy description of military hardware is meticulous and completely believable. The lobbying of corrupt politicians in Washington is sadly only too convincing.
Kostan is a very believable character, single minded with boundless ambition, and a bit of a philanderer. That’s ok, all heroes need some flaws. I’d like to compliment the author regarding a sex scene; they are difficult to write and can easily degenerate into trashy porn. In this novel it works.
Obviously, not only is plot vitally important, but equally dialogue, which in this novel is outstanding. My only criticism of Kostan is when he gulps a tumbler of single malt without savouring its flavour. A flippant criticism, that aside he’s a very strong character.
The author Stefan Vučak has an excellent grasp of “the hook”. The hooks keep coming, guaranteeing the reader will keep turning the page. Even the final words are a hook,
“We have a development. Two, actually…”
Well done Stefan Vučak, you deserve a legion of fans.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews