Martin Caidin; Novelist and Aviation Writer

Martin Caidin, 69, whose novels “Marooned” and “Cyborg” were the basis of a motion picture and a television series, respectively. Caidin’s books were turned into the 1969 film “Marooned” starring Gregory Peck and the popular 1970s television series “The Six Million Dollar Man,” starring Lee Majors. The author, who specialized in World War II military aircraft and space subjects, was himself a pilot and stuntman who flew various aircraft in several motion pictures. He also was a broadcaster, lecturer and professor. The prolific writer penned about 200 books and more than 4,000 magazine articles, as well as several screenplays. Born in New York, Caidin served in the merchant marine and the Air Force, and became a consultant to several government agencies. He began his writing career at 16 as associate editor of Air News and Air Tech, and despite his age was welcomed into the Aviation Writers Assn. Among his nonfiction books were “Jets, Rockets and Guided Missiles,” which he co-authored with David C. Cooke, “Worlds in Space” and “Air Force.” On Monday in Tallahassee, Fla., of thyroid cancer.