Martin Caidin was an American author, screenwriter, and aviation enthusiast. Caidin was born in New York City in 1927. He began writing fiction in 1957, and over the course of his career he authored more than fifty fiction and nonfiction works, as well as upwards of a thousand magazine articles. He bought and restored a 1936 Junkers Ju 52 airplane, affectionately nicknamed Iron Annie. He and his plane participated in airshows across the state of Florida in the seventies and eighties. Martine was married four times, and his fourth wife was Dee Dee Caidin who acted as an agent for Martin, contacting publishers for his work through her business, The Wordsmith Shop. Martin also had two daughters with his first wife, Grace. Caidin died in 1997 of cancer, at sixty-nine years old.

Martin Caidin wrote both science fiction and military histories, especially concerning military aviation. His best-known science fiction novel, was the basis for the television franchise. Some of his other well-known works include (1968), (1964), (1967), (1987), and (1975). Caidin was also involved in the Indiana Jones franchise (1993-1994), writing two titles: and for the series.