The Book of Colt Firearms

I have studied the original book by Sutherland and Wilson as well as at least two later versions by Wilson. The original book has just about everything (90+%) that is found in the later versions. If Wilson did all the research and Sutherland was supplying the $'s as Bushwhacker states, that still does not seem right to remove an author's name on subsequent versions unless the original contribution was in $'s, alone.
In graduate school, my professor provided funding and the laboratory space and I did the research, but the professor is always considered as 'First Author' on such ventures. He initiated the area of research and gave his advise and oversight of the student (me).
That philosophy may not apply to book writing/publishing, so Wilson certainly had the right to publish subsequent versions in his name, alone, I suppose.

To Judge Colt's comment: I agree that there is little difference among the different version, but since I did not do an analysis, I made a 10% guess.
In regards to Mr. Wilson's many books, I am pleased that he did a more extensive version of Engraved Colts with his two volume set that came out a few years ago.
If you like engraved guns, you have to see pictures!!

Johngross, I agree with your comments that one cannot always find the Original Source, but if they can, they should use it. I certainly have many papers and book chapters in the technical literature where I referred to secondary and even tertiary sources. On many occasions, my reviewers corrected me and even sent my manuscripts back for corrections. In the technical literature one often has to use translations (from German to English), and that introduces possible mistakes due to poor translation. None of us are perfect.
I was just concerned that an author had been removed from a seminal piece of work and people on the ColtForum were over looking his contribution. Of course, a few people who have responded in this Thread have more insight into the development of the original TBOCF. If it is their feeling that Wilson was the person who deserves the credit, so be it.

After being "Holier than Thou" and complaining about not giving Sutherland credit as a co-author on The Book of Colt Firearms, I overlooked contributions by three people on one of the Revolver Threads (about Banker's Specials) when they all recommended that I buy the book on Snub-Nosed Colts by Gary Peer.
I only paid attention to the fourth person who made the same suggestion when I thanked him on a later post after buying the book from a source he recommended.
Another fine example of "Do as I say; not as I do."