What aircraft book to read next?
Discussion
Just read this, Skunk Works by Ben Rich, very, very good and a good insight as to why aircraft design has hit a brick wall
http://www.amazon.com/Skunk-Works-Personal-Memoir-...
perdu said:
On the top picture in my post above there's a cream hardback book with a blue title box
"Evidence In Camera" by Constance Babington Smith. It's the story of RAF photo recce in and before WW2
It is an amazing tale of the early work by Sidney Cotton, freelancing around Nazi Germany. It tells how he was invited by top German officials to see their wonderful works.He didn't tell them he had superb cameras taking pictures down below all the time
If you can find it it's well worth reading, it goes on to discuss target photo interpretation, Peenemunde was well covered ISTR
It's in my well thumbed row
"Target London" by Christy Campbell will enrich your understanding of the role PI had to play in uncovering the secrets of Peenemunde."Evidence In Camera" by Constance Babington Smith. It's the story of RAF photo recce in and before WW2
It is an amazing tale of the early work by Sidney Cotton, freelancing around Nazi Germany. It tells how he was invited by top German officials to see their wonderful works.He didn't tell them he had superb cameras taking pictures down below all the time
If you can find it it's well worth reading, it goes on to discuss target photo interpretation, Peenemunde was well covered ISTR
It's in my well thumbed row
Nice to see your Chickenhawk all thumbed up. My "The Big Show" by Clostermann is similarly creased, and I also recommend "Carrier Pilot" by Norman Hanson for some good FAA Corsair action.
My Dad has 3 large bookcases full of Aviation related books dating back to the '50s- mostly hardbacks too! (He did a lot of contracted agricultural work- mowing, hedgecutting etc at a few of the oxfordshire airfields in the 60's which helped his interest no end).
Anyways, I've read them all cover to cover more times than I can remember over the years, but one that has always stood out for me (and read more times than any) was this:
The Mighty Eighth: A History of the U.S. 8th Army Airforce (Hardback)
http://www.amazon.com/The-Mighty-Eighth-History-Fo...
A staggering book, it almost reads as a week-by-week account of the 8th Airforce bomber & fighter missions over Germany during the war, with accounts of pretty much every mission- but told extensively from the point of the air/ground crews involved, often in graphic and sobering detail.
It's a vast book (and I mean vast!), even containing accounts of some of the German pilots who faced them. The last chapter is an entire colour section with graphics detailing the aircraft insignia for EVERY bomb group/squadron involved, and extensive nose art of countless examples of B17s/B24s/B26s/P38s/P51s/P47s.
Reading it again when I was 21 or so really left an impression on me as to some of the expriences these guys went through at a similar age, and certainly opened my eyes to some of the things we take for granted these days.
I've found it a far more captivating read than any modern book covering the same topic, and I would recommend anyone with an interest in WW2 air combat to take a look if they get the chance.
I've also read an excellent paperback (of 70s vintage I believe) detailing just the Schweinfurt & Regensburg raids, again all from the point of view of the crews involved. Quite a harrowing read in places but it really left an impression on me. I can't remember the exact name at the moment but I'll try and look it up over the weekend.
Anyways, I've read them all cover to cover more times than I can remember over the years, but one that has always stood out for me (and read more times than any) was this:
The Mighty Eighth: A History of the U.S. 8th Army Airforce (Hardback)
http://www.amazon.com/The-Mighty-Eighth-History-Fo...
A staggering book, it almost reads as a week-by-week account of the 8th Airforce bomber & fighter missions over Germany during the war, with accounts of pretty much every mission- but told extensively from the point of the air/ground crews involved, often in graphic and sobering detail.
It's a vast book (and I mean vast!), even containing accounts of some of the German pilots who faced them. The last chapter is an entire colour section with graphics detailing the aircraft insignia for EVERY bomb group/squadron involved, and extensive nose art of countless examples of B17s/B24s/B26s/P38s/P51s/P47s.
Reading it again when I was 21 or so really left an impression on me as to some of the expriences these guys went through at a similar age, and certainly opened my eyes to some of the things we take for granted these days.
I've found it a far more captivating read than any modern book covering the same topic, and I would recommend anyone with an interest in WW2 air combat to take a look if they get the chance.
I've also read an excellent paperback (of 70s vintage I believe) detailing just the Schweinfurt & Regensburg raids, again all from the point of view of the crews involved. Quite a harrowing read in places but it really left an impression on me. I can't remember the exact name at the moment but I'll try and look it up over the weekend.
Edited by Squirrelofwoe on Thursday 5th April 16:05
Published a while ago now, but if you've not come across it, John Comer's 'Combat Crew' details his 25 missions as a B17 turret gunner and flight engineer.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Combat-Crew-Story-Missions...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Combat-Crew-Story-Missions...
Squirrelofwoe said:
My Dad has 3 large bookcases full of Aviation related books dating back to the '50s- mostly hardbacks too! (He did a lot of contracted agricultural work- mowing, hedgecutting etc at a few of the oxfordshire airfields in the 60's which helped his interest no end).
Anyways, I've read them all cover to cover more times than I can remember over the years, but one that has always stood out for me (and read more times than any) was this:
The Mighty Eighth: A History of the U.S. 8th Army Airforce (Hardback)
http://www.amazon.com/The-Mighty-Eighth-History-Force/dp/0385011687/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_3
A staggering book, it almost reads as a week-by-week account of the 8th Airforce bomber & fighter missions over Germany during the war, with accounts of pretty much every mission- but told extensively from the point of the air/ground crews involved, often in graphic and sobering detail.
It's a vast book (and I mean vast!), even containing accounts of some of the German pilots who faced them. The last chapter is an entire colour section with graphics detailing the aircraft insignia for EVERY bomb group/squadron involved, and extensive nose art of countless examples of B17s/B24s/B26s/P38s/P51s/P47s.
Reading it again when I was 21 or so really left an impression on me as to some of the expriences these guys went through at a similar age, and certainly opened my eyes to some of the things we take for granted these days.
I've found it a far more captivating read than any modern book covering the same topic, and I would recommend anyone with an interest in WW2 air combat to take a look if they get the chance.
I've also read an excellent paperback (of 70s vintage I believe) detailing just the Schweinfurt & Regensburg raids, again all from the point of view of the crews involved. Quite a harrowing read in places but it really left an impression on me. I can't remember the exact name at the moment but I'll try and look it up over the weekend.
Decision Over Schweinfurt? I've got that but in hardbackAnyways, I've read them all cover to cover more times than I can remember over the years, but one that has always stood out for me (and read more times than any) was this:
The Mighty Eighth: A History of the U.S. 8th Army Airforce (Hardback)
http://www.amazon.com/The-Mighty-Eighth-History-Force/dp/0385011687/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_3
A staggering book, it almost reads as a week-by-week account of the 8th Airforce bomber & fighter missions over Germany during the war, with accounts of pretty much every mission- but told extensively from the point of the air/ground crews involved, often in graphic and sobering detail.
It's a vast book (and I mean vast!), even containing accounts of some of the German pilots who faced them. The last chapter is an entire colour section with graphics detailing the aircraft insignia for EVERY bomb group/squadron involved, and extensive nose art of countless examples of B17s/B24s/B26s/P38s/P51s/P47s.
Reading it again when I was 21 or so really left an impression on me as to some of the expriences these guys went through at a similar age, and certainly opened my eyes to some of the things we take for granted these days.
I've found it a far more captivating read than any modern book covering the same topic, and I would recommend anyone with an interest in WW2 air combat to take a look if they get the chance.
I've also read an excellent paperback (of 70s vintage I believe) detailing just the Schweinfurt & Regensburg raids, again all from the point of view of the crews involved. Quite a harrowing read in places but it really left an impression on me. I can't remember the exact name at the moment but I'll try and look it up over the weekend.
TEKNOPUG said:
Decision Over Schweinfurt? I've got that but in hardback
No not that one. The cover is a close up of the famous black & white photo of the B-17 Wee Willie(?) going down after losing it's wing.I've got a mental block at the moment, I'll have to find it out over the weekend!
Got it- "Schweinfurt: Disaster in the Skies" by John Sweetman, 1971.
http://www.amazon.com/Schweinfurt-Disaster-In-The-...
http://www.amazon.com/Schweinfurt-Disaster-In-The-...
Edited by Squirrelofwoe on Thursday 5th April 16:05
Squirrelofwoe said:
Got it- "Schweinfurt: Disaster in the Skies" by John Sweetman, 1971.
http://www.amazon.com/Schweinfurt-Disaster-In-The-...
http://www.amazon.com/Schweinfurt-Disaster-In-The-...
Or get rid of the URL bit at either end and just ensure that it starts with http://
http://pistonheads.com/gassing/post.asp?h=0&f=...
http://pistonheads.com/gassing/post.asp?h=0&f=...
BlueRex said:
Published a while ago now, but if you've not come across it, John Comer's 'Combat Crew' details his 25 missions as a B17 turret gunner and flight engineer.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Combat-Crew-Story-Missions...
Just ordered. For £2.80, worth every pennyhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Combat-Crew-Story-Missions...
Elroy Blue said:
BlueRex said:
Published a while ago now, but if you've not come across it, John Comer's 'Combat Crew' details his 25 missions as a B17 turret gunner and flight engineer.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Combat-Crew-Story-Missions...
Just ordered. For £2.80, worth every pennyhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Combat-Crew-Story-Missions...
LimaDelta said:
+1 to a lot of the above, especially Vulcan 607, Chickenhawk and Riding Rockets.
"Fate is the hunter" is excellent and shows a much ignored side of civil aviation during WWII.
"Empire of the Clouds" was a fantastic but depressing read about the decline of British aircraft manufacturing at the dawn of the jet age.
Also Chuck Yeager's autobiography is a cracking read.
Just to add my latest few to the list - "Pablo's Travels", a collection of stories from his days in the RAF, and "Flight of Passage", two kids fly across 1960's America in a Piper Cub, a great read. "Fate is the hunter" is excellent and shows a much ignored side of civil aviation during WWII.
"Empire of the Clouds" was a fantastic but depressing read about the decline of British aircraft manufacturing at the dawn of the jet age.
Also Chuck Yeager's autobiography is a cracking read.
The others have mostly been the Trevor Thom APMs. Not entertaining, but useful.
I have Roald Dahl's "Going Solo" to read next, which is pretty good apparently.
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