What aircraft book to read next?

[strudel]

Eric Mc said:

The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe.

Much better than the movie.

Another vote for this one.

[Tango13]

strudel said:

Eric Mc said:

The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe.

Much better than the movie.

Another vote for this one.

If you want a good book about test pilots and NASA hunt down Milton O Thompsons two books.

'Flying Without Wings' All about his time flying the lifting bodys and how they talked the US Goverment into buying them a hairy arsed muscle car.

'At The Edge of Space' Flying the X-15, spinning a Jaguar a full 360 down the freeway in snow and ice and why the P-51 wasn't as good as everybody claimed.

[englisharcher]

Apache said:

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-...

My opening post was in praise of this book.

[Siko]

I have a rather large collection :-)

Some favourites:

Eagle's Wings - Hajo Herrman (ww2 bomber/fighter pilot)
Fighter pilot - Robin Olds (ww2-Vietnam US fighter pilot)
The Other Battle - Forgot author but story behind ww2 night fighters, just awesome.
Diving Eagles - P Stahl (ww2 JU88 bomber pilot)
First Light - Geoffrey Wellum (magnificent!)
Chickenhawk - (forgot author but the best ever helicopter book)
Fate is the Hunter - Ernest k Gann (?) - possibly best ever book about flying.
Pierre Closterman's book about ww2 Typhoon fighters (big circus?)
Sea Harrier over the Falklands - Sharkey Ward
Low-level Hell - forgot author but about helicopters in Vietnam.
Loud & Clear - Yitzhak Spector (Israeli fighter pilot, a beautifully written book)

God there's so many and I am such a geek! Enjoy.....

[Elroy Blue]

They buried them upside down- covering the introduction of Fast FACS flying F100 in Vietnam. Features many famous names including the likes of Burt Rutan. It's a great read

[Eric Mc]

I would suggest anything by Richard Bach.

[RizzoTheRat]

Just ordered a copy of "Wings on my Sleeve" having read this posted on the Wikipedia articles thread. Looks like a fascinating bloke

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Brown_(pilot)

[Eric Mc]

He is. I met him a couple of years ago and he is the most charming of chaps - and he's called Eric.

[bluey1905]

+1 for First Light, a superb read. Just starting Carrier Pilot, hopefully that will be as good.

[rs4al]

Add another to the list, Bob Hoover "forever flying", an excellent read and a interesting comparison to Chuck Yeagers book.

[hidetheelephants]

'Project cancelled' by Derek Wood; a litany of the nearly-but-never-weres of the postwar british aircraft industry, from the Miles M52 supersonic prototype to TSR2.

Tony Buttler has authored a series of books which cover many of the aircraft in 'Project cancelled' in greater depth, as well as US, european and soviet aircraft of the cold war, I've not read them all but those I have read are well written and illustrated.

'The Naked Pilot' by David Beaty; a study of the human factor in aircraft accidents, how far we've come in reducing them and how far there is still to go.

[Simpo Two]

hidetheelephants said:

'The Naked Pilot' by David Beaty; a study of the human factor in aircraft accidents, how far we've come in reducing them and how far there is still to go.

^^^ Recommended. Helps one think. He also wrote 'The Water Jump', the history of transatlantic flight. Next to that on my shelf is 'That Eternal Summer' by Ralph Barker, subtitle 'Unknown stories from the Battle of Britain'.

[rs4al]

hidetheelephants said:

'The Naked Pilot' by David Beaty; a study of the human factor in aircraft accidents, how far we've come in reducing them and how far there is still to go.

CRM, Bah ! Do as I say, NOT as I do !

For those of you who have not heard of Bob Hoover http://youtu.be/g7R7jZmliGc

Edited by rs4al on Wednesday 17th September 20:33

[kik1.6se]

Good thread, I've added some of the recommended books to my reading list. I would recommend Skunk Works as well, very interesting.

Some aviation related books I enjoyed reading are:

Not much of an engineer - Sir Stanley Hooker : Autobiography of Sir Stanley Hooker who was involved with improving the Merlin engine and the development of jet engines.

www.amazon.co.uk/Not-Much-Engineer-Stanley-Hooker/...

From bouncing bombs to concorde : Authorised biography of Sir George Edwards.

www.amazon.co.uk/Bouncing-Bombs-Concorde-Authorise...

Lancaster: The biography - Tony Iveson - Author flew Lancasters in 617 squadron, very interesting book.

www.amazon.co.uk/Lancaster-Biography-Tony-Iveson-e...

Edited by kik1.6se on Wednesday 17th September 22:24

[jjones]

Siko said:

I have a rather large collection :-)
Fate is the Hunter - Ernest k Gann (?) - possibly best ever book about flying.

yep good read.

[Matt Harper]

May I suggest, "A Higher Call" by Adam Makos - the story of a German fighter ace, Franz Sigler and his encounter with a crippled B17F piloted by 2nd Lt Charlie Brown. The book covers back-stories on both pilots - and culminates with them metting in person many years later.

[Nobby Diesel]

Have a go at "My Golden Flying Years".
It's about a chap who lied about his age to get into WW1 and ended up being a part of the crew that won the Schneider Trophy in 1929.
Went on for years and years in the RAF.

[TJS10]

Some great recommendation on this thread;

"The Boys" series of aviation books is worth a look

Hunter Boys - True Tales from Pilots of the hawker Hunter - Richard Pike

plus the The Lighning Boys (2 volumes)

The Vulcan Boys, The Jaguar Boys. The Victor Boys, The Buccaneer Boys, The Valiant Boys.


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19157857-hunte...

Also; Wild Blue - Stories of Survival from Air and Space. which contains a very graphic extract from A Lonely Kind of War (Marshall Harrison) a first hand account of a Vietnam FAC flying an OV-10 Bronco.

Stormbird; One of the ~Luftwaffes Highest Scoring Me262 aces. - Hermann Buchner

TJS

[SimesJH]

'Faster Than The Sun' by Peter Twiss.

Peter was the first man ever to fly above 1,000mph, in a Fairey Delta 2.

I've briefly checked and don't believe anyone has recommended this book before. It's well worth the read.

Edited by SimesJH on Monday 22 September 12:53

[Mutley]

TJS10 said:

..
"Warburtons War" by Tony Spooner and " The Maltese Spitfire" about the life of Wing Cmdr Adrian Warburton DSO + bar DFC + 2 bars. He was also the subject of a Timewatch documentary. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Warburton

TJS

Have just finished Warburtons War, What a character and impressive flyer