Aviation Literature

[Hoddo]

I recently enjoyed reading Propellerhead by Antony Woodward, a thoroughly enjoyable account of a young man learning to fly a microlight. Includes the usual trials and tribulations involved with learning all wrapped up in a well written, relaxed way.

What aviation books have you read recently? More tales from a classroom (the air) would be good but also adventures, experiences and accomplishments would also be great.

One criteria I'd like to request is true story's only please.

[Eric Mc]

Not read recently but I always enjoyed any books by Richard Bach.

[Simpo Two]

'I sank the Bismarck' by John Moffat.

A decent autobiography (silly title added by the publisher).

[chazola]

A few favourites- Vulcan 607 by Rowland White & Hostile Skies by David Morgan are two good 'hard-to-put-down' Falklands true stories, Skunk Works by Ben R. Rich is a good read about Lockheed and Stealth aircraft and I recently re-read Black Box by Nicholas Faith which is really interesting and been updated fairly recently.

[anonymous-user]

Fate is the hunter by Ernest Gann fits your requirements perfectly.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fate-Hunter-Ernest-K-Gann/...

[Hoddo]

chazola said:

A few favourites- Vulcan 607 by Rowland White & Hostile Skies by David Morgan are two good 'hard-to-put-down' Falklands true stories, Skunk Works by Ben R. Rich is a good read about Lockheed and Stealth aircraft and I recently re-read Black Box by Nicholas Faith which is really interesting and been updated fairly recently.

Also read Vulcan 607. Read it cover to cover in two sittings, fantastic story.

I'll take a look at the skunk works title. Thanks.

[dr_gn]

"Battle of Britain" by James Holland.

I'm more than half way through its 730-odd pages and the Battle of Britain (as in RAF vs. Luftwaffe) has yet to start. And why are nearly all the men described as 'good looking'?

Yawn.

Edited by dr_gn on Tuesday 16th October 20:06

[kik1.6se]

I like these threads. I've read some great books based on recommendations from people posting in other similar threads.

I read the Skunk Works book by Ben Rich recently and really enjoyed that one, so I also recommend it. Very interesting indeed.

Other aviation related books I enjoyed are:

Not Much of an Engineer : Sir Stanley Hooker

Plane Speaking : Bill Gunston

Biography of the Lancaster : Tony Iveson

From Bouncing Bombs to Concorde: The Authorised Biography of Aviation Pioneer Sir George Edwards : Robert Gardner

There are others, but I'm sure you'll have plenty to go at now.

Edited by kik1.6se on Tuesday 16th October 22:53

[eccles]

We have to have the obligatory Chickenhawk entry....great book!

[anonymous-user]

First light - Geoffrey Wellum is an absolutely great read

A bit more technical: handling the big jets is interesting.

I have also just got a copy of 'silent, swift, superb' which is great if only for the pictures!

[pacman1]

eccles said:

We have to have the obligatory Chickenhawk entry....great book!

Yeah, +1

[Dee Gee]

I can promise that all the stories are true as I wrote it! And..... as an ex navigator and a private pilot it has lots of pictures!

The book is released within the next 3 weeks and is on pre-release with Amazon.co.uk

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Phantom-Focus-Navigato...

Edited by Dee Gee on Friday 19th October 18:46

Edited by Dee Gee on Friday 19th October 18:47

[Siko]

Dee Gee said:

I can promise that all the stories are true as I wrote it! And..... as an ex navigator and a private pilot it has lots of pictures!

The book is released within the next 3 weeks and is on pre-release with Amazon.co.uk

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Phantom-Focus-Navigato...

Edited by Dee Gee on Friday 19th October 18:46

Edited by Dee Gee on Friday 19th October 18:47

Quality, added to my wish list. Now can I start with the navigator banter? ;-)

[SVX]

This is written by a close friend of mine - it's an interesting read:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flygirl-Adventures-Autofly...

[Dee Gee]

Siko said:

Quality, added to my wish list. Now can I start with the navigator banter? ;-)

Only after you've read the book. Babysitting comes to mind and I was a pilot before I was a navigator!

Edited by Dee Gee on Monday 22 October 20:27

[uncinqsix]

kik1.6se said:

Not Much of an Engineer : Sir Stanley Hooker

I read that one many years ago, and it's one of the reasons I became an Engineer

[tenohfive]

eccles said:

We have to have the obligatory Chickenhawk entry....great book!

I'll see your Chickenhawk and raise you a lesser known (but IMO better) title:

Low Level Hell - Hugh Mills
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Low-Level-Hell-ebook/dp/B0...

[Elroy Blue]

tenohfive said:

I'll see your Chickenhawk and raise you a lesser known (but IMO better) title:

Low Level Hell - Hugh Mills
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Low-Level-Hell-ebook/dp/B0...

Brilliant book.

Bury them upside down- story of the establishment of Fast FACs in the Vietnam war. (Features the likes of Burt Rutan)

Robin Olds Autobiography

100 Missions North- F105 over Vietnam

I couild be here all night.

[Hoddo]

eccles said:

We have to have the obligatory Chickenhawk entry....great book!

Going to give this a read considering the skunk works title is not available on Kindle. The reviews seem to be blooming fantastic.

[tenohfive]

Elroy Blue said:

Brilliant book.

Bury them upside down- story of the establishment of Fast FACs in the Vietnam war. (Features the likes of Burt Rutan)

Robin Olds Autobiography

100 Missions North- F105 over Vietnam

I couild be here all night.

Robin Olds book is only on Kindle in the US but not the UK rather odly, but bookmarked for if they release the UK versions. Likewise Bury Us Upside down - not on Kindle yet. Have just got this to tide me over though:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lonely-Kind-War-Controller...

I went with When Thunder Rolled by Ed Rasmus instead of 100 Missions North. Think I've had enough of a gap so I'll probably get that next month.

Since we're on the subject, Xin Loi by Al Severs is a decent Vietnam chopper book.