Aircraft Books - wellington / lancaster etc

[dwaynepipe]

Morning all,

With fathers day coming up, I was thinking about getting my dad a couple of nice "good quality" books on some older aircraft such as the wellington bomber and the lancaster etc, just wondering if any of you can reccomend anything or anywhere that's worth having a look for something similar?

Thanks

[Eric Mc]

There are some very good books out there.

On the Lancaster, I would recommend the newish "Haynes Manual" on the type. There is also the book "Lancaster " by Ken Delve



He's also done a good book on the Wellington



Don't forget some of the less well known types that provide interesting reading - such as the Beaufighter or the Stirling and Halifax.

The exploits of the Mosquito are also well worth a punt.

[LeeME3]

'Dambusters' by Paul Brickhill.

Not strictly a book about aircraft but goes into a lot of detail about the bouncing bombs and the special Lancs that carried them. And it's a brilliant read.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dam-Busters-Pan-Grand-Stra...

[Eric Mc]

LeeME3 said:

'Dambusters' by Paul Brickhill.

Not strictly a book about aircraft but goes into a lot of detail about the bouncing bombs and the special Lancs that carried them. And it's a brilliant read.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dam-Busters-Pan-Grand-Stra...

I wouldn't recommend "The Dambusters" any more as it is now very much outdated and much of the technical stuff was omitted (the bouncing "bomb" and its spin mechanism was still classified "Top Secret" at the time the book was written).

A better and more informative rendition of the Dams Raids is given in John Sweetman's 1999 book "The Dambusters' Raid".

Edited by Eric Mc on Monday 14th June 14:15

[LeeME3]

Eric Mc said:

I wouldn't recommend "The Dambusters" any more as it is now very much outdated and much of the technical stuff was omitted (the bouncing "bomb" and its spin mechanism was still classified "Top Sectet" at the time the book was written).

A better and more informative rendition of the Dams Raids is given in John Sweetman's 1999 book "The Dambusters' Raid".

Fair enough! Sweetman's book is without doubt technically superior. I have a rose-tinted view of Brickhill's book though as I read it literally 100s of times as a kid and it is largely due to that book that I'm sitting here typing this from my office on ?? Sqn (when I should be writing annual reports...).

I think perhaps it's one to read putting yourself into the time of when it was written - it's certainly written in a 'older' style than many modern military books.

so hey, get both!

[Eric Mc]

The older book is a historic document in its own right (as are Brickhill's other books, "Reach for the Sky" and "The Great Escape").

In the 50 plus years which have elapsed since Brickhill was writing, tons of additional documentation has become available to historians. I am now reluctant to read anything of this nature written much before 1980 to be honest. It was after 1979/80 that full access began to be given to historians to enable them to start separating out the facts from the myths.

[LeeME3]

Eric you coming to Wad airshow this year? If so PM me...

[Eric Mc]

Too far away from me.

I was thinking along the lines of Yeovilton in a few weeks.

[Simpo Two]

You could also consider autobiographies. 'Terror in the Starboard Seat' by Dave McIntosh is a good read from the perspective of a Mosquito navigator, and arguably more engaging than a book that goes 'Mk1, Mk2, Mk 3' etc.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Terror-Starboard-Seat-Dave...

[Eric Mc]

Not to mention Geoffrey Wellum's "First Light".

[Simpo Two]

Yes indeed, my favourite bit is where he goes below decks on HMS Eagle to find the armourers taking the bullets out of his Spitfire and replacing them with cigarettes.

'It doesn't matter Geoffrey, you wouldn't be able to hit anything anyway' said the S/Ldr.

'I know sir, but it would be nice to have the chance'

Edited by Simpo Two on Monday 14th June 15:46

[Eric Mc]

Ciggies were probably as much in demand on Malta as ammo.

[anonymous-user]

The Haynes Avro Lancaster manual (as said) is very good as are their Spitfire, ME 109, Tigermoth and Apollo 11 books.

Edited by el stovey on Monday 14th June 16:00

[perdu]

Eric Mc said:

LeeME3 said:

'Dambusters' by Paul Brickhill.

Not strictly a book about aircraft but goes into a lot of detail about the bouncing bombs and the special Lancs that carried them. And it's a brilliant read.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dam-Busters-Pan-Grand-Stra...

I wouldn't recommend "The Dambusters" any more as it is now very much outdated and much of the technical stuff was omitted (the bouncing "bomb" and its spin mechanism was still classified "Top Secret" at the time the book was written).

A better and more informative rendition of the Dams Raids is given in John Sweetman's 1999 book "The Dambusters' Raid".

Edited by Eric Mc on Monday 14th June 14:15

+1

just reading it now and it gives stacks more details of the aircraft, the testing and every thing

I'm about half way through it

I'm another vote for the Haynes Workshop Manual, as well as general stuff they live up to Haynes's claim about a stripdown for every Manual, in this case they followed and detailed the BoB flight's Lanc on her last major which was done at Baginton. A tremendous read.