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What's your favorite aviation book?

"Glacier Pilot" by Beth Day (1957)

If you are interested in early flying in Alaska, this is a good biography about one of the early (and finally successful) bush pilots, Bob Reeve. A friend found this at a used book sale (50c) and sent it to me. Looks like they are available on Amazon for a buck or so used.

Greg
 
QF32. Written by the pilot of the Qantas A380 that had a massive engine explosion soon after takeoff from Changi Airport in Nov 2010.

I always knew this was a serious incident but I did not realise how close it came to being one of the worlds worst air disasters. Fascinating and scary stuff as it details the sequence of events with descriptions of the Airbus systems including fly by wire, electronic check lists and how the modern computer controlled aircraft copes with unprecedented multiple systems failure.
On the day they happened to have 5 pilots in the cockpit with two of them being senior check pilots and it is interesting to see the cockpit crew management procedures used.

The book starts off a bit slow as it details the early life of the pilot but gets more interesting (to a pilot) when he joins the Australian Airforce.

Fin
9A
 
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Joe Foss...

Flying Marine. Biography I read in the 50's while at the St. Pete Public Library down on Mirror Lake Dr in St. Pete as a boy. I have always appreciated aviation and the challenges it brings by the stories shared by those who choose to fly.
 
Rickenbacker: An Autobiography

This book was written by Eddie Rickenbacker and copyrited in 1967. I got a used copy through Amazon.com for around $10 but they have new ones for $71 and a copy signed by Eddie Richenbacker for $438. I have read a lot of books in my 76 years but this is at the top with Charles Lindbergh's "Spirit of St. Louis." I knew Eddie Rickenbacker was a top ace in WWI and I knew that he was associated with the ownership or management of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and I had long ago read of his survival on the Pacific after a plane crash but these were just things in an amazing life that eclipses any that I have any familiarity with. This book and Lindbergh's are the only times I have experienced the feeling that I am being told the story of an amazing life by the person who lived it and the story is so much bigger than I could have imagined. In my little collection I have Doolittle, Yeager, Rutan & Yeager, Hoover, Anderson, Olds, Glenn, Gabreski, Munro and many other l important life stories but none comes close to the scale of this one.

I'm not a regular poster on this site anymore but I had to come back and share this.

Bob Axsom
 
Kill Devil Hills!

My favorite is KILL DEVIL HILLS by Harry Combs. A great book that contains the birth of the E/AB in its purest form. Great info and quotes from the men that launched an venue that all of us are now enjoying in building our magic carpets of metal! :D

http://www.amazon.com/Kill-Devil-Hi...=1361726548&sr=1-4&keywords=harry+combs+books

Also worth reading is THE WRIGHT BROTHERS the authorized biography by Fred Kelly. Wilber approved the content.

http://www.amazon.com/Wright-Brothe...61726678&sr=1-11&keywords=the+wright+brothers
 
Rickenbacker

Just ordered Rickenbacker's autobiography from Abe books. If you read a lot and you haven't gone to their site, you're missing out.
 
Wot a Way to Run a War!: The World War II Exploits and Escapades of a Pilot in the 352nd Fighter Group

by Ted Fahrenwald

Only out on Kindle now. You won't regret it!
 
A Higher Call

On this morning of March 10, 2013 I just finished reading this new book "A Higher Call" by Adam Makos with Larry Alexander that was published just two months ago in January 2013. It is a well written dual biography about pilots, one German (bf109) and one American (B-17) who died 8 months apart in 2008. On the dust jacket it is advertised as a New York Times Best Seller. The theme "An incredible true story of combat and chivalry in the war-torn skies of World War II" about Franz Stigler and Charlie Crown's encounter over Europe sells the book no doubt but I personally found the story of Franz Stigler's experience in WWII by far the most interesting.

I cannot vouch for the accuracy of all the details (such as when the radio operator in the B-17 is described as caring a lot about his transistor chips when the transistor was not invented until 1947) but for this reader that was a young school boy during WWII the mix of fact and art did not turn it into a work of fiction.

Well worth reading in my opinion.

Bob Axsom
 
Thanks for the book review Bob - and moreover, welcome back. I've missed reading your posts.
 
Forgotten Eagle

I'm a bit late to the party as this is the first time I've seen this thread but it's quite fascinating and full of many a book I've not heard of. It's hard to pick a favorite but I'd probably say Fate is the Hunter because that was the first aviation book I read as a teen that really turned me on to flying (which has otherwise ruined the rest of my life :)).

Fate is the Hunter - first real page turner that I read as a teen
Rickenbacker - by far the most amazing book I've read
Hoover's Forever Flying - I used to keep several paperback copies around to give to any pilot I came across who hasn't read it.

One I did not see mentioned at all in this thread that I'll add is Forgotten Eagle: Wiley Post, America's Heroic Aviation Pioneer by Bryan Sterling & Frances Sterling. Post was quite the aviation pioneer and seems all but forgotten today.
 
Three Eight Charlie by Jerrie Mock

Jerrie Mock was the first women to fly around the world solo, which she did back in the 60s in a Cessna 170 (could have been a 180). Three Eight Charlie chronicles the flight. Good read.

Jerre
 
The Bandy Papers by Donald Jack; a hilarious account over three novels of a hapless but very fortunate Sopwith Camel pilot in WWI. Think "Being There" as an aviation story;)

Fail-Safe by Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler; scared the **** out of me as a teenager and still does

Reach for the Sky by Paul Brickhill; if you're not inspired by the story of Douglas Bader, the legless British ace of the Battle of Britain, you don't like aviation

Anything ever written by Neville Shute
 
No Moon Tonight.

This is a very well written and interesting book by Don Charlwood.
I don't think this book has been mentioned so far on this forum.
It is his story of how he and 19 other Australians left their homes to go to the UK to join the RAF at the outbreak of WW2. The 20 first went to Canada to train as navigators before going to England. The book covers the experience of the 20 navigators flying bombers over Germany. Don Charlwood was the first of the 20 to make it to the goal of 30 missions before eventually returning to Australia. Of the 20 young men you left Australia only 5 survived the war. It is a detailed account of the life of a crew flying dangerous missions out of England also giving details of life in England at that time.
If you are interested the book ISBN number is 9 780907 579977

Barry RV6A
 
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Sir Hubert Wilkins was quite the Explorer

The Last Explorer by Simon Nasht


This book details the life and almost unbelievable exploits of the Australian, Sir Hubert Wilkins and includes lots of amazing aviating.

In particular he was the first to conceive of, and use aircraft in the polar regions.
With Ben Eielson ( American Aviation Hall of Fame) as the pilot they were the first to fly an aircraft (Lockheed Vega) over the Arctic Ice Cap from Point Barrow to Norway. Wilkins was a superb navigator and managed to navigate directly to their destination through thunderstorms and blizzards using dead reckoning and sextant sightings and with the compass shifting through more than 300 degrees of magnetic variation. The American Geographical Society described this as a "feat in navigation which can be confidently declared unparalleled in the history of flying".

He had lots of other "Firsts" in aviation but aviation was only part of this incredible man's life. For instance he was held in high regard by the American Military. In 1959 the nuclear powered submarine Skate became the first submarine to surface at the Pole, where it held a memorial service and scattered the ashes of the Australian, Sir Hubert Wilkins.

See Amazon Books for a brief description and reader reviews.

Fin
9A

WOW! What an explorer and what a man. You are justifiably proud of your countryman's achievements. It is good that his life and achievements are respected by a fellow countryman these long years since he was shunned by many in Australia. I can only imagine the personal life of he and his wife of 29 years. The apparent sabotage of the submarine in his arctic ice cap expedition was a heartbreaker.

Thanks for recommending the book.

Bob Axsom
 
Warbird Recoevery

I just finished reading "Warbird Recovery" by Gordon Page

From the back of the book:

"April Fool?s Day, 1992. Author Gordon R. Page receives a call from a business associate offering him the chance to travel to Russia in hopes of acquiring a rare World War II fighter plane. He?s waited for this call for years?and it?s not a joke. Packed with action, intrigue, and danger, Warbird Recovery delivers Page?s gripping true story of his journey to Russia to recover the aircraft and fulfill a lifelong dream. "

http://www.warbirdrecovery.com/

This is a great adventure from the US to Siberia in search of WWII aircraft. I started reading it while waiting for a commercial flight and couldn't put down. Gordon's description of air travel in Russia made my cramped seat in a 737 seam like first class.

I really enjoyed the book, a nice light hearted read, like talking to friend over a beer. I recommend it to anyone.
 
What's your favorite aviation book?

1) "The Wild Blue" - Stephen Ambrose. True story about B24 Liberator crews. And in particular, George McGovern and his crew.

2) "Instrument Flying" - Richard Taylor. The most readable book on the subject as far as I'm concerned.

3) "The Right Stuff" - Tom Wolfe. I read this book as a teenager. It was one of the books I credit with inspiring me to read. It also inspired me to drink and smoke and chase women. But, that's another story....

3) "Flight of the Intruder" - Stephen Coonts. Yeah, I know... But, its still a good read!

4) "Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators" - H.H. Hurt. I got a copy of the NAVWEPS 00-80T-80 binding years ago, when I was on active duty. Its one of the best aviation reference books out there real pilots and wannabes like me.
 
WOW! What an explorer and what a man. You are justifiably proud of your countryman's achievements. It is good that his life and achievements are respected by a fellow countryman these long years since he was shunned by many in Australia. I can only imagine the personal life of he and his wife of 29 years. The apparent sabotage of the submarine in his arctic ice cap expedition was a heartbreaker.

Thanks for recommending the book.

Bob Axsom

Bob,

Yes - what a man! I recently read the book again and continue to be amazed at the exploits and achievements of this unassuming and largely forgotten man.

Fin
9A
 
Jerrie Mock

Jerrie Mocks airplane was a Cessna 180. It is on display at Air and Space. She is 87 years old.
 
best books

Have really enjoyed Shute's books and my favorite was SLIDE RULE. It's a wonderful and factual story. Sorry if it was mentioned before and I missed it!
 
Bill
I haven't read it for many years, but Neville Shute's book "Requiem for a Wren" was a good read.
I also enjoyed reading "Heaven Next Stop" by Gunther Bloemertz, even though on that major Internet book seller it has poor reviews.
A more recent book, by a WWII German ace (275) is "My Logbook" by Gunter Rall, who went on to a long career in the modern German Air Force, and eventually to become its Commanding Officer in the 1970's.
Regards
John
 
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A Man Called Intrepid

I grew up during WWII and I've read a lot of books about it but this one takes it to a level I had never seen before.

Bob Axsom
 
Wings on my sleeve

by Eric Brown
Quote from Wikipedia:
Captain Eric Melrose "Winkle" Brown, CBE, DSC, AFC, Hon FRAeS (born 21 January 1919) is a British former Royal Navy officer and test pilot who has flown more types of aircraft than anyone else in history, piloting 487 different aircraft.[1] He is also the Fleet Air Arm?s most decorated living pilot and holds the world record for aircraft carrier landings ? 2,407.[2]
Certainly an interesting perspective on military aviation.
Cheers,
Rob Montgomery
 
Carrying the Fire

Thanks Bob,
I have added it to the list which I shall update from time to time.

I bought “Carrying the Fire” by Mike Collins from Amazon on someone's recommendation.
I read a book a week (Lately, mostly about American politics and Foreign Policy) and I must say “Carrying the Fire” is one of the most moving books I have read in years.

Pete.

Whoa, take your time reading this one Bob, I sense that it is special! I finished reading "The Man Called Intrepid" recently and about the same time I bought it I bought several others dealing with WWII. I was a young school boy on WWII and was saturated with it as the all consuming focus of our lives. The Man Called Intrepid was to put it mildly, an interesting book with a perspective different from any I have read before. It was so straight and in such detail far removed from the typical biographical hero book that every sense of need has been saturated at a level that is hard to describe. I tried to start another and I just had to put it aside. But... I need to read, so I go on Amazon to see what I can find and in the process I saw "Carrying the Fire by Michael Collins and something stirred in me. I did not consciously remember your recommendation. The book was in the mail box when I got back from the Firecracker 100 race in Marysville, Ohio yesterday. Exhausted from that adventure, I slept for over five hours straight for the firs time in months. So I finally got up after that blissful experience and fixed my usual Sunday bacon, egg (beaters) and biscuit breakfast and open my new book. I read the Forward by Charles Lindbergh and the Preface to the 2009 edition and I know I have a WINNER! I worked on Project Mercury and Skylab and I consider them and Apollo the real pioneering manned space flight projects in my time. I worked on and around a lot of unmanned space flight projects at JPL before I retired and the words of Lindbergh and Collins struck some deep significant responsive chords already. I had to come on here and find out if there had been a recommendation and I found your post. Thanks Pete.

Bob Axsom
 
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Four WWII fighter Pilot stories.

Thanks, Bob. I enjoyed it, but it must be very special to you.

Meanwhile, what I have been reading lately,

By coincidence, not by deliberate selection, I have just read four books in a row about flying fighters in WWII. Not only that, they were, in order, by an American, a German, a Brit and a Frenchman.(One of them was actually fiction). Altogether this combination of stories really knitted together a picture of what both sides went through and provided a real insight into the aircraft, the pilots and their flying life.

The first was ?A Piece of Cake? by Derek Robinson. Although this is a novel, it is meticulously researched and the characters very well developed and they really come alive. Definitely worth reading.
Next was ?Wot a Way to Run a War? by Ted Fahrenwald, a series of rambling letters home to the USA, covering his day to day life as a fighter pilot in Europe. Whilst there is not a lot of flying in the book it does give an insight into the life of an American fighter pilot in Europe and in particular, England, during WWII.
This was followed by the excellent ?I Flew for the Fufrer? by Heinz Knoke. Really descriptive of both the flying, the aircraft he flew, the fighter pilots life and progress of the war from a German perspective.
But the one that stands out was the last. ?The Big Show? by Pierre Clostemann, a Frenchman flying in the RAF. Probably the most comprehensive book with the, best insight into the life of a fighter pilot I have read. The description of the aircraft he flew, the battles, tactics, losses, pain, fear and successes are masterly. He flew the Spit for a few years with great success and yet describes his frightening first flight in the 2500hp Hawker Tempest. Clostermann also had a few periods between missions as an advisor to the top brass in London, where he gleaned a deal ?intelligence? and so is able to explain much of what was going on behind the scenes. Clostemann doesn?t pull and punches and is often scathing, most notably of the French senior brass?s incompetence. It?s now on the top shelf of my library.

Pete.
 
Pierre Closterman also wrote a book called "Flames in the Sky".
This is a collection of stories about famous air battles rather than personal reminiscences. It is a good book, but no where near the same quality as The Big Show.
John
 
I just finished "A Higher Call" and highly recommend it. I know earlier someone questioned some of the technological accuracy, but that isn't the point of the book. It is from a perspective of war that is very unique and comes full circle.

Tim
 
New book

Craig Johnson's Walt Longmire series has a new addition, s Christmas story about an old pilot(Doolittle raider) and an old B25. Good story. Title " Spirit of Steamboat".
 
The one book about flight and aviation that stuck with me many years ago was "Operation Overflight" by Gary Powers. I was shocked and saddened by the manner of his death in the helio crash.
 
I remember reading "the fledgling" when I was very young. I will try to find again to see if it still appeals to me. I wanted to fly for as long as I can remember.

The book I remember was not the one about a little girl and a goose, it was about a young boy who saw airplanes overhead and struggled to get an opportunity to get to fly, kinda my own story.


Bird
 
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The Last Explorer by Simon Nasht


This book details the life and almost unbelievable exploits of the Australian, Sir Hubert Wilkins and includes lots of amazing aviating.

In particular he was the first to conceive of, and use aircraft in the polar regions.
With Ben Eielson ( American Aviation Hall of Fame) as the pilot they were the first to fly an aircraft (Lockheed Vega) over the Arctic Ice Cap from Point Barrow to Norway. Wilkins was a superb navigator and managed to navigate directly to their destination through thunderstorms and blizzards using dead reckoning and sextant sightings and with the compass shifting through more than 300 degrees of magnetic variation. The American Geographical Society described this as a "feat in navigation which can be confidently declared unparalleled in the history of flying".

He had lots of other "Firsts" in aviation but aviation was only part of this incredible man's life. For instance he was held in high regard by the American Military. In 1959 the nuclear powered submarine Skate became the first submarine to surface at the Pole, where it held a memorial service and scattered the ashes of the Australian, Sir Hubert Wilkins.

See Amazon Books for a brief description and reader reviews.

Fin
9A

Just finished this on an AA flight today. Great read and highly recommended. As a pilot and a submarine vet, I was riveted with the entire story of this mans life.
 
I started this as a quick reply - it developed..


Failure Is Not An Option - Eugene F Kranz.

A true, proper Gentleman - one of my personal heroes and I would love to meet him.

Next

Riding Rockets.

Mike Mullane - a 'grunt' Astronaut !

Very entertaining.

Neither about our area of aviation, but both show commitment, dedication, professionalism to their chosen path.

Glorious stories well told by good men.

p.s.

Fate Is The Hunter.

Read this aged 50 plus.........

Could not believe how much it still related to our tenuous existence as Airline Pilots in 2014......


As a lighter read.

Propellerhead

Antony Woodward

Barking mad tales of ultralight flying and zen like wisdom - alternative.


Then.....


JLS

It has to be the must read for every home grown, basic pilot.

http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/1743336-jonathan-livingston-seagull

It gets weird, but ..... I am a Brit.

Novels.

Brian Lecomber - V Good.

All Derring Do in the Caribbean.


Stephen Coonts

What a tale teller.....

From Vietnam to the lower 48 !

Search, read, enjoy.

My favourite - this

http://www.coonts.com/books/others/the-cannibal-queen

Finally - and this relates to us as RV pilots.

Eric Muller wrote a book with Annette Carson called Flight Unlimited.

Ref

http://www.transair.co.uk/sp+Aerobatics-Training-Flight-Unlimited+9643

Available in the US.

Now, Eric and Annette produced this book - something of such subtle beauty - such divine simplicity yet it enthused and allowed us mere mortals to enter into the world of higher aerobatics.

We, as RV pilots enjoy such a privilege, we build and fly aeroplanes that allow us to explore, enjoy and advance our skills beyond our wildest dreams.

Hence the RV Grin.........


So - here are my choices.

I may add to them, but as I sit here, on a cold, Wednesday evening after a 16 hour work day flying our passengers to and from Fueteventura in an A 321,


I need a beer..............
 
When I was growing up in the 1970's I checked out a big, hardcover book that was the history of Boeing, from its founding to about 1970 or so (it included the 747). It fascinated me and the photos of the factory and airplanes over the years were incredible. It had a major impact on my wanting to fly. It's long out of print but I surf eBay for it from time to time. Still no luck....
 
One summer, America 1927
Bill Bryson

It's a snapshot of one time frame in our country. Lots about Lindbergh and aviation. Touches on many other subjects relevant to the times. Reads like a novel you can't put down.

George
 
Here's one not listed yet?

Our one-room country school had a library of 2 or 3 bookshelves. Thankfully, a small book titled "Eight Hours to Solo" was there. Got me hooked. I read it over, and over, and over.....when I finally took my first flight lesson my instructor said "You've done this before". Haven't found a copy since but I'll keep looking.
 
Samurai!

Great thread!

One not mentioned which is an excellent story about Japan's highest ace is "Samurai!" by Martin Caiden. I read it long ago and was captivated by his heroic 600 mile flight back from Guadalcanal after being wounded and virtually blind. I see it is available from Amazon and is 5 stars.

Another good book mentioned only once on this thread is "Stuka Pilot" by Gunther Just. It is a great story about the most decorated pilot in Germany.

I am an Aeronautical Engineer and have referenced "Fluid Dynamic Lift" and "Fluid Dynamic Drag" by Hoener many, many times.

Too many more to reference at this time!

TJ
 
When I was growing up in the 1970's I checked out a big, hardcover book that was the history of Boeing, from its founding to about 1970 or so (it included the 747). It fascinated me and the photos of the factory and airplanes over the years were incredible. It had a major impact on my wanting to fly. It's long out of print but I surf eBay for it from time to time. Still no luck....


Might have been "Wide-Body: The Triumph of the 747" by Clive Irving.
I to read it years ago and recently obtained a copy for my Son, from Amazon.
It's still available there.
Pete
 
Eight Hours to Solo

Our one-room country school had a library of 2 or 3 bookshelves. Thankfully, a small book titled "Eight Hours to Solo" was there. Got me hooked. I read it over, and over, and over.....when I finally took my first flight lesson my instructor said "You've done this before". Haven't found a copy since but I'll keep looking.

Available at Amazon . . . for a price.
Pete.
 
The complete booklist

I have updated my Word.doc booklist of the titles mentioned on this post, sorted by both Author & Title.

Anyone who wishes to have a copy should email me.

Pete.
 
Two books that became tatty with constant re-reading when I was a boy are

Enemy Coast Ahead by Guy Gibson - Gibson led the dam buster raids and somehow found time to write a book about this and his wartime experiences at the time.

Fly West by Ivan Southall - Stories of a Coastal Command squadron flying Short Sunderlands during WW2

One I've recently discovered is Fighter Pilot by Paul Richie - this one I found really interesting as Richie flew hurricanes during the battle of France and the book is devoted to this. I have a modern edition but was lucky enough to find a 1942 edition in a bookshop recently, which has interesting differences for the sake of wartime censorship (and propaganda).

My recent favourite is definitely Fate is the Hunter.
 
How Apollo Flew to the Moon.

Best book on Apollo from a 'pilot's' perspective that I have read.

I'm not sure how I found this book, whether it was on this post or if I just stumbled across it on Amazon.
It is by far the best insight into 'flying' the Apollo spacecraft that I have read.
It's not by an astronaut!
But W. David Woods narrative and continual references to the comms with Mission Control and the astronauts description of the mission in post mission briefings, paint a thorough and clear picture of how it was done, from a 'pilots' perspective.

I have read widely on Apollo (and Mercury, Gemini and the Shuttle), books by astronauts, engineers, flight controllers and managers of NASA. And they all paint different aspects of the intriguing picture of an extraordinarily accomplishment.

What 'How Apollo Flew to the Moon' does, is to describe how the astronauts flew the ship, with sufficient technical description to afford an understanding of just what they needed to do, followed by a superb description of the 'cockpit' operation.
The technical stuff is pitch perfect, not dumbed down, but not over the top; clear, concise and easily grasped.
In fact, for the first time I was able to get my head around the 'Orbital Mechanics' of spacecraft rendezvous. That alone made the book wothewhile to me.

But there is so much more.

Pete.
 
Jimmy Stewart Bomber Pilot

Just finished "Jimmy Stewart Bomber Pilot". Have watched this mans movies since I was a little kid " Mister Smith Goes To Washington"etc. Little did I know he was one of America's greatest real hero's. Lot of the content about the eighth airforce.
 
I never read anything like it before - "Unbroken" is unforgetable. It is not for wimps. Thanks for the recomendations.

Bob Axsom

For those that haven't heard, Louis Zamperini died today at the age of 97. Trust me, that's not a spoiler for this book. I started reading it knowing he was still alive and it's still the most engaging book I've ever read.

If you haven't read this yet and you're at all interested in WW2 aviation, or just an amazing story of survival of the human spirit, you may want to read it before the movie comes out and you're tempted to take the easy way out.

Rest in Peace Louis, what a life...
 
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