Signed Aviation Books

[Tempest]

Signed Aviation Books

I have collected aviation books signed by famous flyers for nearly as long as I have been a pilot – some 25 years.

I am interested to discover which rare or unique signed books hold pride of place in other people’s collections.

My top 5 are:

The Last Enemy written and signed by Richard Hillary

Malta Spitfire written and signed by 'Screwball' Beurling

The Big Show written and signed by Pierre Clostermann

The Lonely Sky written and signed by Bill Bridgeman

Bomber Pilot written and signed by Leonard Cheshire VC


I am particularly looking for a signed copy of ‘Ginger Lacey – Fighter Pilot’. Does anyone have one available?

Fellow collectors can send me a PM to discuss book exchanges, trades etc.

[BeauMan]

I don't have many, but those that I do have are treasured possessions and will never be available for trade.

Three come immediately to mind; well, two books and one print:

"Spitfire Ace", which both Bob Doe and Nigel Rose signed for me last August, and "609 at War", which Jimmy Stewart signed for me in July. Both intensely humbling moments for me.

Also have a limited edition print of "Hunters of the Night", depicting the late John Cunningham's Beaufighter 1F, signed by both John and the artist. Given my PPRuNe handle, you can imagine how much that means to me.

[Atcham Tower]

I have signed copies of Chuck Yeager's autobiography (not rare, it cost the same as an unsigned copy!) and Johnnie Johnson's Wing Leader. Also a copy of Cornwall Aviation Co with a photo signed by renowned 1930s wing walker and pilot Martin Hearn.

Saw a signed copy of one of St Exupery's books a few years ago, on offer for about £4,000!

[effortless]

First Light by Geoffrey Wellum is my no. 1 favourite, well apart from my dad's log books of course.:O

[Genghis the Engineer]

Books I've got that's signed:-

"Test Pilot", Neville Duke

"A passion for flying", Marvin Michael (good stuff, but stop reading when he starts talking about Christianity)

"Father Goose", William Lishman (the chap on which "fly away home" was based). One of the most utterly readable books I've ever come across.

"Design of the Aeroplane", Darrol Stinton; a man I have the privilege to know professionally, and utmost professional respect for his work and abilities.

"Pilots Weather", Brian Cosgrove - who was kind enough to write some quite flattering things about me inside the front, but still made me pay for it!

And her last christmas card to me tucked in the back of Ann Welch's "Happy to Fly". The card was made from a print of an oil painting of a Hawker Nimrod that she painted in 1935.

Not in the trading business, just saying what I've got.

G

[Beeayeate]

Only have the one - Flying to the Limit by Roland Beamont. Signed by "Bee" himself over a couple of beers and ham sandwiches. Bit of a treasure to me, the day and the book.

[AerBabe]

I have a signed copy of 'A Gift of Wings' by Richard Bach. It was a gift from a very good friend, who had the originally-hardbound copy rebound in leather for me. Lovely.

[Boss Raptor]

All signed...

Richard Bach - JL Seagull, Running From Safety, A Gift of Wings and Illusions - 3 signed for me

Yeager, Cardenas, Hoover, Russell, Young - The Quest For Mach One - signed for me

Gary Powers - Operation Overflight

Gordon Bethune - Worst To First - signed for me

Yeager (Janos) - Yeager - signed for me

Glenn - John Glenn A Memoir - signed for me

Tibbets - Return of The Enola Gay - signed for me

Capt. Albury (Capt. Bocks Car) - Nagasaki The Necessary Bomb - signed for me

Von Braun - Space Frontier

Rickenbacker - Rickenbacker

Cernan - Last Man On The Moon - signed for me

Gagarin - Road To The Stars (English edition and Russian edition)

Alan Bean - Apollo - signed for me

Also have various Mir, Soyuz, Salut posters signed for me by the Cosmonauts, mission directors and designers - an Xmas present to me in 2002 from the bar/social club at Chkalovsky - and boxes of original Gagarin and other Russian space race/aviation memorabilia (most given to me by ex staff or Cosmonauts)

[Check 6]

My most precious signed book is

"I could never be so lucky again," signed for me by Gen. Jimmy Doolittle.

Here is a great source of military/aviation used books. You can also find 'signed' books here.

Catharpin Books (http://www.catharpin.com/)

I have bought 25-30 books from Jim (owner), with 100% satisfaction.

Check 6

[Sultan Ismail]

How about a signed photo `

I have an A3 sized pic of Voyager, the Rutan Round-the-World aircraft signed by Burt Rutan the designer and Dick Rutan and Jeanna Yeager the flight crew.

Also a pic of me with my arm around Jeanna which she graciously signed....sigh....sigh

[barit1]

Two:

"That's My Story" /s/ Douglas Corrigan 2-2-39

"Herman The German" /s/ Gerhard Neumann

[Lon More]

For anyone interested, Len Morgan's daughter has been selling off his library on ebay. There may be some stuff still available. Vendor's name is "Skykath"