New book on RAAF Gunship helicopters in Vietnam

[Centaurus]

Last week, I happened to be browsing the Technical Bookshop, Swanston St, Melbourne and bought a book called "Shockwave" by Peter Haran.
It is centred around one crew of a RAAF helicopter squadron in Vietnam. It was of more than passing interest to me as one of the pilots concerned was a student of mine while he was in the Air Training Corps. His name was Norm Goodall.

I can only say that although I was in the RAAF at the time, I had no idea of the extreme dangers faced by the helicopter crews in Vietnam. The book is absolutely enthralling and the action non-stop. There have been many great flying books: The Big Show: My Secret War by Rick Drury; Enemy Coast Ahead by Guy Gibson: Not to mention the classics by Ernest Gann and Richard Hilary et al.

But in my opinion "Shockwave" is up with them all and must rank as one of the finest stories I have ever read of wartime flying.
ISBN 1-74110-045-3. Cost was $20, and worth every single cent.

[Woomera]

Centaurus

Thanks I will go and buy that and also point a Wingco friend of mine at it too, although I'll be suprised if he hasn't read it.


Have you read "Chicken Hawk" which is written from the US helo perspective, black humour and boots and all.

[Centaurus]

DR. O. Yes, the very same Goodall.

[ConwayB]

Hello,

Another good read is Air America (formerly The Invisible Air Force). Last time I saw it it had Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr on the cover from the movie of the same name.

DON'T LET THE COVER FOOL YOU! It is a great account of what the AA boys got up to after their formation in China and how the CIA made a lot of money out of aviation. (Hmmmm! Is that possible?)

If you are interested in aviation art, including Bushranger art, bits removed as they were a bit too close to overt advertising for the powers that be, I suspect .. W

Cheers and safe flying

CB

[Arm out the window]

Surely you wouldn't shamelessly plug your work Bona! (He's pretty good but!)

[Hempy]

The best Aussie book (IMO) is "Get the Bloody Job Done" detailing the 4 detachments of the RAN Helicopter Flight, Vietnam. These guys flew in an American Assault Helicopter Company, and as such were really in the thick of things (not that 9 Sqn weren't). A top read :ok: