Aviation Good Reads?

[DTE]

Hi All,

I've just finished and enjoyed Matt Hall's new book, "The Sky is Not the Limit".


What good aviation books have you read lately?


Cheers

[jpilotj]

QF32. A good page turner.

[UnderneathTheRadar]

Fate is the Hunter.

The Right Stuff


Centaurus' book - Tall Tails of the South Pacific (?) - search this forum.

[RatsoreA]

Centaurus' book - Tall Tails of the South Pacific (?) - search this forum.

I'll second that one.

A few others -

"There shall be wings: RAF from 1918 to present" Oral history of the RAF. Couldn't put it down.

"Piece of cake"

"A good clean fight"

Both by Derek Robinson.

[Jabawocky]

Full Throttle by John Deakin

UTR......you could get an autographed copy in May. :ok: I am sure he will do that for you. Anyone else attending could too. Good fun stories of a life well lead.

Been reading one on Hinkler too.

[Lookleft]

Sigh for a Merlin- Alex Henshaw

The Book Depository website is a good place to find classic flying books.

[The Green Goblin]

The flying doctor
Clyde Fenton

Fate is the hunter
Ernest Gann

In fact all Ernest Ganns books are gold :)

I can't bring myself to read QF32.

[wishiwasupthere]

Chickenhawk by Robert Mason

[kingRB]

Probably a useless post but i'll put it up in case anyone else here knows the name of the book, I don't have a copy of it and I cannot remember the name of it.....

Autobiography written by an RAF test pilot, from his time starting in late WW2 through to the early 80's I think it was.

Fascinating reading, especially regarding being sent into Germany just after the war ended and test flying all the Luftwaffe jets and secret developmental aircraft.

[spinex]

KingRB, are you referring to Capt Eric "Winkle" Brown? He has written a number of very interesting books, incl Wings Weird and Wonderful 1 & 2. I can't remember the name of his autobiography either but a great read. Edit, "Wings on my Sleeve" according to google. PS he may object to being referred to as RAF, he was actually Navy, Fleet Air Arm.

I'll add Garry Cooper's "Sock it to em Baby" and Sharky Ward's "A Maverick at War" for a more modern perspective. Our man Farley also wrote a good'un "A view from the Hover" or some such.

[Brian Abraham]

Also "Thud Ridge" by pilot Jack Broughton, the story of F-105 operations into downtown Hanoi. They had a horrific loss rate.

[Hasselhof]

+1 Chickenhawk

[kingRB]

"Wings on my Sleeve" according to google. PS he may object to being referred to as RAF, he was actually Navy, Fleet Air Arm.

Thats the one!
Yes, sorry, it was the Fleet Air Arm, its been a couple years since I read it :ok:

Wings On My Sleeve: The World'S Greatest Test Pilot Tells His Story - Captain Eric Brown - Google Books (http://books.google.com.au/books/about/Wings_On_My_Sleeve.html?id=MMEK1jwD03AC&redir_esc=y)

[MakeItHappenCaptain]

Bit of a larf,

Fighter Pilot; Misadventures Beyond the Sound Barrier
Mac (http://blog.booktopia.com.au/2012/07/25/mac-serge-tucker-author-of-fighter-pilot-mis-adventures-beyond-the-sound-barrier-with-an-australian-top-gun-answers-ten-terrifying-questions/)

By Mac "Serge" Tucker. (Aussie F/A-18 driver.):ok:

[Gundog01]

Not a military read but Fate Is The Hunter is well worth a read.

[lamax]

"Flying the Oceans" by Horace Brock is about Pan Am's early flying boat operations across the Pacific and other areas in the Americas.

[DaisyDuck]

Fate is the Hunter by Ernest Gann for sure, and "Flight Plan PNG" by Eileen Steenson.

[Unusual-Attitude]

Cross eyed spitting cobra. Noel Von-hoff.

[blind pew]

Would second chickenhawk and fate is the hunter..
You could also try trust me I'm the pilot...but have a little self interest.
Reviews on amazon.co.uk

[fl610]

Vulcan 607 - Rowland White.

[Capetonian]

Alexander Frater traced the route of the Imperial Airways flying boats out to Oz, sector by sector, on current commercial carriers, I'd guess about 20 years ago.

I think the book was called Chasing the Blue Horizon (Google will tell you but my connection is painfully s......l.....o.........w)

[Fantome]

'Beyond the Blue Horizon' - truly a brilliant book, retracing the route of the old Imperial Airways/QEA (Qantas Empire Airways)) from England to Australia. Full of captivating personal contact with people met en route, on the ground and in the air.

Chesley Sullenberger's 'Highest Duty' is an outstanding telling of the life of a man who should be a role model for any young person aspiring to a career as a pilot; in any capacity.

Another 'must read' is ALOFT by William Langewieshe

More than a decade after the publication of 'Inside the Sky', 'Aloft' is a completely revised, expanded, and updated edition of this classic text, which is widely regarded as an outstandingly lyrical and incisive book on flying.

In these essays, William Langewiesche considers how flying has altered not only how we move about the earth, but also how we view our world and our place in it. With vivid descriptions of the aesthetics and excitement of flight, he also writes of the risks that go with this beauty: the perils of air traffic control, and the dangers of nervous passengers and bad weather. Full of spare and elegant prose, 'Aloft' is a fascinating journey into the sky.

The final chapter is a finely researched examination of the 2006 mid-air over Brazil of the Legacy 600 en route from the factory to New York and the brand new 737-800 of Gol with 154 POB going the other way at FL370. How the TCAS warning that might have spared a mid- air failed to be functional is covered in appalling detail. Also how the accuracy of the high tech gear maintaining each aircraft on tracks and altitudes with a precision that ensured well before it happened that the aircraft were fated to collide or pass only metres apart. The author's analysis of the CVRs and his insights into the failings of all who had a role in the disaster is in the tradition of the very best reporting.

At the other end of the spectrum, a book by the brilliant, idiosyncratic, sometimes crazy, medical doctor and pilot, Clyde Fenton, is one of the abidingly good reads about saving lives in the Outback in the 1930s. When the CASA (or CAA) of the day sent him a telegram saying his licence was forthwith suspended and his DH60 grounded, he cabled them one back in Melbourne saying 'THEY ARE ROUND AND THEY BOUNCE SIGNED FENTON'. As the saying goes . .. they threw away the mould after he was born. His name lives on in Katherine in 'Clyde Fenton School'.

[Doodlebug]

Robert Masons' Chickenhawk is probably the best I've come across. I'm just a fixed-wing driver but the writing is so vivid that I'm right there in the Huey with Mason as I read (and re-read!) the book. How about the bit where he goes down into the clearing to get the wounded out, actually chopping down small saplings with his blades as he descends the last few feet in! :eek:

Nächte im Bomberstrom by Paul Zorner is a very close second. Again written by a very humble man, no false embellishments, no cloying romanticism, just straight-out brutal this-is-how-it-was. Written in Kraut, though, don't know if there is a translation out yet.

[Armchairflyer]

Not quite flying- but aviation-related and IMHO a good and interesting read that gives some insight into the developments leading to the downward spiral in T&C, P2F etc.

Hard Landing: The Epic Contest for Power and Profits That Plunged the Airlines into Chaos by Thomas Petzinger - Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/438607.Hard_Landing)

[spinex]

Strange how quickly things slip beneath the radar these days, as a kid Paul Brickhill's "Reach for the Sky" and "The Dambusters" were staples for anyone interested in flying, esp WW11 stuff. I recently introduced an aircraft mad kid to the former and found that despite the slightly dated language and concepts it went down as well as it ever had. Slightly more recent and a fictionalised version of events in South East Asia are Stephen Coonts' "Flight of the Intruder" and "The Intruders"
+ 1 Chickenhawk
and just to prove that there are very few new ways to kill yourself or break an aircraft, Flying Magazines various "I learned about flying from that" compilations.

[the_rookie]

Biggles. Very hard to find now though

[hiwaytohell]

Three good reads on Apaches in Afghanistan:

Apache Dawn by Damien Lewis (was on the chuck out table at Big W). Great read although a touch corny in places.

Hellfire by Ed Macy. Excellent book!

Dressed to Kill by Charlotte Madison. Wow what a book and has to be the best book by or about a female aviator!!! And wow what a woman!

And while on the topic of helicopters, To The Limit by Tom Johnson, is a must read personal story by a young Vietnam Huey pilot.

[hiwaytohell]

And great US space related books:

The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe
Yeager by Chuck Yeager
Failure Is Not An Option by Gene Kranz

Carrying The Fire by Michael Collins - a fantastic book!
Forever Flying by Bob Hoover

And I just read Magnificent Desolation by Buzz Aldrin... a great personal insight into his life and battles with depression.

[gassed budgie]

For anyone that might be interested in the WW2 era, The Big Show by Pierre Clostermann (the latest unabridged edition) is worth tracking down.

[hiwaytohell]

And three of my favourite stories about our own pioneers:

Frigate Bird by PG Taylor. An absolute must read!

The Last Explorer by Simon Nasht. This is an absolutely brilliant biography of Sir Hubert Wilkins, what this guy did was just amazing!

Qantas By George by George Roberts. A great story by a great man.

[spinex]

highwaytohell you saved me some google bashing, I couldn't remember Charlotte Madison's name, but read the book when it was first released. Definite thumbs up and I'll look out for the others.

Biggles, yup he has a lot to answer for, I spent a good proportion of my pocket money on those (and Airfix models) and fortunately managed to hang onto most of the books.

Further to my earlier post re Reach for the Sky, have been reading an Aussie book by Ted Sly, "Luck of the Draw" and he has just mentioned Paul Brickhill being his wingman when he was shot down. He also mentions Neville Duke who wrote "Test Pilot" and others.

Although he isn't backward about coming forward with opinions, Roland Beaumont (Bee) is another pilot who made the most of his opportunities, "Flying to the Limit" and a couple of others are a fascinating look at the technical (and political) side of aircraft development.

[Unusual-Attitude]

Sled Driver - Brian Shul

[CoodaShooda]

Plenty of good reads out there, depending upon your area of interest and their availability in the modern era.

I'm doing a WW1 retro at the moment, thanks to having just read "Fire in the Sky" by Michael Molkentin. The story of the Australian Flying Corps.

So back to Quentin Reynolds "They Fought For The Sky",
James McCudden "Flying Fury", Ernst Udet "Ace of the Iron Cross", lots on Richtofen, V M Yeates "Winged Victory", Cecil Lewis "Sagittarius Rising" , Harry Cobby "High Adventure" through to Donald Jack "The Bandy Papers". :E

[Fantome]

Also in Darwhine, Cooda, you have one Andrew McMillan. His 'Catalina Dreaming', if you have not yet come across it, is a ripping tale of the the men who kept the Black Cats flying throughout the latter years of the war in the Pacific.

The chapter called 'The Cook's Lament' is a choice one. What the Yolngu people called the officious adjutant of the squadron based at Gove is priceless, in the context of the incident that provoked the name-calling.

(What is not mentioned in the book is that that man went on to become the president of the Australian Senate; Sir Alister McMullin GCMG. McMullin's daughter Catherine once told me back in Masling's days, running between Sydney and Scone where the McMullins lived, that while KCMG stands for 'Kindly Call Me God', GCMG stands for 'God Calls Me God').

Look out 'Catalina Dreaming', lads and lassies.

[spinex]

blind pew; "You could also try trust me I'm the pilot...but have a little self interest."

I'm hopeless with book titles, but recognised the description when I went looking for it on Amazon - definitely worth a read.:ok:

Another title I had to look up, "The Sky, my Kingdom" - Hanna Reitsch. Unpalatable politics aside, she had a large dose of the Right Stuff.

and a big +1 for Sled Driver.

[Gas Bags]

Flight 901 to Erebus by Ken Hickson...If you can find a copy! I think it is the sworn duty of every Kiwi to destroy copies of this book about their national carrier on sight......

Another brilliant read is Sugarbird Lady by Harold Dicks. Robin Miller was the daughter of Horrie Miller (MMA founder). An inspirational read.

[CoodaShooda]

Second that Fantome.
There's quite a few good books coming out about the air war in the Top End and the South Pacific in WWII.

Then there's "I Flew For MMA" by Reg Adkins. DC3 to F28.

Another vote too for Mac Tucker's Fighter Pilot and Chickenhawk and Ed Macy's Apache books.

[cribble]

Fighter Pilot by Robin Olds. I have just read the first chapter- this is going to be good.

[stevep64]

Haha! Not long after reading this thread earlier, I had a book advertisement pop up in my Twitter feed. The book was called Grounded, by R.K. Lilley. That sounds like it has an aviation theme, so I had a look at it and it turned out to be the third of a series called, Up in the Air.
I won't be reading it though, it's erotica with the main character a flight attendant. :ooh::O

Not my PPRuNe feed, the one with the little birdie icon.

[hiwaytohell]

And two very good management books:
From Worst To First by Gordon Bethune. This guy is an absolute legend.
Nuts by Kevin Freiberg.

[Yobbo]

NEVIL SHUTE wrote many excellent books on aviation.It may be difficult to find his work today.

ERNEST GHAN books are pretty hard to beat".Fate Is The Hunter" is his masterpiece.

[Bergerie1]

Sagittarius Rising by Cecil Lewis

[aroa]

"Nanette" Edwards Park...his love affair with a P 39 in New Guinea.:ok:
"Angels 20" is the extended version of his WW2 story.
"Zero" biog of Saburo Sakai, one of Japan's leading aces. Survived the war.
"Song of the Sky" Guy Murchie. Was a Navigator on C54s and Libs travelling around the world WW2.
"No Moon tonight" A Bomber Command classic like a "Piece of Cake"

Once was a kid who could recite you the last chapter of "Enemy Coast Ahead" but that was many thousands? of books ago, long forgotten now.
The original Pan paperback edition is mildewed, cockroach chewed, battered and worn..and always a top read.

"Lindberg" his bio, the story of the trans Atlantic flight, interwoven with his early flying exploits, barnstorming, mail pilot etc..that set him up with experience for the 'big one' Extraodinaire !!
Bit hard to contemplate hand flying for 36 hours, over water, thru difficult weather, in an age of unreliable engines, in an aeroplane with very little or no forward vision.!
Seems like sitting at home playing Russian roulette all day.!
But it worked !! Thankfully. Hence THE book.:ok:

[FoxtrotAlpha18]

I agree with the thread author - Matt Hall's book is a ripper, and eminently relatable!

Another I picked up on Amazon recently is Owen Zupp's '50 Tales of Flying, from Biplanes to Boeings'. Fantastic stories about all facets of flying. Owen is a commercial pilot with thousands of hours on multiple types and has lessons and stories we can all relate to and learn from. I can not recommend it highly enough! :ok:

[Capetonian]

NEVIL SHUTE wrote many excellent books on aviation.It may be difficult to find his work today.

'No Highway' is one of my favourites.

'Seize the Reckless Wind' by John Gordon Davis is also a good read but probably very hard to obtain a copy now.

[MakeItHappenCaptain]

"Forever Flying"

Bob Hoover.:ok:

[Piano Man]

One which I stumbled on by complete accident was The Bomber Boys (Booktopia - The Bomber Boys, Heroes Who Flew the B-17s in World War II by Travis L Ayres, 9780451228710. Buy this book online. (http://www.booktopia.com.au/the-bomber-boys-travis-l-ayres/prod9780451228710.html?gclid=CPXUyey377UCFWNMpgodaQwABg))
Started reading the book and couldn't put it down!

The other book which I have just started is indeed Fate is The Hunter. Only read the prologue and the first chapter but such a good read so far.

Matt Hall's book is looking like it could be of interest, and I didn't mind QF32.

[Kelly Slater]

Tiny Office Great Views by Aussi, Ross Isaacson.

[Fantome]

ditto the other plugs here for this one. . . . . 'Serge' is the totally authentic ex-RAAF F/A 18 driver with a sharp mind and consummate ability as a writer.

Fighter Pilot: Mis-Adventures Beyond the Sound Barrier with An Australian Top Gun: Mac 'Serge' Tucker: 9781743310199: Amazon.com: Books


How he progresses from a wide eyed boy at an airshow having a good chat with the late Ross Fox, who was there displaying his F/A 18, to being a graduate of the top gun school at Willytown is must read for any young blade aspiring to the RAAF's upper echelons, at least in the aviating way.

Many good laughs in this one, but also the grimmer aspects of good men being led by time serving, purblind, lily-livered lack lustres. 'Serge' does not hold back.

[flywatcher]

For down to earth flying in Australia, try "The Flying Fisherman".

[Animalclub]

NEVIL SHUTE wrote many excellent books on aviation.It may be difficult to find his work today.

For those of us in the USA you might find Nevil Shute's books filed under "Nevil Shute NORWAY" in your library.

[4by2withears]

Love the writings of Ernest Gann and PG Taylor. In my opinion though the outstanding No 1 would be "The Spirit of St Louis" by Charles Lindbergh. The autobiography that covers his early years and up to just after his Atlantic flight. His story of having an aircraft designed and built, test flown in a non stop flight across the States and then flown to Paris, all in less time than it would take for CASA to say "You are planning to what?!!" He was very meticulous in his planning but he had no pretentions or any inkling of the fame that would come his way. When he made his last position fix over St Johns New Foundland he had no idea that the world had been hanging on every sighting made during the day and that the world took a collective breath as he passed over the town and headed east and didn't breath out until he was sighted crossing the coast of Ireland.
He was naive to the point where as he nearing Paris and it being late in the day he was wondering to himself whether there might still be someone around who could perhaps give him a hand with the aircraft and perhaps a lift into town.
The book is a great read and it won a Pulitzer Prize. He was as good at writing as he was at aviating. I see it is available on bookdepository. A quote from that book that I have on the office wall is.




‘Is aviation too arrogant? Idon’t know. Sometimes flying feels too godlike to be attained by man.Sometimes, the world from above seems too beautiful, too wonderful, too distantfor human eyes to see, like a vision at the end of life forming a bridge to death.Can that be why so many pilots lose their lives? Is man encroaching on aforbidden realm? Is aviation dangerous because the sky was never meant for him?When one obtains too great a vision is there some power that draws one frommortal life forever? Will this power smite down pilot after pilot until manloses his will to fly? Or, still worse, will it deaden his senses and let himfly on without the vision? In developing aviation, in making it a form of commerce, in replacing the wild freedom ofdanger with the civilised bonds of safety, must we give up this miracle of theair? Will men fly through the sky in the future without seeing what I haveseen, without feeling what I have felt? Is that true of all things we callhuman progress - do the gods retire as commerce and science advance?’



Charles Lindbergh ‘The Spirit of St Louis’ 1953.

[Keg]

Another I picked up on Amazon recently is Owen Zupp's '50 Tales of Flying, from Biplanes to Boeings'. Fantastic stories about all facets of flying.


I'll second that.

Another good one is Riding Rockets by Mike Mullane. All about the Space Shuttle. Funny bloke.

[Skystar320]

I can't remember the book but there is a 'comedy' of a Heathrow based Long Haul Carrier and follows a Airline Manager.

Great laugh! Includes a gay assistant mamager..

[stevep64]

Lonely Sea and the Sky by Francis Chichester.

[aroa]

Flight of the Mew Gull.
Sigh for a Merlin.
Chichesters 'Solo' Gipsy Moth on wheels UK to Oz.
and on floats .."Ride the Wind" Trans Tasman and on to Japan
All :ok::ok::ok:

[Centaurus]

"My Secret War" by Richard S. Drury about his flying Skyraiders during the Vietnam war. Also his description of flying his Skyraider with his flight instruments shot up and having no choice but penetrating huge thunderstorms on his way back to base. Now that was real limited panel flying. His next book was called "Flightlines" and that has 54 separate wonderfully written stories.

Another rare book is "F4 Phantom - A Pilot's story" by Robert Prest published in 1979. RAF pilot story of how he came to fly the F4. One chapter is called "The land of the afterburner" and it makes your hair stand on end.

Then there are the superb writings by one of the finest aviation writers of all time, Len Morgan (USA). His books "View from the Cockpit" and "Vectors" were compiled from his regular column in US Flying magazine.

This Pprune correspondent was privileged to have Len Morgan add a complimentary comment as part of the Introduction to Tall Tails of the South Pacific, a book mentioned earlier in the thread.

[DTE]

Hi All,

There are some great titles here, old and new.

Gann is always a favourite and so is Richard Bach. He has a number of titles, but 'Biplane' is a great short read. Biplane: Richard Bach: 9780440206576: Amazon.com: Books

Cheers

Owen
Owen Zupp (http://www.owenzupp.com/home)

[Stationair8]

Darwin Spitfires by Anthony Cooper.

Failure of Triumph by E J Connellan.
A great read on how to start an airline from scratch, dealing with government departments, operating inferior equipment etc.

[poteroo]

Charles Kingsford Smith and Those Magnificent Men by Peter Fitzsimons. A great pilot but hopeless businessman - what's changed?

At War With the Wind by David Sears. The kamikazis nearly turned the Pacific War.

Retribution - The Battle for Japan 1944-45 by Max Hastings. One of my favourite historical authors who explains why the war against Japan was prosecuted so ruthlessly. The political decisions leading up to both the incendiary, and the atomic war, make interesting reading.

1942 by Bob Worth. When we almost lost WW2.

Wings of Destiny by Charles Page. The bio of W/Cdr Charles Learmonth. Deals particularly with 22 Sqdn RAAAf flying Bostons in PNG. The Battle of the Bismarch Sea - the very 1st time an air force completely routed a large naval force - is a highlight of this book.

Whispering Death by Mark Johnston is the story of Aussie airman in the Pacific War. Many were in RAF sqdns, and quite a few with the USAAF. The low level ops done in P-40s, Bostons and Beaufighters is a good read. If you've flown in PNG - you recognise lots of the locations.

happy days,

[AusFlygal]

For something non-military, go for a book called 'Propellerhead' by an Enlish guy named Antony Woodward - very funny book. This is one review I found:

Anthony Woodward was never remotely interested in flying. And you don't have to be either to enjoy Woodward's book Propellerhead which tells the story of the author's hilarious and foolhardy attempts to learn to fly a microlight. The main motivation behind Woodward's determination to get his wings is to get the girls. Ever since his mate Richard had returned from Africa having learnt to fly, women seemed to flock to him. Richard had become "a person of deeper substance; tinged with a romantic whiff of intelligence, wealth and daring. Or so the girls plainly seemed to think." Incredulously, and infuriatingly, the bank manager had become a babe magnet. Having gone through long periods of unrelieved celibacy Woodward decides to join a flying syndicate (comprising of Richard and an eccentric Norfolk landowner and his son) and spends the weekends with his head in the clouds and his heart in his mouth. A kind of Those Magnificent Men Behaving Badly in Their Flying Machines, Propellerhead recalls one astonishing aeronautical escapade after the other--such as the time Woodward finds himself slap-bang in the middle of the flight path of a Battle of Britain fly-past. As you read about the hapless pilot's close shaves, near misses and direct hits don't be surprised to find yourself instinctively adopting the crash position........"

[Unusual-Attitude]

On my shelf:-

Fate is the hunter- e gann
Test pilot- Neville duke (hunter tp)
Test pilot- Brian trubshaw (concord ctp)
Flying doctor stories series- bill marsh
Flying doctor- Clyde Fenton
A view from the hover- John farly (harrier ctp)
The big show- Pierre clostermann
Fighter pilot- Paul richy
Bomber boys- Kevin Wilson
Chickenhawk- Robert mason
Wind, sand and stars- st. Expery
Slipping the surly bonds- McGraw hill
Jonathan Livingston seagull- r Bach
Balus series- James Sinclair
Wild blue- David fisher and William Garvey
Killing zone- McGraw hill
Air America- Christopher Robbins

I think there's more that I've lent out and never got back...but any of the above are great...if I could only take one with me on holiday? Hmmmm...:confused:

Good thread...I've a few more to add to the growing library now! Ta!

[aroa]

Richard Bach "Stranger to the Ground" Night flight UK to Froggie land in an F 84. Cbs n all.

[Obidiah]

"Fly For Your Life"

Larry Forrester's biogragphy of Robert Standford Tuck.

WW2 RAF Ace, some new copies are fetching several hundred dollars, 2nd hand still availble at normal prices on the web.

Simply brilliant read!

[rattly_spats]

Think Like A Bird: An Army Pilot's Story by Alex Kimbell. A great yarn, if you can find a copy.

[aroa]

"Operation Overflight" Francis Gary Powers, his story. Top yarn
Gives good insight into U2 ops up high in the "death zone", and his shoot down and incarceration in good old USSR.

Nothing changes with regard to bureaucracies tho, CYA 101 and get a scapegoat. And media reporting.

[Centaurus]

WW2 RAF Ace, some new copies are fetching several hundred dollars, 2nd hand still availble at normal prices on the web.


First class book indeed. I bought my copy (original with original dust cover still in place) at an Op shop five years ago for 50 cents.

[Long Bay Mauler]

SEA HARRIER OVER THE FALKLANDS by Sharkey " Nigel" Ward :ok:

RAF HARRIER GROUND ATTACK - FALKLANDS by Jerry Pook :ok:

[Fantome]

You have no doubt been a tinny bugger most of your life Centaur old horse
Would be hard graft hunting through tables at say a library sale with the likes of scavengers of our class digging and delving elbow to elbow

and indeed, for the patient, oppies can be gold mines for good reads

'FLY FOR YOUR LIFE' is as others have said a cracker. How Tuck put a shell up the barrel of an ack ack gun trained at him as he was about to dead stick into a confined spot is pure Ripleys.

[Pinky the pilot]

'Enemy Coast Ahead' by Guy Gibson.

Written after the Dams raid when he was taken off Ops, supposedly permanently. Didn't work out that way though.

Apparently the draft finally published was somewhat censored but the book was recently republished with the censored bits replaced.

Agree with comments re 'Fly for your Life.' A cracking read indeed!

[AdamFrisch]

Stranger To The Ground - Richard Bach.

Bach is always a good read, but this is gripping stuff of him flying a night mission in a F-84F Thunderstreak to deliver a top secret satchel of documents from England to France at the height of the Cold War and in a deathly thunderstorm...

Air Vagabonds - Anthony J. Vallone

A great read from the hey days of 70's and 80's when crazy ferry pilots delivered single engine aircraft all over the world, across huge oceans with a cabin full of fuel.. There are some hair rising flights that the author had to deal with. Nailbiting read.

Of course as has been mentioned numerously - Fate Is The Hunter.

[sundaun]

Antoin de st Expury has written a coupla good ones re the regular single engine crossings of the South Atlantic in single engined aircraft, solo. An amazing pilot and author, Lyon airport named after him, and wrote a variety of childrens titles. Missing in action over Europe in a reconnassaince P38 late in the War. Have only ever managed to nab one hard copy of his.

[sheppey]

Actually, I find Pprune website a good read. Everything from high drama, facts and farce, all at your fingertips and free too. Best of all is Pprune Aviation History and Nostagia Forum for the oldies.:ok:.

[SPL-101]

A lifetime in longhaul. Bill Anderson.