Searching for a good read...
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Just read "Roll back the Skies" by Vern Polley in Australia. Fascinating reading of his time as a RAAF pilot from 1940 to when he retired age 60 after flying DC3, DC4,DC6, Connies, 707's, Tridents and 737's . Stories of his flying the Pacific in the four engine prop types and the dozens of engine failures that occurred make excellent reading. 200 pages.
He retired with 31,000 hours and now at age 86 lives out his life in a nursing home near Sydney. He wrote the book in 2000 self published. Send $20(Australian dollars) cash to him C/O Emmaus Nursing Home, Barney drive, Port Macquarie, NSW 2444, Australia and as he still has a few copies under his bed he will send them to you. Include something for return postage.
He retired with 31,000 hours and now at age 86 lives out his life in a nursing home near Sydney. He wrote the book in 2000 self published. Send $20(Australian dollars) cash to him C/O Emmaus Nursing Home, Barney drive, Port Macquarie, NSW 2444, Australia and as he still has a few copies under his bed he will send them to you. Include something for return postage.
Fly Navy: a collection of stories from FAA crew over the years. I bought mine at the FAA Museum, and am thoroughly enjoying the anecdotes.
Well worth a read.
Also "They Gave Me a Seafire", by Mike Crosley, also form the FAA Museum.
Well worth a read.
Also "They Gave Me a Seafire", by Mike Crosley, also form the FAA Museum.
For a book that is up there with Ernest Gann's stories, try "My Secret War" by Richard Drury. ISBN; 0-312-90503-3. Published in 1979. A fine flying book about Rick Drury's experiences flying Skyraiders in Vietnam. Type Rick Drury into Google and you can get the book via that website.
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Nice thread - I actually found a few that hadn't read or didn't have!
I would like to add
1. Maverick - Sea Harrier at War by Sharky Ward. The Falklands Air War and the Sea Harrier, written by the CO of 801 Sqn
2. Think Like a Bird, An Army Pilot Story by Alex Kimbell. Story of a Army fixed wing pilot, gave me new respect for people flying light planes - talks about Chipmunk, Auster and Beaver flying with the Omani theatre of war thrown in.
3. Flying Upside Down: True Tales of an Antarctic Pilot by Mark A. Hinebaugh. A Navy C-130 pilot. My dad was an Indian Air Force transport pilot and I thought his stories of flying Dakota's in the Himalayas coulndt be topped - but this one does it!
4. Airborne by Neil Williams. What fantastic stories by this RAF test pilot and aerobatics champion - from flying a Cassut Racer in aerobatics competition to the Spitfire to a Meteor for a warbird collector. His other classic "Aerobatics" I am slowly absorbing while preparing to do my first aerobatic competition.
5. Cessna, wings for the world: The single-engine development story by William Thompson. He wrote two more after this - but only this one impresses. Cessna was developing a new type every year for a while - and he was the test pilot responsible for more than a couple. Taught me a few things on why my Cessna-150 is the way it is, and what they tried to make Cessna-182 I fly and why the Cessna-172RG Cutlass doesnt handle like the Cessna-172 Skyhawk (it handles much sweeter which I observed first hand- because its actually a development of Cessna-175 Skylane and not the 172!)
I'll think of more later!
I would like to add
1. Maverick - Sea Harrier at War by Sharky Ward. The Falklands Air War and the Sea Harrier, written by the CO of 801 Sqn
2. Think Like a Bird, An Army Pilot Story by Alex Kimbell. Story of a Army fixed wing pilot, gave me new respect for people flying light planes - talks about Chipmunk, Auster and Beaver flying with the Omani theatre of war thrown in.
3. Flying Upside Down: True Tales of an Antarctic Pilot by Mark A. Hinebaugh. A Navy C-130 pilot. My dad was an Indian Air Force transport pilot and I thought his stories of flying Dakota's in the Himalayas coulndt be topped - but this one does it!
4. Airborne by Neil Williams. What fantastic stories by this RAF test pilot and aerobatics champion - from flying a Cassut Racer in aerobatics competition to the Spitfire to a Meteor for a warbird collector. His other classic "Aerobatics" I am slowly absorbing while preparing to do my first aerobatic competition.
5. Cessna, wings for the world: The single-engine development story by William Thompson. He wrote two more after this - but only this one impresses. Cessna was developing a new type every year for a while - and he was the test pilot responsible for more than a couple. Taught me a few things on why my Cessna-150 is the way it is, and what they tried to make Cessna-182 I fly and why the Cessna-172RG Cutlass doesnt handle like the Cessna-172 Skyhawk (it handles much sweeter which I observed first hand- because its actually a development of Cessna-175 Skylane and not the 172!)
I'll think of more later!
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Worf, thought I - or someone else - had mentioned Neil Williams' classic Airborne... but if not, what an oversight!
But it's the Cosmic Wind "Ballerina" rather than a Cassutt he describes so fantastically in the book - he campaigned the Cosmic in the World Aeros in 1964. First Cassutts appeared in the UK around 1970ish thanks to Tom Storey. Sorry, Anorak off...
But, what a great book...
But it's the Cosmic Wind "Ballerina" rather than a Cassutt he describes so fantastically in the book - he campaigned the Cosmic in the World Aeros in 1964. First Cassutts appeared in the UK around 1970ish thanks to Tom Storey. Sorry, Anorak off...
But, what a great book...
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New out is "ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS" by J H EVANS. The book has just been published and is available from www.sherbornepublishing.com
Really enjoyed it!
Really enjoyed it!
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Gentlemen
I'm very suprised that there is only one mention of 'Think Like a Bird' . I've read most of those listed but this was fantastic .If you haven't read it go and get a copy !
Only angels have wings ? is that the same as the Cary Grant film about flying the mail in south America ?
I'm very suprised that there is only one mention of 'Think Like a Bird' . I've read most of those listed but this was fantastic .If you haven't read it go and get a copy !
Only angels have wings ? is that the same as the Cary Grant film about flying the mail in south America ?
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Summer Holiday "rainy Sunday" search:
The F-86 Sabre, R. J. Childerhose, "Famous Aircraft Series".
(Only got a softback photocopy-copy) Hilarious account from a Canadian fighter pilot in the 50'ies. Mostly in Europe. "I've got forty Americans cornered over Bitburg - (but found out he was alone!)"
Plane Speaking, Bill Gunston. A personal view of aviation history.
If you know his style of writing......
No Moon Tonight, Don Charlwood. (And the later "Journeys into Night"). Australians in RAF Bomber Command. Many of their graves around here.
Not many about air traffic control?
Pressure Cooker, Don Biggs.
Vectors to Spare, Milovan S. Brenlove.
(Both American)
You are not sparrows, S. J. Carr.
Between the wars in the RAF. (Much of it in the Mideast)
The F-86 Sabre, R. J. Childerhose, "Famous Aircraft Series".
(Only got a softback photocopy-copy) Hilarious account from a Canadian fighter pilot in the 50'ies. Mostly in Europe. "I've got forty Americans cornered over Bitburg - (but found out he was alone!)"
Plane Speaking, Bill Gunston. A personal view of aviation history.
If you know his style of writing......
No Moon Tonight, Don Charlwood. (And the later "Journeys into Night"). Australians in RAF Bomber Command. Many of their graves around here.
Not many about air traffic control?
Pressure Cooker, Don Biggs.
Vectors to Spare, Milovan S. Brenlove.
(Both American)
You are not sparrows, S. J. Carr.
Between the wars in the RAF. (Much of it in the Mideast)
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I've just finished "Flying Witness" by Graham Wallace. It's the story of the first dedicated Air Correspondent, Harry Harper. It's a really fascinating account of the reporting of early aviation.
It's an old book, but it's readily available.
Rob
It's an old book, but it's readily available.
Rob
Wow, this is an interesting thread!
I'd recommend
* "Thud Ridge" by Jack Broughton (easily available in used form from the usual sources),
* "Chickenhawk" by Robert Mason
* "The Wrong Stuff" by John Moore
and of course
* "Cannibal Queen" by Stephen Coonts,.
Here's one I haven't read yet, but which seems to be very interesting:
* "The Starship Diaries" by Dallas Kachan
http://www.starshipdiaries.com/
And I'd like to recommend just about *any* book by Bill Gunston, especially "Plane Speaking" !
[edited for spelling]
I'd recommend
* "Thud Ridge" by Jack Broughton (easily available in used form from the usual sources),
* "Chickenhawk" by Robert Mason
* "The Wrong Stuff" by John Moore
and of course
* "Cannibal Queen" by Stephen Coonts,.
Here's one I haven't read yet, but which seems to be very interesting:
* "The Starship Diaries" by Dallas Kachan
http://www.starshipdiaries.com/
And I'd like to recommend just about *any* book by Bill Gunston, especially "Plane Speaking" !
[edited for spelling]
Last edited by flugholm; 28th Jul 2005 at 09:24.
"Reach for the Sky" - biography of Douglas Bader - the WWII fighter pilot who lost his legs and still went to war flying the Spitfire...amazing story...truly inspirational...
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Two by Tom Crouch: "The Bishop's Boys" and "A Dream of Wings": The Wrights, their family and friends, colleagues and competitors.
Was it sheer luck that through constant arguments with each other, through their skill in building lightweight vehicles, and their nature to prove or disprove established science, they set the course for the first century of flight?
Was it sheer luck that through constant arguments with each other, through their skill in building lightweight vehicles, and their nature to prove or disprove established science, they set the course for the first century of flight?
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also try "Never stop the engine when its hot" by David Lee, he was a young RAF pilot in British India, around 1935... Lots of flying stuff, plus a very illuminating insight into the workings of the Raj!
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Don't judge a book by its cover
G'day,
I enjoyed "The Invisible Air Force" which was re-released as "Air America" (with Robert Downey Jr and Mel Gibson on the cover) after the movie was released.
Don't be put off by the cover. It's not about the movie, but a real account of the CIA's airline and its start with the Flying Tigers and CAT in China.
Also, for Aussies, some interesting links with the Nugan-Hand bank in the '80s in the final chapter.
Great read.
Cheers
CB
I enjoyed "The Invisible Air Force" which was re-released as "Air America" (with Robert Downey Jr and Mel Gibson on the cover) after the movie was released.
Don't be put off by the cover. It's not about the movie, but a real account of the CIA's airline and its start with the Flying Tigers and CAT in China.
Also, for Aussies, some interesting links with the Nugan-Hand bank in the '80s in the final chapter.
Great read.
Cheers
CB
Woman Pilot - autobio of Jackie Moggridge, one of the first women ATA ferry pilots and who ferried more aircraft than any other pilot male or female. After the war, flew Spitfires from the Middle East to Burma.
Braver Men Walk Away - autobio of Peter Gurney who eventually became top home office bomb disposal officer.
Both out of print but available.
Braver Men Walk Away - autobio of Peter Gurney who eventually became top home office bomb disposal officer.
Both out of print but available.