First light, more of the same?

[Loose rivets]

Like most people that read this forum, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Geof. Wellam's ‘First Light'. Shortly after, I picked up a copy of ‘Head in the Clouds by Goronwy Edwards. Airlife publishing Ltd. 1996 ISBN 1 85310 590 2

Same era and some of the same - breath taking - exploits, but with a major difference...this guy seems to have put a vast amount of energy into horseplay: I just cannot understand how he didn't get shot at dawn...by his boss. If you love aviation and have a mischievous sense of humor, then this is a must read.

I'm sorry to say that I have not heard of him before, as he has published ‘Norwegian Patrol' in 1985 (same publisher).

It has to be said that I paid a quid at my local library for this now withdrawn book, and I don't know the usual time on shelf of such an item. I would be interested to know if this did reach the attention of aviation enthusiasts and I just happened to miss it, cos if ever the was a little book to be up on the shelf beside Fate is the Hunter and of course First light, then this is it.

[High Wing Drifter]

LR,

Horse play and wizard larks in First Light are nothing compared to the antics that CJ Sheddan describes in Tempest Pilot (ISBN 1-904010-38-5). A veritible New Zeland nutter by his account!

First Light is a good read, but I read "Think Like a Bird" (Alex Kimbell ISBN 1-84937-175-7) first so the impact was not as great.

TLAB is an account of flying Austers and Beavers with the Army Air Corp in Aden. Something most PPLs can relate to and an absolutely brilliant story.

My order of enjoyment: FITH, Think Like a Bird, The Last Enemy then First Light with Thom's Air Law trailing in a very distant last place :}

[smartman]

LR & HWD

If you go to amazon.co.uk, you'll find all these titles for sale ----

[Gainesy]

HWD,
Ordered TLAB on your advice t'other day; arrived this am and can't put it down. Cracking read.
Cheers.

[You want it when?]

I ordered and read copies of "Head in the Clouds" and "Tempest Pilot" but I've got to say that "Head in the Clouds" seemed very disjointed and not as good as "First Light", whihc is still great even after a number of reads.

Mind you HITC is still loads better than anything I could write, so I'm not knocking the author. But I will be moving it on via a famous auction site (does saying that break the PPRuNe rules)

I've ordered "Think Like A Bird" - I have way to much time on my hands! Thanks for the recomendations. :p

[Gainesy]

Didn't think much of Tempest Pilot.
Read TLAB in a day, only complaint that it was not longer.

[You want it when?]

I can strongly recomend - "Think Like A Bird", it's a great story and well written. I've had to order his follow up story... :ok:

[REF]

I enjoyed First Light, I have now just started reading Bader - The Man and his Men, it is one of those Cassell Military paperbacks. so far so good!

Richard

[Saab Dastard]

Just been given a load of books for my birthday:

HITC
TLAB
TBS
TP

as recommended / suggested above.

I also got:

Fighter Boys - Patrick Bishop
Night Flyer - Lewis Brandon
Pursuit through Darkened Skies - Michael Allen
Nine Live of a Fighter Pilot - Terence Kelly
A Willingness to Die - Brian Kingcome

My family have begun to notice a trend...

I haven't read them yet, so I cannot recommend any yet, but I'll try to post back a thumbs up or down.

I read Nevil Shute's book "No Highway" recently - 25p in charity shop - and can recommend it. It's the one with Mr. Honey and the fatigue failure, written in 1948. Actually I've enjoyed all the Nevil Shute books I've read, whether or not there's aircraft in them.

SD

[Skylark4]

Neville Shutes' biography, 'Slide Rule', is well worth reading. Apart from anything else, it confirms that the politicians have ALWAYS been poking their fingers into aviation and making a mess of it.

Mike W

[con-pilot]

I am fortunate enough to have all of Neville Shute’s (Norway) books, first editions. I took me quite some time to collect all of them, and some of them were quite expensive.

I even have the screenplay version of “On the Beach”.

Not all of his works were about aviation, but all of his books are well worth reading. He was in many ways well ahead of his times.

[Tocsin]

I've just read the new (unabridged) edition of Closterman's "The Big Show", and found it a good read. In particular, covering the last stages of the war I was surprised at the intensity, opposition and losses in the last months.

My only objection was when he called 609 Sqn a bunch of pirates ;-)

[Saab Dastard]

Here's another ringing endorsement for "Think Like a Bird".

Great writing, every chapter has several nuggets of wisdom for all those who wish to become aviators, rather than aeroplane drivers!

Fascinating story for me, as one of my uncles was on the course at Middle Wallop in (I think) 1958.

Definitely up there in the "essential reading" bracket. :ok:

SD

[Bus429]

It may have been mentioned before but "We Landed By Moonlight" is one of my favourite WW 2 themed books.

You may also want to try"Arkells" "Moonlight" Bitter (a beer, not a book). It tastes better than the book.
There is an association between the two.