best aviation book you have read?
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My all time favourite is the Pulitzer prize winning "Spirit of St Louis" by Charles A. Lindberg it's a wonderful read , head and shoulders over many , not just about the incredible achievement it describes but also the quality of the writing.
Wunper
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Yer Ganns and yer St Ex's are all very fine - great books, don't get me wrong, but for me there is only one book in contention.
The author is, of course, Richard Bach, and the book at the top is Jonathan Livingston Seagull.
Guys, scoff if you will (as I once did), but please read it first (it'll take you a couple of hours at most). I was instantly converted, as you will be. It is simply the finest description of the thrill and ethos of learning to become an airman that has ever been written.
And most of what else Mr Bach has written is pretty dam good too.
Otherwise try Sir Francis Chichester's story of flying round the world in a Tiger Moth (including a ditching and total self-rebuild), Adolf Galland's autobiography which read alongside Reach for the Sky gives a superb double take on WW2 in the air. Chickenhawk, as mentioned above is the best helo book,and try Alex Henshaw's Sigh for a Merlin for a differrent take on the Spitfire.
Alex, bless him, is still alive as far as I know, and his utterly gorgeous Mew Gull has recently been sold by the Shuttleworth Collection (why, fer chrissakes?) yet still holds every single piston engined record for London - Cape Town and back and every sector in between. He and G-AEXF set that record in the mid thirties and no-one has ever broken it. Boy would I like the chance...
The author is, of course, Richard Bach, and the book at the top is Jonathan Livingston Seagull.
Guys, scoff if you will (as I once did), but please read it first (it'll take you a couple of hours at most). I was instantly converted, as you will be. It is simply the finest description of the thrill and ethos of learning to become an airman that has ever been written.
And most of what else Mr Bach has written is pretty dam good too.
Otherwise try Sir Francis Chichester's story of flying round the world in a Tiger Moth (including a ditching and total self-rebuild), Adolf Galland's autobiography which read alongside Reach for the Sky gives a superb double take on WW2 in the air. Chickenhawk, as mentioned above is the best helo book,and try Alex Henshaw's Sigh for a Merlin for a differrent take on the Spitfire.
Alex, bless him, is still alive as far as I know, and his utterly gorgeous Mew Gull has recently been sold by the Shuttleworth Collection (why, fer chrissakes?) yet still holds every single piston engined record for London - Cape Town and back and every sector in between. He and G-AEXF set that record in the mid thirties and no-one has ever broken it. Boy would I like the chance...
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Too many to mention... the boss always complains about the amount of books I've got in the house.
Some that come to mind
Richard Bach - "A Gift of Wings", "Biplane" and "Jonathan Livingston's Seagull"
Derek Robinson - "Goshawk Squadron" and "A Piece of Cake"
A good non-fiction read was "The Last of the Lightening" by Ian Black (I think) short term memory on Authors.
I tend to spend about £30 / £40 a month on books (cheaper to join a library I guess) and often buy books off Amazon that are in "the others who bought your choice also bought..." I've found some new authors that way.
Some that come to mind
Richard Bach - "A Gift of Wings", "Biplane" and "Jonathan Livingston's Seagull"
Derek Robinson - "Goshawk Squadron" and "A Piece of Cake"
A good non-fiction read was "The Last of the Lightening" by Ian Black (I think) short term memory on Authors.
I tend to spend about £30 / £40 a month on books (cheaper to join a library I guess) and often buy books off Amazon that are in "the others who bought your choice also bought..." I've found some new authors that way.
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Pigboat. Another book such as the one you described was Sir P.G. Taylors "Frigate Bird ". Also about his Catalina flight across the Pacific. The co-pilot on that flight was Captain Harry Purvis AFC -a highly experienced wartime Hudson pilot. Harry Purvis later became manager of the Sydney Morning Herald Flying Services (circa 1948) which operated a couple of freighter Hudsons and DC3's on night time newspaper dropping runs. As a 17 year old I used to fly on those runs helping to unload the newspapers.
Among my favourite books are: F4 Phantom by Robert Prest. Band of Brothers by Ernest Gann. My Secret War by Richard Drury. View from the Cockpit by Len Morgan. The Big Sky by Johnny Johnston.
But there are so many more. All looking down at me from my bookcase and wishing that I could find the time to read them again.
Among my favourite books are: F4 Phantom by Robert Prest. Band of Brothers by Ernest Gann. My Secret War by Richard Drury. View from the Cockpit by Len Morgan. The Big Sky by Johnny Johnston.
But there are so many more. All looking down at me from my bookcase and wishing that I could find the time to read them again.
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Seriously missing from this posting so far is anything by US author Walter Boyne, his trilogy Trophy for Eagles, Air Force Eagles, and Eagles simply cannot be missed.
..although PIECE OF CAKE must rate as the best flying book ever written .......
...ps ... am a little embrassed to admit I only just purchased FATE IS THE HUNTER today...
..although PIECE OF CAKE must rate as the best flying book ever written .......
...ps ... am a little embrassed to admit I only just purchased FATE IS THE HUNTER today...
Try "The Sky Belongs to Them" by Roland Winfield. It is about a DR with the Institute of Aviation Medicine in WW2 who for his research into RAF Medicine did around 30 Combat Sorties with No 7 Squadron PFF and other units in order to experiance what caused different things that they had been told about and then to try to fix these problems. It is a superb book to read.
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(Takes deep breath)
The Big Show - Pierre Closterman. Describes Spitfire and Tempest ops during WWII. An education for those who think that Allied air power reigned supreme on mainland Europe in 1945.
F4 Phantom, A Pilots Story - Robert Prest. Love the bit where he says that yes, his Granny could be trained to fly a circuit in a Phantom, but what would she do if something went wrong? (Wonder what Robert Prest is doing now?)
Sigh For a Merlin - Alex Henshaw. One of Supermarines Spitfire test pilots in WWII. Close to a god, and, I believe, still with us. Describes his Spifire demonstrations, starting with wheels up - half loop, roll off the top - and 2 more half loops and rolls, before vertical dive(!!)
Carrier Pilot - Norman Hanson. FAA Corsair memories - right there in the cokpit with him.
They Gave Me A Seafire - 'Mike Crosley'. Half way through it - rightly a 'Classic' (as described by the publishers). Page after page of rivetting stuff.
The Big Show - Pierre Closterman. Describes Spitfire and Tempest ops during WWII. An education for those who think that Allied air power reigned supreme on mainland Europe in 1945.
F4 Phantom, A Pilots Story - Robert Prest. Love the bit where he says that yes, his Granny could be trained to fly a circuit in a Phantom, but what would she do if something went wrong? (Wonder what Robert Prest is doing now?)
Sigh For a Merlin - Alex Henshaw. One of Supermarines Spitfire test pilots in WWII. Close to a god, and, I believe, still with us. Describes his Spifire demonstrations, starting with wheels up - half loop, roll off the top - and 2 more half loops and rolls, before vertical dive(!!)
Carrier Pilot - Norman Hanson. FAA Corsair memories - right there in the cokpit with him.
They Gave Me A Seafire - 'Mike Crosley'. Half way through it - rightly a 'Classic' (as described by the publishers). Page after page of rivetting stuff.
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.
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Factual industry books....
Spitfire by Jeffrey Quill
Slide Rule by neville Shute
Memoirs.........
Flying Start by Sir Hugh Dundas (I got a signed copy from him when it was published)
Spitfire by Jeffrey Quill
Slide Rule by neville Shute
Memoirs.........
Flying Start by Sir Hugh Dundas (I got a signed copy from him when it was published)
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Fiction, try the early works of Gavin Lyall. Evocative novels of the world of ex-military pilots scratching a living after the war.
- The Wrong Side of the Sky,
--The Most Dangerous Game,
--Midnight Plus One,
--Shooting Script.
Also try Shadow 81 by Lucien Nahum. Jeremy Clarkson rated it one of the best 5 novels he'd ever read. It's stuck in my mind for over 20 years.
Non-fiction:
The Ravens - Pilots of the Secret War in Laos, and Air America
both by Christopher Robbins.
- The Wrong Side of the Sky,
--The Most Dangerous Game,
--Midnight Plus One,
--Shooting Script.
Also try Shadow 81 by Lucien Nahum. Jeremy Clarkson rated it one of the best 5 novels he'd ever read. It's stuck in my mind for over 20 years.
Non-fiction:
The Ravens - Pilots of the Secret War in Laos, and Air America
both by Christopher Robbins.
I was fascinated and moved by 'Chickenhawk', must read it again. Another must read is 'Wings on my Sleeve by Eric 'Winkle'Brown, describing his exploits at Farnborough during and after the WWII.
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pigboat
I also met Ernie Gann during the London-Victoria airrace.
Going through Narssarssuaq (Greenland) on his way to the start of the race in his Cessna 310, we spent 8 hours talking in my office (the TWR!).
He told me it was his first visit to Narssarssuaq in 27 years! We could have talked forever!
Fate is the Hunter is very close to the top of the list!
I also met Ernie Gann during the London-Victoria airrace.
Going through Narssarssuaq (Greenland) on his way to the start of the race in his Cessna 310, we spent 8 hours talking in my office (the TWR!).
He told me it was his first visit to Narssarssuaq in 27 years! We could have talked forever!
Fate is the Hunter is very close to the top of the list!
Menen, thank you. I shall certainly look for the book. I believe his aircraft was called "Frigate Bird."
LIN, yeah I asked him if the freighter was still there.
There's another author that no one mentioned here, Don McVicar. Don wrote several books, all of them about his wartime and post war experiences in aviation. Two titles are "Distant Early Warning" and "The Railway From The Sky." Excellent reading.
LIN, yeah I asked him if the freighter was still there.
There's another author that no one mentioned here, Don McVicar. Don wrote several books, all of them about his wartime and post war experiences in aviation. Two titles are "Distant Early Warning" and "The Railway From The Sky." Excellent reading.
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Three stand out for me.
"F4 Phantom - A Pilot's Story" - can't really add much to what others have already said, except that it's the closest I'll ever come to flying a Phantom.
"609 at War" - a pictorial record of 609 Sqn's service between 1939 and 1945. Signed by a number of 609 pilots and the author. Definately one of my most prized possessions.
"First of the Many" - at least I think that's what it's called. I lent it to a mate a few years ago, and he now lives in Oz...
It's an account of the Eighth's war, written at the time, names and places censored. A real time capsule of a book. Really must try to get hold of another copy...
"F4 Phantom - A Pilot's Story" - can't really add much to what others have already said, except that it's the closest I'll ever come to flying a Phantom.
"609 at War" - a pictorial record of 609 Sqn's service between 1939 and 1945. Signed by a number of 609 pilots and the author. Definately one of my most prized possessions.
"First of the Many" - at least I think that's what it's called. I lent it to a mate a few years ago, and he now lives in Oz...
It's an account of the Eighth's war, written at the time, names and places censored. A real time capsule of a book. Really must try to get hold of another copy...
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Another two good ones (regardless of personal opions of the guys) have to be autobiographies of Chuck Yeager and Bob Hoover.....
... as risk of boring you all silly another good couple of quotes
"There are no old bold pilots"....except Bob Hoover
"A Piper Cub can kill you.... but only just"
... as risk of boring you all silly another good couple of quotes
"There are no old bold pilots"....except Bob Hoover
"A Piper Cub can kill you.... but only just"
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The way I heard it:
"There old pilots and bold pilots but no old bold pilots" - old aviation Adage.
"Bob Hoover" - exception to old aviation adage.
"There old pilots and bold pilots but no old bold pilots" - old aviation Adage.
"Bob Hoover" - exception to old aviation adage.
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A book I found very good is titled Beyond the Blue Horizon by Alexander Frater. Described on the back cover as "The romance and excitement of the legendary Imperial Airways Eastbound service-The worlds longest and most adventurous scheduled air route-relived fifty years later in one of the most original travel books of the decade.
Not strictly stick and rudder stuff, but Mr Frater sure knows how to describe the aeronautical feel for the history of the route.
Prospector
Not strictly stick and rudder stuff, but Mr Frater sure knows how to describe the aeronautical feel for the history of the route.
Prospector
SHAR over the Falklands: A Maverick at war.
CDR Nigel Ward. For some funny reason my favourite chapter in that book is No.5 where he describes his Phantom F4K days and learning the 'tricks of the trade' at the AWI School and later in the squadron. Short but untouchable.
CDR Nigel Ward. For some funny reason my favourite chapter in that book is No.5 where he describes his Phantom F4K days and learning the 'tricks of the trade' at the AWI School and later in the squadron. Short but untouchable.
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A book I found very good is titled Beyond the Blue Horizon by Alexander Frater.
Yep, IMHO a good read.
Frater has an interest in the Empire Flying Boats - there was a program on TV some years ago by him called "The Last African Flying Boat". A Catalina was was 'piloting' a unique holiday - fly the Empire route through Africa in a flying boat. The 'Cat' had its limitations (including hot and high take off limitations) and I don't know what happened to the holiday idea. But the program was superb.
SSD
Yep, IMHO a good read.
Frater has an interest in the Empire Flying Boats - there was a program on TV some years ago by him called "The Last African Flying Boat". A Catalina was was 'piloting' a unique holiday - fly the Empire route through Africa in a flying boat. The 'Cat' had its limitations (including hot and high take off limitations) and I don't know what happened to the holiday idea. But the program was superb.
SSD