A very good military read
Nemo Me Impune Lacessit
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Was told to read: "A Bright Shining Lie" by Neil Sheehan. Haven't found it yet, anyone know if it is any good or just another political rant?
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I'd second AR1 re. One Day in a Long War - excellent read. Also sitting on my shelves: Scream of Eagles by Robert K. Wilcox, on the creation of Top Gun.
Air America by Christopher Robbins. And one of my favorite: Flying Tigers Over Cambodia by Larry Partridge. BRIXMIS by Tony Geraghty is an exceptional read. Better than fiction.
All available on the net through Amazon or Midland Counties.
Cheers
Air America by Christopher Robbins. And one of my favorite: Flying Tigers Over Cambodia by Larry Partridge. BRIXMIS by Tony Geraghty is an exceptional read. Better than fiction.
All available on the net through Amazon or Midland Counties.
Cheers
Last edited by FougaMagister; 28th Apr 2008 at 13:04.
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Just finished reading 'Voyager' by Jeana Yeager and Dick Rutan.
Far more involved in this amazing record flight than I realised.
If you don't think this is a book about combat then you'd be wrong. The enemy in this case being the weather, fatigue and system failures.
And if you want to know how a fecal bag works you will have to obtain a copy of the book.
Far more involved in this amazing record flight than I realised.
If you don't think this is a book about combat then you'd be wrong. The enemy in this case being the weather, fatigue and system failures.
And if you want to know how a fecal bag works you will have to obtain a copy of the book.
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Currently reading 'Return to Berlin, The Eye of a Navigator' by Robert Grilley, who tells of his time, on B17's, operating out of Deenesthorpe. Very readable
For you chickenhawk fans - a new edition has just been released fully updated with some corrections, photographs and views from Robert Mason's friends who flew with him. It breaths new life into an old book and I really enjoyed reading it for the umteenth time.
If you ever wondered what happened to him when he got back, try reading chickenhawk- the return home. Great book and very moving takes him up to the point of writing the first book and the response from fellow vets and first team colleagues. I never saw this in the UK, but recently moved to the US and saw it in a second hand book sale. Some copies can be had on amazon for a good price
Another great book is Boyd - fighter general - great insight into the genius behind the f16 and manouevre warfar. Great story of maverick style fighter jock becoming the einstein of dynamic thinking and fighting
If you ever wondered what happened to him when he got back, try reading chickenhawk- the return home. Great book and very moving takes him up to the point of writing the first book and the response from fellow vets and first team colleagues. I never saw this in the UK, but recently moved to the US and saw it in a second hand book sale. Some copies can be had on amazon for a good price
Another great book is Boyd - fighter general - great insight into the genius behind the f16 and manouevre warfar. Great story of maverick style fighter jock becoming the einstein of dynamic thinking and fighting
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Bury Us Upside Down: The Misty Pilots and the Secret Battle for the Ho Chi Minh Trail- Rick Newan.
Fast Facs flying F100s in Vietnam. 500 pages that can't be put down.
Fast Facs flying F100s in Vietnam. 500 pages that can't be put down.
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I concur with 27mm's assessment of "A Bright Shining Lie". Teeth-grindingly frustrating when you read the early chapters. A reader could be forgiven for thinking that the the mid-60's US hierarchy and the military/industrial establishment actually wanted the war to expand/continue rather than be wound up and won in the insurgency phase, as it quite possibly could have been, with 1% of the eventual effort and expenditure, in the early days. (Silly, silly me.. did I actually employ a disbelieving tone when saying: "A reader could be forgiven for thinking that the ... US ... military/industrial establishment actually wanted the war to expand/continue"? Of course they did. Back then, it never occurred to them for one minute that those sandal-wearing, Commie 'slope' peasants would actually beat them - and transpose, with not a single lesson learned, 'mid 60's US leadership' and 'slopes' for 'Donald Rumsfeldt/Dick Cheney et al' and 'Al Queda ragheads' and you've got a second US-manufactured war that could very well go the same way as Vietnam. [However, I can't see the 'ragheads' holding fire as the CH53s lift the Marines and last of the US diplomats off the Baghdad embassy roof.)
Just finished "3 PARA", by Patrick Bishop, the story of 3 Para's 2006 deployment to Afghanistan. Excellent read, which, (if from the Grunt's perspective), paints a very clear picture of the incrediblly important role air power is playing in keeping our troops in some very unwelcoming situations - and how the Brits lack the right aircraft, particularly transport/casevac helicopters, for the job.
Just started 'Fiasco -The American Military Adventure in Iraq', by Thomas e. Ricks. Not very far into it yet, but it looks very promising and extremely damning of the US political and senior military leadership.
Just finished "3 PARA", by Patrick Bishop, the story of 3 Para's 2006 deployment to Afghanistan. Excellent read, which, (if from the Grunt's perspective), paints a very clear picture of the incrediblly important role air power is playing in keeping our troops in some very unwelcoming situations - and how the Brits lack the right aircraft, particularly transport/casevac helicopters, for the job.
Just started 'Fiasco -The American Military Adventure in Iraq', by Thomas e. Ricks. Not very far into it yet, but it looks very promising and extremely damning of the US political and senior military leadership.
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Fiasco
Last edited by Airborne Aircrew; 30th Apr 2008 at 17:45.
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Dusty Warriors by Richard Holmes - 1PWRR in Iraq. I thought it was a cracking book.
Reviews here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dusty-Warriors-Modern-Soldiers-War/dp/customer-reviews/0007212844/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&customer-reviews.start=1#customerReviews
His other books in the same genre are also excellent reading:
Redcoat: the British Soldier in the Age of Horse and Musket
Sahib: the British Soldier in India
Tommy:the British Soldier on the Western Front
Reviews here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dusty-Warriors-Modern-Soldiers-War/dp/customer-reviews/0007212844/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&customer-reviews.start=1#customerReviews
His other books in the same genre are also excellent reading:
Redcoat: the British Soldier in the Age of Horse and Musket
Sahib: the British Soldier in India
Tommy:the British Soldier on the Western Front
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Just finished "Agent Zigzag" a remarkable true story about a Brit spy who gets the Iron Cross.Amazon listing
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Thread drift alert!! Books on Vietnam?! 
I am as guilty as the next man and it is, after all, informative...
I'll second RH's 'Dusty Warriors,' an excellent read.
Dave, very glad to have put you onto BRIXMIS, you will not be disapointed!
Anyone recall the 'other Brixmis book' (not Tony Geraghty's excellent version) that I mentioned earlier. I'd love to lay my hands on it again (and Tony's, lent to a friend a while ago...!)
EDIT: Teeteringhead - thanks for the mission car info at Cosford ..just a shame I left that part of the world recently without going there 
I am as guilty as the next man and it is, after all, informative...I'll second RH's 'Dusty Warriors,' an excellent read.
Dave, very glad to have put you onto BRIXMIS, you will not be disapointed!
Anyone recall the 'other Brixmis book' (not Tony Geraghty's excellent version) that I mentioned earlier. I'd love to lay my hands on it again (and Tony's, lent to a friend a while ago...!)
EDIT: Teeteringhead - thanks for the mission car info at Cosford
..just a shame I left that part of the world recently without going there
"Most Secret War" by RV Jones. An excellent book for anyone with an interest in modern technical intelligence, signals intelligence, electronic countermeasures etc.
"Vulcan 607" by Rowland White. Cracking read
"Vulcan 607" by Rowland White. Cracking read
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Thread drift alert!! Books on Vietnam?!
Movie suggestion: 'Lions for Lambs'. Bombed in the box office in the US for obvious reasons - the American public didn't want to believe what was being oh so clearly and uncomfortably spelled out in the movie. I am NOT a Tom Cruise fan, but the part he plays in that movie is chillingly accurate and all too familiar.
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This should be good:
Like?
I'm definitely not arguing that the top brass has covered themselves in glory, but I am very interested in what you consider 'the same mistakes.'
While I appreciate the humor in your use of the word 'bombed' in the context above, may I offer a counter that it simply was a terrible movie?
Nah, that couldn't be it...................................
In Iraq, the American leadership have made virtually every mistake they made in Vietnam,
I'm definitely not arguing that the top brass has covered themselves in glory, but I am very interested in what you consider 'the same mistakes.'
Movie suggestion: 'Lions for Lambs'. Bombed in the box office in the US for obvious reasons - the American public didn't want to believe what was being oh so clearly and uncomfortably spelled out in the movie.
Nah, that couldn't be it...................................
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Effortless
I agree - just read Agent Zig Zag whilst on a skiing trip over Easter - very good read
Recently read Thud Ridge and would recommend
Completely off flying, last year at work we had a conversation at work about good books to read and a colleague recomended Pickwick Papers. I have never really read any Dickens - bit highbrow so I thought when at school. I bought a copy and could not put it down when on holiday last year - really entertaining, funny book. Similarly, having seen the film a couple of times I got hold of a copy of Barry Lyndon - very funny and much better than the film.
Happy Landings by Grp Cpt Edward Mole and Airymouse by Donald (?) Penrose are nice whimsical flying books
I agree - just read Agent Zig Zag whilst on a skiing trip over Easter - very good read
Recently read Thud Ridge and would recommend
Completely off flying, last year at work we had a conversation at work about good books to read and a colleague recomended Pickwick Papers. I have never really read any Dickens - bit highbrow so I thought when at school. I bought a copy and could not put it down when on holiday last year - really entertaining, funny book. Similarly, having seen the film a couple of times I got hold of a copy of Barry Lyndon - very funny and much better than the film.
Happy Landings by Grp Cpt Edward Mole and Airymouse by Donald (?) Penrose are nice whimsical flying books
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"First In, Last Out: Stories by the Wild Weasels," edited by Edward T. Rock, ISBN 1-4208-1620-9
Mostly Vietnam-era stories of the combat, the development, etc. Big book, all the episodes are in short story format.
I have one on F-4Gs tentatively titled "MAGNUM! The Wild Weasels in Desert Storm" supposedly being published next spring. I hope one day it will make one of these lists...........
Mostly Vietnam-era stories of the combat, the development, etc. Big book, all the episodes are in short story format.
I have one on F-4Gs tentatively titled "MAGNUM! The Wild Weasels in Desert Storm" supposedly being published next spring. I hope one day it will make one of these lists...........
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Vulcan 607
A brilliant book!
Last year I was allowed into the cockpit of XL360 at Coventry - I certainly wouldn't have fancied flying from Ascension to Port Stanley and back. Those men in the Vulcans and the Victors have my utmost respect.
In September last I had an excellent morning at Bawtry Hall when it was open for the Heritage Days. I really only went for the visit to the 1 Group part and we were treated to a smashing talk by Stewart Cresswell, a former Vulcan jock (617, etc) and who did 2 tours at Bawtry Hall as W/Cdr Ops and as a Gp Capt.
It was fascinating, especially when he described the fun they had in 1982 trying to find some IFR probes for the Black Buck flights. It seems the whole thing was planned at Bawtry, including how the Victors would refuel each other. He even mentioned the Canberra and asked if there were any former Canberra aircrew in the audience; sadly there were none.
Interestingly a lady said she'd seen the Vulcan in a museum but couldn't remember where. Hmm.
Thread drift? I hope not.
Last year I was allowed into the cockpit of XL360 at Coventry - I certainly wouldn't have fancied flying from Ascension to Port Stanley and back. Those men in the Vulcans and the Victors have my utmost respect.
In September last I had an excellent morning at Bawtry Hall when it was open for the Heritage Days. I really only went for the visit to the 1 Group part and we were treated to a smashing talk by Stewart Cresswell, a former Vulcan jock (617, etc) and who did 2 tours at Bawtry Hall as W/Cdr Ops and as a Gp Capt.
It was fascinating, especially when he described the fun they had in 1982 trying to find some IFR probes for the Black Buck flights. It seems the whole thing was planned at Bawtry, including how the Victors would refuel each other. He even mentioned the Canberra and asked if there were any former Canberra aircrew in the audience; sadly there were none.
Interestingly a lady said she'd seen the Vulcan in a museum but couldn't remember where. Hmm.
Thread drift? I hope not.
