Good aircraft books- what are you reading?
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Enroute from Dagobah to Tatooine...!
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Another one for the biography lovers: "Wings of Destiny" - the Charles Learmonth story. Very vivid stories from the life of an amazing man and his colleagues. From Ansons in WA to Boston bomber stories in PNG to Hudsons and his unecessary death in one due to faults of that aircraft that were only rectified as a result of his demise (even though the machine had killed hundreds of men by then). Learmonth airport named in his worthy honour.
HH I have a few POH storis too. However a few would be 'nightmare' material for our friend Wally...!
HH I have a few POH storis too. However a few would be 'nightmare' material for our friend Wally...!
Join Date: Jun 2003
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"German Fighter Ace
rich Hartmann". Claimed 352 victories,345 of which were against the Soviet Air Force. Upon cessation of hostilities he surrendered to the Americans only to be handed over to the Reds who sentenced him to 25 years hard labour.He served 10 years and on release rejoined the Luftwaffe and commanded Germany's first all-jet unit flying F-86's and later F-104's. Certainly an interesting view of the Air War on the Eastern Front from the German perspective.
rich Hartmann". Claimed 352 victories,345 of which were against the Soviet Air Force. Upon cessation of hostilities he surrendered to the Americans only to be handed over to the Reds who sentenced him to 25 years hard labour.He served 10 years and on release rejoined the Luftwaffe and commanded Germany's first all-jet unit flying F-86's and later F-104's. Certainly an interesting view of the Air War on the Eastern Front from the German perspective.
Nunc est bibendum
Riding Rockets by Mike Mullane. Astronaut on three Shuttle missions. Not a pilot but still a pretty great read. Available on e-book at Amazon for those who read these days via iPad. 
Island in the Sky by aussie writer R.B. Shaw. Spent 17 years in PNG salvaging WW2 aircrafts in the jungles. Based on actual events.
His second book called Fire Cult is fictional but also aviation related in PNG.
His second book called Fire Cult is fictional but also aviation related in PNG.
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Still in Paradise
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B-350 POH, I just can't get into the story...
Sock it to Em Baby - RAAF FAC in Vietnam, Garry Cooper
One Day at a Time - 165 Sqn in Vietnam, D.J. Dennis
Bush Pilot - Bob Norman
Never tell me Never - &
Dare to fly - Janine Sheppard
The Flying Nurse &
Sugarbird Lady - Robin Miller
The 747 Story - can't remember the author, was an engineer on the project
Sprucegoose
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Hughes Point, where life is great! Was also resident on page 13, but now I'm lost in Cyberspace....
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Get a PC12 POH HH; its only half as long
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Both re-reads but favourites...
The Untouchables - Brian Shul
What is was really like to operate the awesome SR-71
Hornets Downunder - Andrew McLaughlin
Everything you ever wanted to know about the F/A-18, and much more...
The Untouchables - Brian Shul
What is was really like to operate the awesome SR-71
Hornets Downunder - Andrew McLaughlin
Everything you ever wanted to know about the F/A-18, and much more...
The 747 Story - can't remember the author, was an engineer on the project
Rgds
Nicky Barr
Great read of an Australian WW2 Air Ace by Peter Dornan.
12 "kills" plus shot down in Egypt three time, escaped as a POW four times in Europe only to fly/fight again over France and New Guinea!
halas
ISBN 1 - 74114 - 529 - 5
12 "kills" plus shot down in Egypt three time, escaped as a POW four times in Europe only to fly/fight again over France and New Guinea!
halas
ISBN 1 - 74114 - 529 - 5
Hubert Wilkins - The Last Explorer
Not sure of the exact title, as have lent it to a "friend"!
Self taught to fly, stow-away to north africa from Australia, self taught camera man with british Pathe, faced possible firing squad during Balkan/Ottoman war. Siberian census and documentary. Arctic filmmaker then WW1 film maker in the Passiondale/Some - blown-up three times, Witness of Red Baron finale. Arctic expedition with two Fokkers, one sold off to Kingsford Smith. Australian Flora & Fauna/Aboriginal statical. First to cross the arctic from America to Europe by plane.............
That is just the icing on the cake! An amazing read.
halas
Self taught to fly, stow-away to north africa from Australia, self taught camera man with british Pathe, faced possible firing squad during Balkan/Ottoman war. Siberian census and documentary. Arctic filmmaker then WW1 film maker in the Passiondale/Some - blown-up three times, Witness of Red Baron finale. Arctic expedition with two Fokkers, one sold off to Kingsford Smith. Australian Flora & Fauna/Aboriginal statical. First to cross the arctic from America to Europe by plane.............
That is just the icing on the cake! An amazing read.
halas
Great Flying Doctor Stories by Bill "Swampy" Marsh; & Great Australian Aviation Stories by Jim Haynes & Jillian Dellit.
DF.
DF.
Flying Doctor... excellent exploits of Clyde Fenton, doctoring in NT pre war ina Gypsy Moth. The bureaurats were pain in the arse even then as they are now.
Last Plane out of Berlin, Sidney Cotton, adventuer pilot and pioneer of recon photg and mapping,
Solo to Sydney. Francis Chichester in his Gipsy Moth on wheels.
Ride on the wind . After his epic trans Tasman from NZ to Oz, this covers his solo Sydney to Japan in his Moth on floats.
All ripper reads
Last Plane out of Berlin, Sidney Cotton, adventuer pilot and pioneer of recon photg and mapping,
Solo to Sydney. Francis Chichester in his Gipsy Moth on wheels.
Ride on the wind . After his epic trans Tasman from NZ to Oz, this covers his solo Sydney to Japan in his Moth on floats.
All ripper reads
**** me he wrote a book!
.Ten Journeys to Cameron's Farm. I have just read this latest enthralling story by Cameron Hazlehurst about the 1940 Hudson crash at Canberra that wiped out several members of Bob Menzies Cabinet. It is a long book of 600 pages plus. In later years I knew many of the RAAF names.mentioned including Group Captain 'Paddy' Heffernan for one. . In fact I did my very first flight which was in a Lockeed Hudson VH-SMK a freighter of the Sydney Morning Herald Flying Services at Camden NSW in 1948. Captain Harry Purvis AFC was the pilot and it was a 30 minute test flight after an engine change. I was 16 then and sat on the freighter floor. No seats. No belts. Just hung on to the nearest protuberance. Incredibly noisy with no sound-proofing. Hence my interest in Cameron Hazlehurst book featuring Hudson facts
The book is an E-Version and free to download. See link
https://www.google.com/search?source...sclient=psy-ab
The book is an E-Version and free to download. See link
https://www.google.com/search?source...sclient=psy-ab
Join Date: Dec 2002
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No really "aircraft " but closely related: "Longitude" by Dava Sobel - and after reading I challenge you to be within 50nm of Greenwich and not visit to see clocks - apologies chronometers.
If you've ever flown on PanAm or know or are one; "Sky Gods" by Robert Gandt. You'll see the train wreck coming and wonder why no one did anything to stop it.
And absolutely not "aircraft" but after reading "Longitude" you will enjoy "1421" by Gavin Menzies. Well referenced story of potential Chinese discovery well before the Europeans. Ever wondered why Cook was looking for a Southern Land?
MJG
(still in COVID free Kiribati)
If you've ever flown on PanAm or know or are one; "Sky Gods" by Robert Gandt. You'll see the train wreck coming and wonder why no one did anything to stop it.
And absolutely not "aircraft" but after reading "Longitude" you will enjoy "1421" by Gavin Menzies. Well referenced story of potential Chinese discovery well before the Europeans. Ever wondered why Cook was looking for a Southern Land?
MJG
(still in COVID free Kiribati)
Join Date: Dec 2003
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A reminder: 'The Sky Beyond' by Sir Gordon Taylor is now available in Kindle and paperback format in Australia, the USA and the UK.
It is there on Amazon US but we in Aus seem not to be able to get it from there.
Flying Doctor... excellent exploits of Clyde Fenton, doctoring in NT pre war ina Gypsy Moth. The bureaurats were pain in the arse even then as they are now.
Last Plane out of Berlin, Sidney Cotton, adventuer pilot and pioneer of recon photg and mapping,
Solo to Sydney. Francis Chichester in his Gipsy Moth on wheels.
Ride on the wind . After his epic trans Tasman from NZ to Oz, this covers his solo Sydney to Japan in his Moth on floats.
All ripper reads
Last Plane out of Berlin, Sidney Cotton, adventuer pilot and pioneer of recon photg and mapping,
Solo to Sydney. Francis Chichester in his Gipsy Moth on wheels.
Ride on the wind . After his epic trans Tasman from NZ to Oz, this covers his solo Sydney to Japan in his Moth on floats.
All ripper reads