Aviation Books.....Must Read Tomes!
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Hey SASLESS.......when are you gonna give up the goods and write your memoirs (Hopefully with your wonderful sense of humour.....hell, just your posts on PPRUNE should get you started!!!........I do miss reading Lu Z. He should have weitten a few Heli novels!!!
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Though not a helicopter book , I found "Flying Through Midnight" by John T. Halliday to be quite good. Its about flying in Laos in a C-123 which is a Twin engine radial with 2 jet engines for takeoff. Basically its the adventures of dropping flares [at night] to illuminate targets.
Worth a read.
Worth a read.
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Helicopter action books
A quick check of the book box (yet to be unpacked again!!) reveals some of the above, but also try:
HAWKS - Andrew Grant, based on the venison wars in NZ's south-west
and for those interested in a bit of chopper history:
CHASING LAST LIGHT - Pearl Ogden, Australian aerial mustering 1968-1978
THE CHOPPER BOYS and THE HELICOPTER HUNTERS - Rex Forrester, NZ deer industry (next to read)
LSA69
HAWKS - Andrew Grant, based on the venison wars in NZ's south-west
and for those interested in a bit of chopper history:
CHASING LAST LIGHT - Pearl Ogden, Australian aerial mustering 1968-1978
THE CHOPPER BOYS and THE HELICOPTER HUNTERS - Rex Forrester, NZ deer industry (next to read)
LSA69
It's fixed wing, but "When the Thunder Rolled" by Ed Rasimus is a compelling read, not only for the stories about flying operational sorties, but the way it's written, and the personal view of why he was there.
HPB,
Memoirs? I have always considered doing a book but it would be titled "The People I Have Known".
Some of the folks I have had the pleasure of knowing would take more than a single chapter. Men like "The Killer" (reference to Jerry Lee Lewis) who was a ghilly on a large plantation in southern Georgia, "Coffee Crotch" and his little brother "Tanker" (who weighs 300 pounds with a body fat ratio in the lower single digits), "Thumbs", "Squats to Pee", "Horse ****", "Knucks" and a few others stand out.
I have always found myself preferring the company of those who took a big side step and then set out on their life's journey vice those who fell into a rut and rattled back and forth inside that rut all the way through life. Perhaps that is why I consider "real" helicopter pilots to be a very different breed.
Memoirs? I have always considered doing a book but it would be titled "The People I Have Known".
Some of the folks I have had the pleasure of knowing would take more than a single chapter. Men like "The Killer" (reference to Jerry Lee Lewis) who was a ghilly on a large plantation in southern Georgia, "Coffee Crotch" and his little brother "Tanker" (who weighs 300 pounds with a body fat ratio in the lower single digits), "Thumbs", "Squats to Pee", "Horse ****", "Knucks" and a few others stand out.
I have always found myself preferring the company of those who took a big side step and then set out on their life's journey vice those who fell into a rut and rattled back and forth inside that rut all the way through life. Perhaps that is why I consider "real" helicopter pilots to be a very different breed.
Hovering AND talking
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This isn't exactly an action book but was bought for me by a colleague at a jumble sale! It's ostensibly for kiddies but it's had me in stitches for most of the day!
Action Seekers' Handbook - Helicopter Pilot
Cheers
Whirls
Action Seekers' Handbook - Helicopter Pilot
Cheers
Whirls
First book to recommend is "Broken Journey" by Jennifer Murray. It`s about her and Colin Bodill`s attempt to fly a helicopter round the world from pole to pole. A true adventure story which nearly killed them both.
http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Journey...2763791&sr=1-2
Second one is "Hammer from above" by Jay Stout. It gives great inside views about the air campaign in Iraq in spring 2003. The main focus is any type of mission an Marine Corps aviator has flown at that time. It includes experiences of pilots of F/A-18 Hornets doing CAS, Super Cobra pilots attacking enemy positions, Sea Knights and Super Stallions fliyng CSAR and supplies etc.. Highly interesting to read and gives a pedestrian like me some images what flying in war conditions is about.
http://www.amazon.com/Hammer-Above-M...2764339&sr=1-1
bye
http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Journey...2763791&sr=1-2
Second one is "Hammer from above" by Jay Stout. It gives great inside views about the air campaign in Iraq in spring 2003. The main focus is any type of mission an Marine Corps aviator has flown at that time. It includes experiences of pilots of F/A-18 Hornets doing CAS, Super Cobra pilots attacking enemy positions, Sea Knights and Super Stallions fliyng CSAR and supplies etc.. Highly interesting to read and gives a pedestrian like me some images what flying in war conditions is about.
http://www.amazon.com/Hammer-Above-M...2764339&sr=1-1
bye
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RVN Helo Books
I graduated with US Army WORWAC Helicopter Pilot Class 70-5, the subject of classmate Tom Marshall's book The Price of Exit. I'm thankful not to be mentioned therein. Reading in one sitting the loss of 38 classmates, plus four wounded, was a quieting experience.
When I left RVN, having made it through operations in RVN, night ops in Cambodia, and work in Laos, I felt as if I were 75 years old! 365 days as an Army helo pilot in RVN was a very long time. The thing I like about Robert Mason's book Chickenhawk is that it provides a literary window to grasp the feeling as to just how long that year was! Thanks to both Bob and Tom! Good work.
When I left RVN, having made it through operations in RVN, night ops in Cambodia, and work in Laos, I felt as if I were 75 years old! 365 days as an Army helo pilot in RVN was a very long time. The thing I like about Robert Mason's book Chickenhawk is that it provides a literary window to grasp the feeling as to just how long that year was! Thanks to both Bob and Tom! Good work.
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Week two...
We counted backwards 365, 364, 363, 362 days to DEROS (Date Estimated Return from Over Seas) .... not many thought in terms beyond the present day, and most developed a pretty keen sense of humor no matter the situation. Somtimes a bit macarbe, but humor none the less!
Training, cameraderie and a real desire to positively contribute to the ground troops allowed us to get the job done day after day - we were aware our helicopters were their life line. Usually up by 4AM, brief 4:30, takeoff 5:30, back by 6 or 8pm or so, eat, sleep, do it again. Night ops were unpleasant. The most concern was when dealing with what the military called medium intensity threats (.51 cal, 37mm antiaircraft weapons, tanks, etc.) - no one managed to avoid them in Laos. Tom Marshall makes the point that the price of exit was getting hurt or killed. Couldn't have been said better. The only choice was to make the best of it and get the job done right!
Training, cameraderie and a real desire to positively contribute to the ground troops allowed us to get the job done day after day - we were aware our helicopters were their life line. Usually up by 4AM, brief 4:30, takeoff 5:30, back by 6 or 8pm or so, eat, sleep, do it again. Night ops were unpleasant. The most concern was when dealing with what the military called medium intensity threats (.51 cal, 37mm antiaircraft weapons, tanks, etc.) - no one managed to avoid them in Laos. Tom Marshall makes the point that the price of exit was getting hurt or killed. Couldn't have been said better. The only choice was to make the best of it and get the job done right!
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thanks muermel,
I'll look into Broken Journey.
For all the folks here, I did read Chickenhawk and find 'Tales of Helicopter Pilot' more interesting than Mason's book. I did enjoy the parts where he was in the training and some humorous situations later on, but as a civilian with no military background (and not ever wishing to have one) I had to force myself a bit to finish the book.. Well, matter of one's taste.
That's the thing. Scouring amazon for some heli novels mostly yielded Vietnam related books. There aren't so many civvy books (ie not full of pointless killing and mutilated bodies/body parts) I could find.
I'll look into Broken Journey.
For all the folks here, I did read Chickenhawk and find 'Tales of Helicopter Pilot' more interesting than Mason's book. I did enjoy the parts where he was in the training and some humorous situations later on, but as a civilian with no military background (and not ever wishing to have one) I had to force myself a bit to finish the book.. Well, matter of one's taste.
That's the thing. Scouring amazon for some heli novels mostly yielded Vietnam related books. There aren't so many civvy books (ie not full of pointless killing and mutilated bodies/body parts) I could find.
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Been a while since I read it, and it's not helicopter related, but I seem to remember really enjoying Pak Six by Gene Basel. I had read some of the other 105 pilot books, but remember this one being a stand-out. It seemed more 'written in the moment' somehow. I second the votes for Low Level Hell - brilliant book. Snake Pilot and Chickenhawk ditto.
On a side note, what a pleasure it has been to read some of the posts on this thread. I stumbled in looking for a few book recommendations, only to find that a few of the heroes I enjoy reading about are contributing. Very humbling indeed. I never lose sight of the fact that in learning to fly helicopters, I'm treading in the footsteps of giants.
On a side note, what a pleasure it has been to read some of the posts on this thread. I stumbled in looking for a few book recommendations, only to find that a few of the heroes I enjoy reading about are contributing. Very humbling indeed. I never lose sight of the fact that in learning to fly helicopters, I'm treading in the footsteps of giants.
Marts,
Pointless? Not at all....Runners got you a .5 bonus, squatters (being very small targets) got you .75 bonus....and kids....very hard to hit thus a big 2.0 only topped by preggie women which was called a double bogey and garnered two down downers in the bar that night.
Killing in war should never be pointless..... otherwise it is just ordinary murder!
Displayed on Phil Connolly's Huey.... G-UHIH!
Pointless? Not at all....Runners got you a .5 bonus, squatters (being very small targets) got you .75 bonus....and kids....very hard to hit thus a big 2.0 only topped by preggie women which was called a double bogey and garnered two down downers in the bar that night.
Killing in war should never be pointless..... otherwise it is just ordinary murder!
Displayed on Phil Connolly's Huey.... G-UHIH!
Last edited by SASless; 7th Mar 2008 at 00:55.
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Humor and books.....
SASless
A display of RVN humor that got us through the day.
MartinCh
Great point about no interesting books concerning civilian helicopter flying. My military flying is a drop in the bucket, time-wise, compared to civilian work - I've been doing it more than 40 years, all over the world - more or less. Our low level environment is a world apart rich in imagery and circumstance unknown but to us. Time to start writing!
loach
One day you'll be a giant!
A display of RVN humor that got us through the day.
MartinCh
Great point about no interesting books concerning civilian helicopter flying. My military flying is a drop in the bucket, time-wise, compared to civilian work - I've been doing it more than 40 years, all over the world - more or less. Our low level environment is a world apart rich in imagery and circumstance unknown but to us. Time to start writing!
loach
One day you'll be a giant!
A US Army helicopter pilot shotdown and captured by the North Vietnamese wrote a fine book on his experiences as a POW and provides an account of his extradtion to Hanoi along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. In his book he notes the various intelligence services had photographs of him while being moved along the trail.
There was no attempt to effect a rescue for him or his group of POW's.
The explanations provided by the US Government as to why there were no attempts made to rescue him prompted him to write his book.
The following link leads to a research effort regarding the 1970 Cambodia Incursion which sheds a lot of light on the various failures of senior commands and political leaders. It also incorporates other embarrassing events that our national leadership probably would rather not hear about.
After reading this lengtht article, one will have a much better appreciation for the individual accounts set forth in the various books listed as being good reads.
It took Keith Nolan's...."Into Cambodia" for me to begin to understand what my daily activities did to contribute to that major action. As is usual in combat operations, one's own perspective is very limited in reach but with hearing the "rest of the story", it means much more.
That link is: http://members.aol.com/spur317f/private/cambodia.htm
There was no attempt to effect a rescue for him or his group of POW's.
The explanations provided by the US Government as to why there were no attempts made to rescue him prompted him to write his book.
The following link leads to a research effort regarding the 1970 Cambodia Incursion which sheds a lot of light on the various failures of senior commands and political leaders. It also incorporates other embarrassing events that our national leadership probably would rather not hear about.
After reading this lengtht article, one will have a much better appreciation for the individual accounts set forth in the various books listed as being good reads.
It took Keith Nolan's...."Into Cambodia" for me to begin to understand what my daily activities did to contribute to that major action. As is usual in combat operations, one's own perspective is very limited in reach but with hearing the "rest of the story", it means much more.
That link is: http://members.aol.com/spur317f/private/cambodia.htm
10,000 Hours
I'm not sure if its been mentioned in previous posts (can't see it) but my favourite by far is "10,000 Hours" by the late Peter Corley-Smith. It details the author's career as a commercial helicopter pilot in Canada in the pioneering days of the late 50's through to his retirement in the 70's, flying the Bell 47. Corley-Smith flew Stirlings in WWII as well but this gets scant mention. This book captures the 'romance' of being a commercial helicopter pilot brilliantly. Corley-Smith's education in a different era is obvious in his use of the english language (How many books have you read recently which feature the word 'Stevedore'.) and his writing style is very readable. Highly recommended.
The author of "Low Level Hell", Hugh Mills, is still going strong and is an occasional poster on the "Helikitnews" forum/discussion group.
The author of "Low Level Hell", Hugh Mills, is still going strong and is an occasional poster on the "Helikitnews" forum/discussion group.