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Favorite aviation book?
My favorite book ?
Hmmm, there are so many good ones, and most are mentioned above. (What a literate group we are, n'est ce pas?) I'll mention a title about which likely few aviation readers have heard. Flying in Northern California, by Tom Parker (Yep, I wrote it.) It was fun collecting information for the book, and writing it was even more so. It's now way out date, and I no longer sell it. For a while, it was listed on the Amazon site, as an out-of-print title. (I think I was dead last on their sales ranking.) So, I have actually authored a rare book. Regards all - - Tom |
CHICKENHAWK -Robert Mason
Not mentioned often here, but in my top 5 aviation stories ever read. Everyone whom I recommended it to could not put it down till it was finished. EJ |
In addition to the fine examples already noted, I?ll add these:
?The Untouchables? by Brian Shul ?Once a Fighter Pilot? by Jerry W. Cook ?The Black Watch? by Ernest K. Gann ?Because I Fly? edited by Helmuth H. Reda ?Flying Carpet: The Soul of an Airplane? by Greg Brown ?100 Missions North? by Ken Bell (B.Gen. USAF, retired) ?When Thunder Rolled? and ?Palace Cobra? by Ed Rasimus ?Bury Us Upside Down? by Rick Newman and Don Sheppard ?We Seven? by the Mercury Astronauts ?and finally, a story about a truly heroic pilot, Lance Sijan, that I think every person on the planet should read: ?Into the Mouth of the Cat? by Malcom McConnell. Prepare to have your outlook on life changed by this book. |
Yeager; Forever Flying; George Preddy-Top Mustang Ace; Flight of Passage; Return with Honor; A Flying Fighter, The Wild Blue by Stephen Ambrose, & Billy Mitchell... Thanks to this thread, my next read will be Doolittles "I could never be so lucky again."
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Not yet available
If this thread goes on long enough, perhaps I will see "Empty Skies," the story of the destruction of all the aircraft after WWII. Hmmmm.. Don't think that would be my favorite either. But I am writing it. If anyone has any pics/info that you think would be helpful, let me know. It is a tough research project.
A good book I haven't seen mentioned is "Stuka Pilot." I did get to fly with a couple of Luftwaffe aces, so it held a lot of interest for me. Bob Kelly |
It Is This Way With Men Who Fly
I'd like to add this little gem to the list. Written by the late Frank K. Thomas, it is a collection of all sorts of short stories, notes, and oddities about aviation. "Five Dollar Frank", as he was known, was my first introduction to "small" planes. As the name implies, he was known for giving $5 airplane tours of the New River Gorge. Frank gave these tours in his 172 and was based at the Fayetteville International Airport, which he built in his backyard. Frank was one of the most unique people I've ever met, and anyone who had the pleasure of meeting him would likely agree. At the time of my ride, approximately 9 years ago, he was in his 80s and could hardly hear a thing, even with his hearing aid. His preflight included checking the fuel with a stick he picked up off the ground. Anyhow, it would make a great little bathroom book, and you can pick it up on Amazon.com for cheap.
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I first read Slide Rule ( a Christmas present to my father) as a boy; Dad's copy is now by my bed, and it really hasn't dated. "Fate is the Hunter" - also first read as a boy - completely gripping. Read "Bomber" by Len Deighton. The BBC did a "real time" reading a few years ago. Those of us who have never been to war should read this and be grateful to have been spared the experience.
Two WW1 reads that are also gripping but that I haven't seen mentioned are "Sagittarius Rising" by Cecil Lewis and "Winged Victory" by Victor Yeates. Other recent good reads which may not have reached the US yet are: "First Light" by Geoffrey Wellum (WW2 battle of Britain and Malta); "Vulcan 607" by Rowland White (Falklands) "Hostile Skies" by David Morgan (Falklands) But my all time favourite - what a shame it was made into such a dire movie - "Flight of the Intruder". Chris |
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My wife is from that area, and all the locals knew of Five Dollar Frank. I never got the opportunity to meet him as he had passed away before I met Debbie, but I wish that I had. |
Favorite read
Another vote for Fate is the Hunter - a must read! Also Bach's Biplane is very entertaining. Also another vote forYeager, which I read a dozen times in high school and loved every word.
Some others that may not be the best of all time, but worth reading: No Visible Horizon - Josh Ramo (non-fiction story about the author as an aerobatic competitor - current) Fire and Air - Patty Wagstaff (interesting life story) Lost Moon - Jim Lovell (Apollo 13 mission) |
The Sky Beyond.
I have just read The Sky Beyond, which I found on my bookshelf, a book probably unknowingly inherited from my father.
Since this post came out I have read some fabulous recommendations. In particular ?Thunderbolt!?- by Robert S. Johnston & ?Carrying the Fire? by Mike Collins Thank you to whoever recommended them. The Sky Beyond is as good as anything I have read. It is a Biography of P. G. Taylor (Also known as Gordon Taylor and Sir Gordon Taylor) describing his life from WWI fighter pilot through epic pioneering flights with Kingsford-Smith in the thirties and establishing air routes across the Pacific in 30hr flights in PBYs. There iis also a glorious description of flying the Spitfire. He is an author who's description is both beautiful and real. It is as if you are with him in the cockpit. There are a couple of copies available a Amazon. Be quick. SKY BEYOND, THE (Air and Space Series, No 19) by Gordon Taylor (Mass Market Paperback - Nov 1, 1991) 2 Used & new from $44.95 For those who's wives and girlfriends did not give you a supply of books for 2008 at Chrsitmas, attached is a list of recommendations since I last updated the list. For those who want the complete list, sorted by both author and title email fod@bigpond.net.au Pete. ![]() |
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