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-   -   What's your favorite aviation book? (https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=11441)

Bob Axsom 10-04-2006 01:43 PM

Thank you for the recommendation
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by vanplane
One of my all time favorite "aviation" books is Round the Bend by Nevil Shute. Shute was a pilot, aeronautical engineer and started a semi-successful airplane building company in prewar England -- all the while publishing a series of novels that were wildly popular in their day. He died in 1960 so his aeronautical stuff is a bit dated, but he's a wonderful story teller who got better with every book.

Thank you so much for the recommendation. I have read several Nevil Shute books and loved every one of them. "On the Beach" may have been the first. I have just placed an order through Amazon.com for "Round the Bend".

Bob Axsom

Bill Dicus 10-04-2006 02:55 PM

Great reads
 
Sorry to do this in stages. Agree with previous about Kill Devil Hill - this book made the greatest impression on me of any human achievement account ever. Also wonderful is the Autobiography of Eddie Rickenbacker. Probably a lot of us loved Nevil Shute's novels, but his factual account of engineering and building a British airship to compete with the German Graf Hindenburg (sp?) and Zepplin (as well as another UK government competitor) called Sliderule is superb and really not dated - defiinitely worth the effort to find. Amazon found Kill Devil Hill for me; it's been in and out of print at least 2 times. Thanks to Amazon I've given a lot of copies to flying friends. Bill

Tim Smith 10-04-2006 05:42 PM

Artful Flying by Michael Maya Charles has quickly become one of my favorites. It probably should be read by aviators of all experience levels.

fodrv7 10-04-2006 05:46 PM

Shakespeare
 
At the ripe age of 16, when I was meant to be reading Shakespeare in the school library, I found a copy of 'Where Know Birds Fly' by Phillip Wills- World Glider Champion. Much better reading.
It ignited my latent love of aviation.
Years later I was absolutely ecstatic to be drinking champagne from the huge World Glider Champion Trophy Cup, when I was invited to a party to celebrate Ingo Renner?s win.
There, amongst all the winners was Phillip Wills, winner 1952, Spain.
I doubt I could name a favourite, but one not mentioned so far is 'Failure is Not an Option' by Gene Kranz. Brilliant. Bet Paul has a copy.
Pete.
PS. Both the above are available at Amazon as is Carrying the Fire by Mike Collins

rv8guy 10-04-2006 06:46 PM

All really great, but I did not see "God is my Copilot" the one that hooked me

bmurrish 10-04-2006 08:51 PM

Wager with the Wind (The Don Sheldon Story)
Stick and Rudder

RV7Guy 10-04-2006 11:05 PM

Signed Copy
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike S
O.K., Darwin-------how about "Sled Driver"?

Mike


Great book. I have a signed copy that a friend got me for my birthday many years ago.

jonbakerok 10-05-2006 07:00 AM

Unlocking the sky
 
OK, all my top favorites have been mentioned (especially Fate is the Hunter, Flight of Passage, and Cannibal Queen), but here's one I bet not many have read. "Unlocking the Sky: Glen Curtis and the race to invent the airplane".

With all due respect to the Wright Brothers achievement of simply demonstrating that flight was possible, the planes we fly actually owe a heck of a lot more to Glen Curtis than the Wright Brothers. He invented everything from the aileron to the seaplane (and even the motorcyle twist grip) -- all on an elementary school education.

Oh, and if you ever run across a copy of "Flying the Old Planes", by Frank Tallman, snatch it up. He'll tell you what it was like to fly the "Curtiss Pusher" (you can actually fly it backwards!).

David-aviator 10-05-2006 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rv8guy
All really great, but I did not see "God is my Copilot" the one that hooked me

I read that one in high school when I should have been doing home work...

Lot's of good books listed here however top of the list at present is the RV-8 prebuild manual....:)

dd

Mike S 10-05-2006 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RV7Guy
Great book. I have a signed copy that a friend got me for my birthday many years ago.

Ditto on the signed copy----------#602 special boxed edition.

Shul was a speaker at one of our EAA meatings.

Amazing man, book, and airplane.

http://www.sleddriver.com/

Mike


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