What's your favorite aviation book?

[Flying again!]

Great thread!

One not mentioned which is an excellent story about Japan's highest ace is "Samurai!" by Martin Caiden. I read it long ago and was captivated by his heroic 600 mile flight back from Guadalcanal after being wounded and virtually blind. I see it is available from Amazon and is 5 stars.

Another good book mentioned only once on this thread is "Stuka Pilot" by Gunther Just. It is a great story about the most decorated pilot in Germany.

I am an Aeronautical Engineer and have referenced "Fluid Dynamic Lift" and "Fluid Dynamic Drag" by Hoener many, many times.

Too many more to reference at this time!

TJ

[fodrv7]

Originally Posted by colojo

When I was growing up in the 1970's I checked out a big, hardcover book that was the history of Boeing, from its founding to about 1970 or so (it included the 747). It fascinated me and the photos of the factory and airplanes over the years were incredible. It had a major impact on my wanting to fly. It's long out of print but I surf eBay for it from time to time. Still no luck....

Might have been "Wide-Body: The Triumph of the 747" by Clive Irving.
I to read it years ago and recently obtained a copy for my Son, from Amazon.
It's still available there.
Pete

[fodrv7]

Originally Posted by DaveWelch

Our one-room country school had a library of 2 or 3 bookshelves. Thankfully, a small book titled "Eight Hours to Solo" was there. Got me hooked. I read it over, and over, and over.....when I finally took my first flight lesson my instructor said "You've done this before". Haven't found a copy since but I'll keep looking.

Available at Amazon . . . for a price.
Pete.

[fodrv7]

I have updated my Word.doc booklist of the titles mentioned on this post, sorted by both Author & Title.

Anyone who wishes to have a copy should email me.

Pete.

[-goose]

Two books that became tatty with constant re-reading when I was a boy are

Enemy Coast Ahead by Guy Gibson - Gibson led the dam buster raids and somehow found time to write a book about this and his wartime experiences at the time.

Fly West by Ivan Southall - Stories of a Coastal Command squadron flying Short Sunderlands during WW2

One I've recently discovered is Fighter Pilot by Paul Richie - this one I found really interesting as Richie flew hurricanes during the battle of France and the book is devoted to this. I have a modern edition but was lucky enough to find a 1942 edition in a bookshop recently, which has interesting differences for the sake of wartime censorship (and propaganda).

My recent favourite is definitely Fate is the Hunter.

[fodrv7]

Best book on Apollo from a 'pilot's' perspective that I have read.

I'm not sure how I found this book, whether it was on this post or if I just stumbled across it on Amazon.
It is by far the best insight into 'flying' the Apollo spacecraft that I have read.
It's not by an astronaut!
But W. David Woods narrative and continual references to the comms with Mission Control and the astronauts description of the mission in post mission briefings, paint a thorough and clear picture of how it was done, from a 'pilots' perspective.

I have read widely on Apollo (and Mercury, Gemini and the Shuttle), books by astronauts, engineers, flight controllers and managers of NASA. And they all paint different aspects of the intriguing picture of an extraordinarily accomplishment.

What 'How Apollo Flew to the Moon' does, is to describe how the astronauts flew the ship, with sufficient technical description to afford an understanding of just what they needed to do, followed by a superb description of the 'cockpit' operation.
The technical stuff is pitch perfect, not dumbed down, but not over the top; clear, concise and easily grasped.
In fact, for the first time I was able to get my head around the 'Orbital Mechanics' of spacecraft rendezvous. That alone made the book wothewhile to me.

But there is so much more.

Pete.

[NYTOM]

Just finished "Jimmy Stewart Bomber Pilot". Have watched this mans movies since I was a little kid " Mister Smith Goes To Washington"etc. Little did I know he was one of America's greatest real hero's. Lot of the content about the eighth airforce.

[Shimoda]

'Some dogs do' by Jez Alborough

(..helps if you have kids to read it to, but not compulsory !!)

http://www.amazon.com/Some-Dogs-Do-J...s=some+dogs+do

[Shimoda]

Originally Posted by Shimoda

'Some dogs do' by Jez Alborough

(..helps if you have kids to read it to, but not compulsory !!)

http://www.amazon.com/Some-Dogs-Do-J...s=some+dogs+do

....see also : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rb0wiw8RQY

[KCBerner]

Originally Posted by Bob Axsom

I never read anything like it before - "Unbroken" is unforgetable. It is not for wimps. Thanks for the recomendations.

Bob Axsom

For those that haven't heard, Louis Zamperini died today at the age of 97. Trust me, that's not a spoiler for this book. I started reading it knowing he was still alive and it's still the most engaging book I've ever read.

If you haven't read this yet and you're at all interested in WW2 aviation, or just an amazing story of survival of the human spirit, you may want to read it before the movie comes out and you're tempted to take the easy way out.

Rest in Peace Louis, what a life...