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Aviation Books to read

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Bolar
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Aviation Books to read

Post by Bolar » Sun Aug 21, 2011 8:37 pm

Just picked up James Hamilton-Patterson Empire of the Clouds a very interesting read Aircraft covered Meteor DH.108 Swallow Vampire DH.106 Comet EE Canberra Canada CF-100 Swift Sea Vixen Javelin Hunter Fairy Delta Valiant Victor Vulcan Lightning Buccaneer TSR. :thumbs: 2
Believe there are no limits but the sky.

Flyingmonster
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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by Flyingmonster » Sun Aug 21, 2011 10:35 pm

Just finished that myself! A truly great read!! :thumb:
Cheers

Boo boo (aka Jamie)

'The first time I ever saw a jet, I shot it down!' - Yeager

sjnovis
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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by sjnovis » Mon Aug 22, 2011 3:01 pm

I too am in the middle of reading this, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, as the first chapter dealt with events leading up to John Derrys crash.
I thought perhaps it was going to be just a sensationalist view of aircraft industry practices of the time, but I'm glad I persevered as it is more level headed than that.

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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by Flyingmonster » Mon Aug 22, 2011 10:03 pm

sjnovis wrote:I too am in the middle of reading this, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, as the first chapter dealt with events leading up to John Derrys crash.
I thought perhaps it was going to be just a sensationalist view of aircraft industry practices of the time, but I'm glad I persevered as it is more level headed than that.
That was my thought exactly but I learnt a hell of a lot! I have just started Bill Watertons The Quick and the Dead :thumb:
Cheers

Boo boo (aka Jamie)

'The first time I ever saw a jet, I shot it down!' - Yeager

jem60
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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by jem60 » Thu Aug 25, 2011 1:48 pm

F.4 Phantom. A pilots story, by Robert Prest. Brillian book. Cannot recommend it highly enough.

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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by Flyingmonster » Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:33 pm

Jem completely agree with you there!! Enemy Coat Ahead by Guy Gibson is also a great read as well as Pierre Clostermans Big Show :thumb:
Cheers

Boo boo (aka Jamie)

'The first time I ever saw a jet, I shot it down!' - Yeager

jem60
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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by jem60 » Thu Aug 25, 2011 7:07 pm

Just to keep it going whilst I am away on holiday. 'Wings on my sleeve' By Eric 'Winkle' Brown.I have a copy autographed by him at an after dinner speech given by him. What an evening that was!!. If any of you don't know who he is, then get 'googleing' A proper legend.!! Chickenhawk by somebody Mason? About flying Hueys in Vietnam. Excellent also. 'First Light' by Geoffrey Wellum. Wonderful, wonderful book. Totally different from 'the hun came at me out of the sun' books.

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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by Flyingmonster » Sat Aug 27, 2011 2:12 pm

First Light is a stunning read as is the Last Enemy by Richard Hillary :thumb:
Cheers

Boo boo (aka Jamie)

'The first time I ever saw a jet, I shot it down!' - Yeager

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Ben Montgomery
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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by Ben Montgomery » Sat Aug 27, 2011 2:48 pm

John - I might have been at the same event as you, as I've got the same book and signed. North Weald, for the Vampire run?

Lockheed Blackbird, by Paul Crickmore is fantastic. Does get a bit technical sometimes (but that's the best part! :thumb: ), but a very interesting read!

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ZZ330
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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by ZZ330 » Sat Aug 27, 2011 5:00 pm

Hi Ben,

Which book is that (just looked on Amazon and he has a few)... if you like them a bit more technical try Design for Air Combat by Ray Whitford. Great book and Ray is a really nice chap. The book is not easy to get but well worth the effort. His other books are good too...

ZZ :cool:

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Ben Montgomery
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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by Ben Montgomery » Sat Aug 27, 2011 7:42 pm

This is the one:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lockheed-Blackb ... 115&sr=8-1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Design for Air Combat? Hmm, sounds like a book for me! Thanks :thumb:

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garyscott
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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by garyscott » Sat Aug 27, 2011 7:46 pm

Ben Montgomery wrote:Design for Air Combat? Hmm, sounds like a book for me! Thanks :thumb:
That book would be RIGHT up your street Ben, very in depth at all formulae etc, reasons behind certain design choices, pitfalls, you name it. Highly recommend!
I picked it up for £20 in 1988!!

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Mike
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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by Mike » Sat Aug 27, 2011 7:52 pm

Topic moved to The Mess as it's aviation-related after all !

EDIT :- I've stickified it too !
This season, I'll be mostly wearing........A THONG!

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Ben Montgomery
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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by Ben Montgomery » Sat Aug 27, 2011 7:54 pm

Theres a bunch of second hand copies on Amazon...


"Add to Cart"

:lol:

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steve149c
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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by steve149c » Sat Aug 27, 2011 8:06 pm

My favourite is Sea Harrier over the Falklands, Amazon here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sea-Harrier-Ove ... 400&sr=8-1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All really enjoyed Vulcan 607 and if you have read both books they intercross slightly, particularly one event "morning", if you have read them you will understand.

Sea Harrier is great, deals with more than just the falklands, a true insight

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Steve
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Garysb
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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by Garysb » Sat Aug 27, 2011 8:13 pm

Just finished "pressing the metal" by Alex Duncan DFC

Chinooks in Afghanistan a very good read


Also "Armed action" by LC James Newton DFC

Lynx in Iraq



Gary

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ZZ330
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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by ZZ330 » Sun Aug 28, 2011 3:32 pm

Thanks Ben I will try that one,

Ray's other books are worth reading too, The Fundamentals of of Fighter Design and the Evolution of the Airliner, both excellent!

As to other good aviation reads, well my favourite classics are:

Fate is the Hunter by Ernest K Gann, Sagittarius Rising by Cecil Lewis and of course Chickenhawk by Robin Mason.

If you like test pilot/space stuff then First Man (Neil Armstrong) is awesome. Lots of technical stuff in there as well.

ZZ :thumb:

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garyscott
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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by garyscott » Sun Aug 28, 2011 3:39 pm

Another fascinating read is "Dark Eagles" by Curtis Peebles.

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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by FirebirdF3 » Sun Aug 28, 2011 7:36 pm

Just finished Spitfire Ace of Aces by Dilip Sarkar. Bio of Johnnie Johnson including some of his last interviews.

A good read. A/W Sky Tiger by Norman Franks (bio of Sailor Malan, on its way from Amazon).

Wish Smoke Trails in the Sky by Tony Bartley would be reprinted. I read it many years ago (borrowed from library). Was one of the first WW2 autobiographies I read.

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Grahame W
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Re: Aviation Books to read

Post by Grahame W » Mon Aug 29, 2011 7:08 am

Anything by Bill Gunston, an unbeatable combination of technical information and readability! Have just finished re-reading his "Early Supersonic Fighters of the West". A bit dated now, but still fascinating. Also, if fiction is to be included in this thread, I must mention "The Hunters" by James Salter, IMHO the best novel ever written about combat flying. If you've seen the Hollywood film version on the telly, erase it from your memory. It's a travesty of the novel.
Grahame W

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