Aviation Books to read

[lmgaylard]

There is a couple of books here I've written, originally as 'in-house' only publications for the air & ground crews. Admins, please remove if not appropriate.

'Royal Navy Aggressors-736 Naval Air Squadron';
With the Hawk T.1 soon to be a distant memory, this little book I put together using an article I'd written for Airforces Monthly, as well as extra words giving a fuller background of the Hawk with FRADU. I spent about 18 months with the squadron during the change from FRADU to 736, both at Yeovilton & Culdrose, and there is almost 100 photographs.
https://www.blurb.co.uk/b/5861273

'Commando Helicopter Force-Clockwork 2014 & Junglie Merlin Transition';
This second book again was putting together two article I'd written, one for AFM and one for Aviation News. Again with expanded history. This book covers exercise Clockwork in Norway, and I visited Bardufoss back in March 2014 when the Sea King HC.4 made its last trip to Norway, alongside the Merlin HC.3 of the then owners, 28 (AC) Sqn RAF. The book also follows the first year or so of the Merlin in RN CHF service and includes the return of 846 Naval Air Squadron to Yeovilton as well as reports from exercises in America and aboard HMS Ocean. This also has around 100 photographs.
https://www.blurb.co.uk/b/8939435

My Sea Vixen XP924 book is available from Navy Wings website here; https://shop.navywings.org.uk/products/ ... sKEALw_wcB

Thanks for looking and I hope these might be of some interest.

[moonstone_laura]

I’ve just finished Osprey Combat Aircraft #49: IRANIAN F-14 TOMCAT UNITS IN COMBAT by Tom Cooper & Farzad Bishop. Over the last few years I’ve read quite a few of these Osprey titles; some are better than others but, I have to be honest, and say that this is one of the best ones I’ve come across. It’s quite a gripping read and makes a mockery of those western sources who claimed that the air campaign during the Iran-Iraq War was neither ‘intensive’ nor ‘interesting’ nor the US Navy’s belief that the IRIAF could still even deploy the F-14s bought during the Shah’s tenure. Well, they could! Yes, it was a struggle and by the end of the war the spare parts shortage was so chronic that only a handful of aircraft were serviceable. But, in the final analysis, the Tomcats and their Iranian pilots performed brilliantly, claiming over 130 aerial kills. Great book!

[roughcutter]

US Navy Squadron Histories; From Bats to Rangers, Pictorial History of Electronic Counter Measures Squadron 2 (Ecmron-2)/Fleet Air Recconaisance Squadron 2 (VQ-2) by Angelo Romano.
A very interesting and tempting title to read, but I'm put off by the price tag (£60+). Has anyone on the forum read this publication, is it worth the expense?

[gyvespa]

In the dim and distant past my local library used to get me books from Norwich Library where the 8th Air Force Collection was based (forgive me if it was the wrong name, it was 30+ years ago).
They had an amazing collection of rare titles, I use the past tense because Norwich Library famously had a BIG fire and much of it was lost.
However I just had a quick Google and found this

https://www.americanlibrary.uk/

I know nothing about it but it appears to be something that’s risen from the ashes of the earlier collection. Good luck.

[Fibrous Freddie]

In the dim and distant past my local library used to get me books from Norwich Library where the 8th Air Force Collection was based (forgive me if it was the wrong name, it was 30+ years ago).
They had an amazing collection of rare titles, I use the past tense because Norwich Library famously had a BIG fire and much of it was lost.
However I just had a quick Google and found this

https://www.americanlibrary.uk/

I know nothing about it but it appears to be something that’s risen from the ashes of the earlier collection. Good luck.

Yes, the USAAF section of the old library was fantastic... Some truly fabulous literature and records amongst the memorials. The 1994? fire was a very sad event on Esperanto Way (I think now Will Kemp Way)!

[xkekeith]

US Navy Squadron Histories; From Bats to Rangers, Pictorial History of Electronic Counter Measures Squadron 2 (Ecmron-2)/Fleet Air Recconaisance Squadron 2 (VQ-2) by Angelo Romano.
A very interesting and tempting title to read, but I'm put off by the price tag (£60+). Has anyone on the forum read this publication, is it worth the expense?

Got this off eBay for less than the £60 quoted, am half way through it’s excellent, lots of rare photos and access to official Navy records. A must for anyone interested in this subject.

[roughcutter]

US Navy Squadron Histories; From Bats to Rangers, Pictorial History of Electronic Counter Measures Squadron 2 (Ecmron-2)/Fleet Air Recconaisance Squadron 2 (VQ-2) by Angelo Romano.
A very interesting and tempting title to read, but I'm put off by the price tag (£60+). Has anyone on the forum read this publication, is it worth the expense?

Got this off eBay for less than the £60 quoted, am half way through it’s excellent, lots of rare photos and access to official Navy records. A must for anyone interested in this subject.

Must say I am very tempted by this book (and quite a few of his other titles), I'll likely succumb in the end. Thanks for the feedback

[roughcutter]

US Navy Squadron Histories; From Bats to Rangers, Pictorial History of Electronic Counter Measures Squadron 2 (Ecmron-2)/Fleet Air Recconaisance Squadron 2 (VQ-2) by Angelo Romano.
A very interesting and tempting title to read, but I'm put off by the price tag (£60+). Has anyone on the forum read this publication, is it worth the expense?

Got this off eBay for less than the £60 quoted, am half way through it’s excellent, lots of rare photos and access to official Navy records. A must for anyone interested in this subject.

Must say I am very tempted by this book (and quite a few of his other titles), I'll likely succumb in the end. Thanks for the feedback

Wow, can't believe it! I've just bagged a (used) copy on Amazon for £32.20

[RedBaron68]

New member to the forum with a serious book buying addiction!
Can I recommend recently published "USAFE Tactical Units in the United Kingdom in the Cold War 1950-1992" by Doug Gordon. A serious work of research with a wealth of images. Great to read about UK bases before my time, Chelveston, Shepherds Grove etc.

[roughcutter]

RIAT22; After purchasing some patches from 1st ACCS guys, my mate had a very amicable conversation with one of the aircrew members about the E-4B. The guy he spoke to was amazed at his knowledge of the aircraft and was naturally fairly guarded in his answers. However on parting, he (as an aside) tacitly hinted at a publication called "Raven Rock" by Garrett M. Graff. It is available for download on kindle for £9.99, admittedly I haven't read it myself yet, so can't comment. But, straight from the horse's mouth....

[roughcutter]

New member to the forum with a serious book buying addiction!
Can I recommend recently published "USAFE Tactical Units in the United Kingdom in the Cold War 1950-1992" by Doug Gordon. A serious work of research with a wealth of images. Great to read about UK bases before my time, Chelveston, Shepherds Grove etc.

Welcome aboard RB68
Yeah, I've invested in a copy of this promising book myself, not read yet, I'm saving it for the long cold nights. I'll tell you what Fonthill Press have an extraordinary selection of titles. Those two Canberra publications look very tempting

https://www.fonthill.media/collections/aviation

[RedBaron68]

Thanks roughcutter, I have volume one of the new Canberra book by Ken Delve backed up to read. Ken Delve’s name attracted me to the title as he co-authored the excellent MCP Canberra book from some years ago.

[slogen51]

I briefly met Ken Delve at the Marham Heritage center the other day

I purchased Marham operational history 1916 - 2019 which he wrote

[awacsfan]

RIAT22; After purchasing some patches from 1st ACCS guys, my mate had a very amicable conversation with one of the aircrew members about the E-4B. The guy he spoke to was amazed at his knowledge of the aircraft and was naturally fairly guarded in his answers. However on parting, he (as an aside) tacitly hinted at a publication called "Raven Rock" by Garrett M. Graff. It is available for download on kindle for £9.99, admittedly I haven't read it myself yet, so can't comment. But, straight from the horse's mouth....

I've finished reading RAVEN ROCK a few weeks ago and while it covers a few bits and pieces concerning the E-4B NEACP it is mainly about the survivability of the US Government in times of war and/or attack. Covers lots of military and political history and it's still a good and interesting read, but it's NOT an in-depth look into the Boeing E-4B.

[roughcutter]

RIAT22; After purchasing some patches from 1st ACCS guys, my mate had a very amicable conversation with one of the aircrew members about the E-4B. The guy he spoke to was amazed at his knowledge of the aircraft and was naturally fairly guarded in his answers. However on parting, he (as an aside) tacitly hinted at a publication called "Raven Rock" by Garrett M. Graff. It is available for download on kindle for £9.99, admittedly I haven't read it myself yet, so can't comment. But, straight from the horse's mouth....

I've finished reading RAVEN ROCK a few weeks ago and while it covers a few bits and pieces concerning the E-4B NEACP it is mainly about the survivability of the US Government in times of war and/or attack. Covers lots of military and political history and it's still a good and interesting read, but it's NOT an in-depth look into the Boeing E-4B.

Ah right. I might still download a copy anyway, looks an intriguing subject, cheers.

[hanzl]

just a few tips...
Davies,S. Red Eagles(USAF MiG sqn)
Samuel, Glory Days(Vietnam EB-66 ops)
Spooner,T Warburton's War(WW2 Malta PR 'ace')
Forsyth,F. Shadow over the Atlantic(WW2 Lw.Fw200/Ju290)
Archer,B. Super Snooper(RC-135 ops)
Kimbell,A. Think like a bird(AAC Beaver ops)
Broughton Thud Ridge(Vietnam F-105 ops)
Hayward Stopped at Stalingrad(WW2 Lw airbridge failure)
Price,A. Instruments of Darkness(WW2 electronic warfare)
to name few....
grtz,
Hans

[xkekeith]

RIAT22; After purchasing some patches from 1st ACCS guys, my mate had a very amicable conversation with one of the aircrew members about the E-4B. The guy he spoke to was amazed at his knowledge of the aircraft and was naturally fairly guarded in his answers. However on parting, he (as an aside) tacitly hinted at a publication called "Raven Rock" by Garrett M. Graff. It is available for download on kindle for £9.99, admittedly I haven't read it myself yet, so can't comment. But, straight from the horse's mouth....

I've finished reading RAVEN ROCK a few weeks ago and while it covers a few bits and pieces concerning the E-4B NEACP it is mainly about the survivability of the US Government in times of war and/or attack. Covers lots of military and political history and it's still a good and interesting read, but it's NOT an in-depth look into the Boeing E-4B.

Ah right. I might still download a copy anyway, looks an intriguing subject, cheers.

Just finished 'Raven Rock' a very interesting read on a subject that's just got more relevant unfortunately ...

[roughcutter]

Thanks roughcutter, I have volume one of the new Canberra book by Ken Delve backed up to read. Ken Delve’s name attracted me to the title as he co-authored the excellent MCP Canberra book from some years ago.

Amazon is currently selling volume 2 for £33.57 (£2.80 p&p)

[roughcutter]

Thanks roughcutter, I have volume one of the new Canberra book by Ken Delve backed up to read. Ken Delve’s name attracted me to the title as he co-authored the excellent MCP Canberra book from some years ago.

Amazon is currently selling volume 2 for £33.57 (£2.80 p&p)

Subjected to delay - postal strike (I've since cancelled my order).

[roughcutter]

Third edition of Robert S Hopkins III book KC-135 - Not Just a Tanker is in circulation.