Aviation Books to read

[jindivik]

"Llanbedr Airfield 1941-2012" by Wendy Mills,
Very good read if anybody is interested in target drones and there useful experiments from ww2,to cold war missile systems and up to the ASSRAM , all used on various drones from Llanbedr, its a follow on from her first book "Target Rolling" 1941-2002

[Runner]

Just finished "Boys At War" by Russell Margerison.
A well written account of his time as an air gunner with 625sqn and subsequently as a POW and a his journey back across a defeated Germany to the UK. Uncomfortable reading in parts but well worthwhile.

[MarkB]

"Llanbedr Airfield 1941-2012" by Wendy Mills,
Very good read if anybody is interested in target drones and there useful experiments from ww2,to cold war missile systems and up to the ASSRAM , all used on various drones from Llanbedr, its a follow on from her first book "Target Rolling" 1941-2002

Any idea where I can buy this, looked on Amazon but they've only got Target Rolling ?

[Flyingmonster]

I've just finished Hostile Skies by Dave Morgan again - superb read!!

Next up is the Death of Manfred Von Ricthofen

[garyscott]

War in a Stringbag by Charles Lamb. Couldnt put it down. (Much like the authors whiskey on some missions!)
http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/W ... BSHAAACAAJ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[hydealfred]

Went to the library today, and picked up a book 'The Lightning Boys'. Published only last year, it has 22 different chapters, each written by a Lightning driver, each one giving their experiences of flying the thing. Superb. Can't put it down, very much in the mould of Robert Prest's F.4 Phantom pilot. This book is compiled by Richard Pike, and one of the chapters deals with an attempt to intercept a RB57H. This particular flight became the unofficial height record for a Lightning. Anyone any ideas what it achieved?? I will reveal it after a few guesses, if anyone is interested.

Somewhere around 85,000 to 87,000 feet ?

[hydealfred]

I've been reading Jack Currie's trilogy of books, Wings Over Georgia, Lancaster Target, Mosquito Victory, about his time learning fly and flying bombers during the war. Very enjoyable books that really bring to life the everyday lives of pilots and crew during Bomber Commands Campaign.

[garyscott]

Went to the library today, and picked up a book 'The Lightning Boys'. Published only last year, it has 22 different chapters, each written by a Lightning driver, each one giving their experiences of flying the thing. Superb. Can't put it down, very much in the mould of Robert Prest's F.4 Phantom pilot. This book is compiled by Richard Pike, and one of the chapters deals with an attempt to intercept a RB57H. This particular flight became the unofficial height record for a Lightning. Anyone any ideas what it achieved?? I will reveal it after a few guesses, if anyone is interested.

I know of a pilot who managed 87300 whilst in Saudi,(Wng Cdr Brian Carrol) but the figure 91500 springs to mind in a ballistic trajectory, i think that was a lightning?

[daz greenwood]

Currently reading Mr Damien Burke's TSR2 : Britain's Lost Bomber.

[TankBuster]

I'm currently reading an old book which was published in 1953. The book is called ' I Flew For The Fuhrer' by Heinz Knoke.
It is the autobiography of Heinz Knocke who was one of the outstanding German pilots of WWII.

This is a first hand record from the other side and it really is a fascinating read. If you get a chance to read a copy then I would highly recommend it!


TankBuster

[MarkB]

I've just finished reading Scram by Harry Benson, quite impressed though I think the truth may have been stretched in places. I wrote a review of it which you can find here http://greggslibrary.blogspot.co.uk/201 ... l?spref=fb" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mark

[AndrewBarclay]

I'm not sure if this particular book has already been mentioned but as its a worthwhile cause just click on the below link, buy it and you will be contributing to Help For Heroes and other Military Charities.

http://halldale.com/shop/out-blue" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[hydealfred]

A book with an aviation connection - Camp Z - Details the flight of Rudolf Hess and his subsequent internment by the British - gives a fascinating insight into a subject I for one didn't know much about.

[AndrewBarclay]

I'm not sure if this particular book has already been mentioned but as its a worthwhile cause just click on the below link, buy it and you will be contributing to Help For Heroes and other Military Charities.

http://halldale.com/shop/out-blue" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Here are some of the stories "A bridge to far" this relates to the Pilot who buzzed Parliament and flew under Tower Bridge.

Tiger's Leap at RAF Tengar only Lightnings were believed to be capable of doing this, but the pilot of a Victor
proved that to be incorrect.

If these description whet your appetites there are another 88 stories to read. Reasonably priced at £7.99p

[AndrewBarclay]

On the 28th, August, 1947, Roland Prosper Beaumont (Bee) took to the skies over Warton in a borrowed Gloster Meteor. it seems appropriate to me to list all the books that Bee has written. see below link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Beamont#Books" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[StuBie]

Some E-books from NASA that you may find interesting (I have ):

NASA's Contributions to Aeronautics, Volume 1 : http://www.nasa.gov/connect/ebooks/aero ... etail.html

NASA's Contributions to Aeronautics, Volume 2 : http://www.nasa.gov/connect/ebooks/aero ... etail.html

Other NASA Aeronautics titles: http://www.nasa.gov/connect/ebooks/aero ... ive_1.html

[Flyingmonster]

Well I've picked up a few bargins this week!!

- Skystrike by Peter G Cooksley
- Battle Order 204 - Christobel Mattingley
- I Sank the Bismark
- One Day in a Long Day - Jeffery Ethell and Alfred Price

And Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand - which I'm reading first! Can't put it down! Even took it to DUX yesterday in case I had a chance to read a page or 2!

[johnhowe]

"Into The Abyss" by Carol Shaben, is serialised on BBC Radio 4 FM starting this morning at 9.45am. here is a short resume.

On an icy night in October, 1984 a Piper Navajo commuter plane carrying nine passengers crashed in the remote wilderness
of Northern Alberta, killing 6 people, 4 survived the rookie pilot a prominent politician, a cop and the accused criminal he was
escorting to face charges.

To get a a further insight look at http://blog.magazine-awards.com/2012/10/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; under the Carol Shaben section. PS that is a big Fish.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... Episode_1/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; listen to the book at your leisure.

Edit; What an interesting story this turned out be.

[d555]

Wings of the Malvinas: The Argentine air war over the Falklands by Santiago Rivas

A very interesting read which gives a rare insight into the air war over the Falklands from the Argentine perspective.
The first section deals with the background and lead up to the invasion and the following sections gives each squadron involved a chapter each, giving callsigns, serials of aircraft , and aircrew involved in each individual sortie.
There are many accounts of the action from pilots from both the Argentine and the British forces which helps to give a complete picture of the action.
In the appendices there is a complete list of all aircraft involved (on the Argentine side) and their subsequent fate during and since the war.

I found this a fair, honest and well researched account of the air war and not full of the bravado that sometimes get written on this subject. Mike

[Firefighter]

Just re-read Filming The Dam Busters by Jonathan Falconer after seeing The Dam Busters film on TV. Also read No Future by Des Hawkins DFC MID. (Out of print), a story based on the author's real experience as a Navigator flying with 44 (Rhodesia), 630 and 625 Lancaster Squadrons, single outboard engine landing at Maison Blanche (10 hours 55 minutes airborne )after bombing near Reggio. The author is a member of the local RAFA club of which I am as well, I am forever quizzing him about his time in the the RAF.