Flying Through Midnight, C-123 book

[Ken]

I'm 1/3 of the way into this book written by John Halliday on his experiences flying the C-123 out of NKP in 1970. I'm enjoying it but withhold a recc until I finish.

Anyone else read/reading this one?

Ken

PS: Books on combat airlift are not always easy to find. Anyone have any 5-star recc's for C-47, C-119, C-130, or similar subjects??

[b29flteng]

I read it a few years ago and found it was great. He writes like Ernie Gann.

[Brad]

I read it a couple of years ago after one of my pilots gave it to me in the desert. Surprisingly I didn't like it. I can't exactly say why but I seem to remember it was mostly his style of writing I didn't care for. I think I've still got it laying around here somewhere, maybe I'll give it a second try. I'm actually the last USAF Loadmaster to fly on a C-123 so I figured I'd like anything to do with a C-123.

[Ethan]

ive got it on the shelf, its next on my list. looks like a good book

[Second Air Force]

I read it a few years ago, and I think we had a thread somewhere on WIX about it at one time.

Scott

[Jesper]

PS: Books on combat airlift are not always easy to find. Anyone have any 5-star recc's for C-47, C-119, C-130, or similar subjects??

I have read this one: 'Runway visions: An American C-130 pilot's memoir of combat airlift operations in Southeast Asia, 1967-1968' by David Kirk Vaughan.

It gave me a picture of the mix of boredom, difficult and demanding flying onto short runways and intense moments under fire these crews must have had.

Although the b/m books may not be about air combat lifts as such, I think they both are good reads.

Shadow and Stinger: Developing the AC-119G/K gunships in the Vietnam War by William P. Head. (Some say this is the book about fixed wing gunships)

Air America by Christopher Robbins. A very good read. Much cloth and dagger here. And stories about characters that could have been taken from an Indiana Jones movie

[Ken]

Finished the book. Hate to admit, but I didn't care for it. All due respect - I realize it is a true story written by the pilot who lived through the experience, but there were just several instances and/or dialogue sections that left me scratching my head.

Examples - Explanation of boundary layer, slow flight, and "hanging it on the props" was wrong. Not being able to descend below 20' over a river because ground effect kept them from pushing the nose lower. Calling for "ignition to BOTH!" when they needed more power. And some of the conversations were a bit long winded for having taken place in the middle of crisis during a combat sortie. Maybe some stuff was tweeked during the editing phase to help the average reader follow along, but it just didn't jive with me.

Don't take my word for it - if it's on your shelf, give it a read.

Ken

[airknocker]

For fascinating flying yarns who can't beat:
http://www.air-america.org/
Checkout the oral interviews, aircraft histories and articles.

Last edited by airknocker on Mon Dec 21, 2009 8:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[adflyer]

I would highly recommend Close Encounters With the Pilot's Grim Reaper by Lou Martin, Lt. Col, USAF (ret). I really enjoyed it and would probably read it again. He flew the C-82, C-119, C-133 and several others. He's also written a couple others which I own but haven't gotten around to reading.

http://www.amazon.com/Close-Encounters- ... 1412092299