Aviation Books

[dhfan]

I feel like I'm just playing at it here, I've only got about a dozen Putnams.

I keep my eye on ebay and s/h shops but they're often too expensive for a cheapskate like myself.

[Mike]

I can recommend the Putnams on Miles Aircraft, Rob.

I'll match your Miles Aircraft and raise you 'British Aeroplanes 1914-1918' by JM Bruce.

Cheers
Andy

I must admit you beat me on the 'Miles', Andy, I've just got the one copy!

I'll raise you a 'Zeppelin!', though

[Andy in Beds]

I'll raise you a 'Zeppelin!', though

Have you got Zeppelin??

[Mike]

Might have

[von Perthes]

Well, I've not got any Putnams, though if they did one on the Battle of Britain I'd be tempted.

For obvious reasons, a lot of my books are BoB orientated. So apart from the obvious 'After The Battle' titles, and 'Men of the Battle of Britain' I'd recommend-

The Narrow Margin (Wood & Dempster), Hitler's Luftwaffe (Wood & Gunston), Zerstorer (Vasco & Cornwell), Best of The Few (Robinson), RAF Squadrons (Jefford), RAF records in the PRO (PRO - now TNA), The most dangerous enemy (Bungay), Poles in defence of Britain (Gretzyngier), Spitfire Ace (Davidson & Taylor), The London Blitz, a fireman's tale (Demarne), Inn of The Few (Preston), Target England (Blandford), The JG26 war diary, Vol 1 1939-42 (Caldwell), Missing in action - resting in peace (Sarkar), Battle of Britain day, The hardest day (both Price), Royal Air Force flying training & support units (Sturtivant, Halley, & Hamlin), And 'Jagdwaffe Volume two, sections 1 to 4 (Mombeek etc.).

A lot of these I've picked up in excellent condition from a local second-hand transport & military bookshop.

Geoff.

[NeilD]

No I dont have any Putnams either... current favorite book is Spitfire - A Test Pilots Story by J. Quill.. great mixture of technical detail along with personal stories and detail..
Have recently picked up a couple of large bundles of 1950's copies of The Aeroplane (plus a couple from the 40's).. they make an interesting read and it shows that nothing changes - theres letters and articles about 'the state of the RAF' and 'stop the building/expansion of Gatwick Airport'! couple of things that didnt come to fruition though were The Nuclear Powered Aircraft and the predicition that Helicopters would take over from virtually every other form of transport!
Neil.

[von Perthes]

Have recently picked up a couple of large bundles of 1950's copies of The Aeroplane (plus a couple from the 40's).. they make an interesting read and it shows that nothing changes - theres letters and articles about 'the state of the RAF' and 'stop the building/expansion of Gatwick Airport'! couple of things that didnt come to fruition though were The Nuclear Powered Aircraft and the predicition that Helicopters would take over from virtually every other form of transport!
Neil.

Neil, did you manage to log on to their forum, or was there someone in the phone box already?

Geoff.

[JBoyle]

Getting away from Putnams for a bit...
Has anyone here ever heard of or own
"One Man Air Force" by captain Don Gentile as told to Ira Wolfert?

It's a slim 55 page hardbound wartime biography of 8th AF ace gentile. I picked up a copy at a used book store in Dayton, Ohio not far from Gentile's hometown of Piqua.

It's rare enough that the USAF Museum doesn't have a copy.
It's illustrated with a dozen photos of Gentie with hi P-51B "Shangri-La: and the often repoduced photo of Eisenhower pinning the DFC on himself and Col. Blakeslee of the 4th FG.
It's a fun book and details Gentile buying a plane while in high school and later going to Canada and flying with the RAF.

The best part is the book is autographed. Since I bought the book while I was at Wright-Patterson, I got access to the museum's archives and they pulled the gentile file, there I found some original records and authenticated the signature.
Since Gentile died in a 1950 T-33 crash, sadly he wasn't around postwar to become a celebrity signing prints and the like, so this is the only signed piece of his I know of.
Though it's not for sale anyone care to guess what it's worth? I have no idea.

[NeilD]

Have recently picked up a couple of large bundles of 1950's copies of The Aeroplane (plus a couple from the 40's).. they make an interesting read and it shows that nothing changes - theres letters and articles about 'the state of the RAF' and 'stop the building/expansion of Gatwick Airport'! couple of things that didnt come to fruition though were The Nuclear Powered Aircraft and the predicition that Helicopters would take over from virtually every other form of transport!
Neil.

Neil, did you manage to log on to their forum, or was there someone in the phone box already?

Geoff.

I tried but got confused when a voice told me to 'push button A'..

[Robbo]

Well, I've not got any Putnams, though if they did one on the Battle of Britain I'd be tempted.

You big fibber - you've got "Captive Luftwaffe".

[JDK]

Talking Battle of Britain books, one I don't often see mentioned is 'The Burning Blue; A new history of the Battle of Britain' ed: Paul Addison and Jeremy A Craig (Pub Pimlico, ISBN 0-7126-6475-0 pbk, a stonking £14.00)

Basically it's a set of essays on the battle, but different; as well as the expected first hand accouunts and analyses, there's a look at children's literature and the battle, and a view of films of the battle (very interesting) plus 'the view from afar' the Japanese, Russian and American persectives. Consider the involvement of each nation in W.W.II in 1940, this section alone is worth the price of the book.

Putnams... I've got a couple. Need more colour pics and pop ups in my view.

[Robbo]

I thought you coloured them in yourself, James.

[henning]

Was there a "Putnam" put out on the p-38? or were they mostly british
stuff?

btw.. jboyle... you got a major score there! I'm a fan of the 4th FG and
have never heard of the book before. I would say anything signed
by Don Gentile would be worth well over $100. perhaps $150? I
haven't seen anything with his signature around before!

henning

[JBoyle]

Was there a "Putnam" put out on the p-38? or were they mostly british
stuff?

btw.. jboyle... you got a major score there! I'm a fan of the 4th FG and
have never heard of the book before. I would say anything signed
by Don Gentile would be worth well over $100. perhaps $150? I
haven't seen anything with his signature around before!

henning

The closest thing Putnam did on the P-38 is their "Lockheed Aircraft since 1913" by Rene J Francillon originally published in 1982 and updated in 87...alas just before the F-117 was announced.

As far as the Gentile book goes, I'd be willing to make a photo copy for the 4th FG archives...if there is such a thing. The book gives some real insight into Gentile.

[JDK]

I thought you coloured them in yourself, James.

I'll show you a Putnam with an interesting story of fraud behind it if you turn up Tues, Robbo. For the money (new or secondhand) I expect them to colour them in for me!