Aviation Books

[Andy in West Oz]

Some bloody good suggestions there especially with regard to Alibris. Also have a look at Abe for second-hand books.

Adding to some of the Commonwealth air forces books above:

A Thousand Shall Fall by Murray Peden - beautifully written by Canadian pilot flying Stirlings and Fortresses.

Life's Too Short To Cry by Tim Vigors - BoB ace and flying Buffaloes over Singapore.

Down To Earth by Owen Zupp - biography of a 19-year old Hurricane pilot shot down over the beaches of Dunkirk, Turbinlite ops, flying Hurricanes over Dieppe and Mossie intruders during D-Day and beyond.

Not Peace But A Sword and Torpedo Leader by Patrick Gibbs - legendary antishipping leader flying Beaufort torpedo bombers over the North Sea and out of Malta.

A Gremlin On My Shoulder by Ron Cundy - Australian Kittyhawk ace with 260 Sqn RAF in the desert and flying with the likes of Canadian ace Stocky Edwards.

Night After Night by Max Lambert - New Zealanders in Bomber Command. Brilliant read.

Jack Davenport, Beaufighter Leader by Kristen Alexander - one of the great leaders of 455 Sqn RAAF.

The best American-written book I have read (got a heap still to read) in the past 10 years is Into The Teeth Of The Tiger by Don Lopez. Flying P-40s in the CBI.

Can recommend at least another 50 books at least from my collection but haven't read them all so...

You could also check out my website below. It might be of some help. All of the books I've mentioned above, except the Don Lopez one, are reviewed there.

Let us know what you buy.

[Django]

And you can buy some of these books at the amazon link at the top and help to support WIX.

I agree on Ace of the Eighth. Great book.

[Ken]

Fate is the Hunter Ernest K. Gann. 1930's American Airlines pilot who helped create the trans-Atlantic routes as part of the Air Transport Command in WWII. From a pilot perspective, one of the finest aviation books ever written.

Stranger to the Ground Richard Bach. Rehash of flying memories during an F-84 flight from England to France. Classic.

Forever Flying Bob Hoover's autobiography.

Don't forget the Robin Olds book, soon to be released. Ought to be a goody!

[Django]

I am eagerly awaiting this one...

Ken's Men Against the Empire: The Illustrated History of the 43rd Bombardment Group During World War II

[rreis]

I would also advice using this search engine:

http://www.bookfinder.com

it search various webstores and gives you their prices for that book. Another place to look is http://indiebound.org if you want to support small, tradicional book stores and this other site is also interesting,many times with very competitive prices http://bookdepository.co.uk

best,

[drgondog]

I really enjoyed Masters of the Air by Donald L. Miller, an 8th Air Force history.

I just finished Half a Wing, Three Engines and a Prayer by Brian D. O'Neill, which (mostly) follows a single B-17 crew of the 8th in the 303rd (Hells Angels).

And I'm currently reading An Ace of the Eighth by Norman Fortier.

There's a lot to admire in that generation that we're losing so quickly now.

I look forward to other book suggestions.

Bud Fortier was a very fine man - and he said a lot of really nice things about my father Bert Marshall.

A must read about the early 8th AF is First of the Many by Tex McCrary.

Mission with LeMay by McCantor

12 O'Clock High by Bernie Lay and Sy Bartlett

[ACarey]

If you're looking for obscure books on WWII aviation you can check mine out

[67N20]

If you like B-17s:

"Black Thursday" by Martin Caidin Covers the October 14, 1943 raid on Schweinfurt.

"Flying Forts -The B-17 in World War II" by Martin Caidin Covers the B-17 from development to deployment in all theaters in WWII.

"Combat Crew" by John Comer Covers a B-17's crew's (381stBomb Group) missions from July 1943 to Comer's (he was the top turret gunner/flight engineer) return to the US in January 1944.