Whatcha reading?

[Scott Rose]

Hi all, if you're like me then you have an affinity for aviation books. I'm curious as to what everyone is reading.

[Courier Sportster]

I have a Jane's identification book in the bathroom with me, TMI? It's how I was familiar with that Turbine Neptune. It's so outdated, lots of estimates of capabilities on grainy photograph's of USSR planes, like the Frogfoot.

[Matt Gunsch]

Earthbound Misfit, https://www.amazon.com/Earthbound-Misfit-Jerry-Foster/dp/096678295X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1531835299&sr=8-1&keywords=earthbound+misfit

[TheBoy]

Just finishing "Chickenhawk" by Robert Mason. An excellent first-hand memoir by Mr. Mason of his time as a Huey pilot in Vietnam.

[phil65]

Final Cut, Fifth Edition...

Phil

[raconnel]

Sink 'Em All, by Charles Lockwood.
Hey, it mentions PBY's C-54's, and B-29's.

Richard

[Scott Rose]

Just finishing "Chickenhawk" by Robert Mason. An excellent first-hand memoir by Mr. Mason of his time as a Huey pilot in Vietnam.

I read that back in high school in the 80s. Inspired me to wear a 1st Air Cav patch on my jacket for years

[Tulio]

Two long, thick books, biographies:

Harry S. Truman
Hyman Rickover

Besides, a lot of books by Ken Follet, and I waded through an excellent book on the Mustang in Swedish AF service, by Leif Hellstrom (sp?). How I wish I could read Swedish!

Saludos,


Tulio

[Mortmer]

Fighters Up: The Story of American Fighter Pilots in the Battle of Europe - Eric Friedheim, Samuel W. Taylor

I collect books about WWII writer during WWII...

[Human Factor]

First Light by Geoffrey Wellum.

Arguably the best aviation book I have read and I struggle to imagine it being beaten in that respect.

(not the first read either)

Last edited by Human Factor on Sat Jul 21, 2018 6:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[wendovertom]

Beyond the Call of Duty: The Story of an American Hero (Col Bernard Fisher)

and recently finished

Shot Down: The True Story of Pilot Howard Snyder and the Crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth

I read this one as it is a 306th BG story and they trained here in Wendover, Utah.

Tom P.

[Mark Allen M]

"How to become the POTUS for dummies"

[JohnB]

The aviation book I'm reading is a good one...
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, More than a Tanker by Robert S Hopkins III.

It charts the history of the 135 and its use as a Tanker, then themed chapters examine its work as a transport, test beds, Recon and more. The chapter then gives you a brief history of the airframes used in that role and their eventual fate.

We all know MATS had 45 C-135s...but this is the first book I've seen that goes into their use and makes the obvious observation (which I admit I had never thought of...it being TOO obvious ) that it was an import part of US military airlift history as it was the first jet transport but the ONLY USAF jet transport (VIP VC-137s excluded) for about four years...until the C-141 came online in 1965.

The author is a former 135 pilot (before getting a PhD in History) who flew ORCs, so that chapter, which I haven't gotten to, should be good.
He makes comments about the USAF, at times it comes across like he's "telling tales out if school", but they add a perspective not usually seen in techie books. I'm just concerned that some may take some of his comments too literally, as at times it comes across as an expose of the service. No doubt foreign readers will selectively read it to reinforce their anti-U.S. biases...

Really, 5 stars. The author has a B-47 book coming out next month, and despite my shelves already being home to 4-5 Stratojet books, I'll likely buy it.

[seagull61785]

'Little Friends'

by Philip Kaplan.

An all-time favourite of mine. If you have never read this masterpiece then you really need to.

Barry

[Mark Sampson]

"Flying The Oceans" by Horace Brock. He started out in the Air Corps c.1933 and ended up as a senior pilot for Pan Am. On navigating the Clippers across the Pacific. "the navigation wasn't that difficult, it was just that you could never make a mistake".
Long out of print but available from abebooks.