Living in England for the last 2 years I have been reading a lot of books from WWII.

The best book I have ever read about combat flying is "First Light" by Geoffrey Wellum. He was flying Spitfires during the Battle of Britain at 18 years of age! He gives an honest account of what he felt, the pressures, exhilaration, risks. From trying to find a field with the whole country fogged in with no radios, to seeing hundreds of German aircraft and just him and his wingman. Outstanding read!

Another written in 1942 is "10 Fighter Boys". Short first hand accounts from 10 pilots in a fighter squadron. By the time thebook is published only 7 are alive. Very good account written in the style of the time.

Also in the middle of "Enemy Coast Ahead" by Guy Gibson. He was the leader of the Dambusters. Lancasters which breached the Dams on the Ruhr using skip bombs. Again written in the style of the time. I'll let you know how it finishes.

Cheers
Paul

PATRICK GARVEY wrote:Float plane.. My favor is "Success on the Step" by C. Marin Faure The history of Kenmore Air and the many great flying stories that they had in the Northwest from 1946 to the present. "A company without a business plan".

I just searched this old thread to write up Success on the Step, but I see that Patrick beat be to it. I was just given a copy, and am part way in. It is good writing, and the can-do spirit that comes across in the history of Kenmore is quite laudable.

A friend was just down that way and caught one of Kenmore's Turbine Otter scheduled flights. For $100 bucks, it sounded like a great bargain considering the extraordinary convenience. Heck, it's almost worth the money just to get up close and personal with an aircraft like that.

King of the ice,by Helen Corbin.
About Bush pilot,and hunting guide Don Johnson,from the 40s to the 80s.

art lazzarini's, cows blow grass is a nice easy to read one, some fic. some
true.....

one other good one, for us middle fork folks, is "one winter in the wilderness" by a proffessor from moscow that stayed at taylor
ranch one winter, doing astudy on the wildlife there. taylor ranch
is on big creek on the south side before u get to soldier or cabin...

Making my Christmas list. So far I have listed "Bent Props and Blow Pots", "Wager With the Wind" and "Fly the Biggest Piece Back". Any more suggestions?

For the fellow living in the UK, and who was interested in WW2 stuff, there is a rare classic paperback out there titled "The War in the Air", edited by Gavin Lyall. It is a collection of short stories and essays by the Battle of Britain pilots themselves. The grainy silhouette photo of Wing Commander Roland Beamont tipping a V-1 over in flight with a Typhoon is priceless. The series of photos titled "A conversation I would have liked to have heard", and "A conversation I did not need to hear" is priceless also.

There is a series of 2 or 3 novels by Mark Berent starting with "Rolling Thunder" about fictionalized Viet Nam pilots interwoven with actual history that is great.

The passages in Stephen Coonts' "Flight of the Intruder" about the guy trying to hit the deck at ight with a damaged A-6 still makes me tingle just thinking about it.

However, the grand prize of all (in my humble opinion) goes to Richard Bach's "A Gift of Wings". This is a collection of brilliant, heartfelt short stories and aviation essays that got under my skin over 30 years ago in High School and has never left. This is Bach at his absolute best, even better than "Seagull", and more focused on flying airplanes.

Two back-to-back stories in Bach's book, "Found at Pharisee" and "School for Perfection" will be of significant interest to many of the people on this Forum. If after reading those two stories any of the true-blood pilots out there don't want to move heaven and Earth to bring them to life... well you're not a true-blood pilot.

Anyone interested in Alaskan aviation should read Jorgy. The life story of Holger "Jorgy" Jorgensen is a great read and his skill and precision will blow you away. The author is Jean Lester.

I have been getting into reading here lately, this is strange for me. Anyway.

I really like the Don Sheldon story Wager with the Wind.

I have not seen this book mentioned yet, good read. LOST IN SHANGRI-LA: A TRUE STORY OF SURVIVAL, ADVENTURE, AND THE MOST INCREDIBLE RESCUE MISSION OF WORLD WAR II By Zuckoff, Mitchell (Author)


Flyboys A True Story of Courage James Bradley (Author)


Good day

I'm currently enjoying "Picking Up the Pieces" by Denny McCartney, a Canadian mechanic who worked on over 800 salvage operations, many in BCP-worthy locations, in the full range of conditions. The writing is enjoyable, and the stories are quite impressive for the resourcefulness and can-do approach in them. As the preface points out, most of the crashes he worked on would result in a total write-off today, so his line of work is virtually an extinct occupation. If anyone knows "Bent Props and Blowpots", it's a lot like that, except a decade or two more recent, and more readable. Has some good pictures too.

-DP

I'll look for Flyboys, thanks for the recommendation.

I've read 'Flags of our Fathers' also by James Bradley. His father was one of the guys in the photo of the flag raising at Iwo Jima. Very good book.

"Last of the Bush Pilots" by Harmon Bud Helmericks
"On Patrol" by Ray Tremblay...(as good as Wager in the wind..IMO)
"Alaskan Bush Pilot 1930's" by Roy Dickson
"Sourdough Sky" Ny Stephen Mills and James Phillips
"Alaskas Flying Cowboy" by Oscar Winchell
"Glacier Pilot" by Beth Day
"Noel Wien" by Ira Harkey
"Wager in the wind" by James Greiner

I have a bunch of others, most came from my pops collection that I keep raiding...The books by Jim Reardon or Harmon Helmericks are my favorites.

If anyone has the book "Sourdough and Swahili" its a good read as well but I am bias...Its about my grandfather.

AKT

denalipilot wrote:I'm currently enjoying "Picking Up the Pieces" by Denny McCartney, a Canadian mechanic who worked on over 800 salvage operations, many in BCP-worthy locations, in the full range of conditions. The writing is enjoyable, and the stories are quite impressive for the resourcefulness and can-do approach in them. As the preface points out, most of the crashes he worked on would result in a total write-off today, so his line of work is virtually an extinct occupation. If anyone knows "Bent Props and Blowpots", it's a lot like that, except a decade or two more recent, and more readable. Has some good pictures too.

-DP

Hey DP , on your recommendation I am reading this book. I am 25% done and enjoying the read. Great stories.

Good day...Rob

Glad to hear it Rob.

Good Day to You.

Wings Over Wilderness: Adventures of Alaska Bush Pilot Paul Shanahan, by Charles M. Thomas

Jorgy: the life of Native Alaskan bush pilot and airline captain Holger "Jorgy" Jorgensen

Good reads about two great post-WWII Alaskan pilots. I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to fly with both in my four decades of flying in the Last Frontier.

Not sure if this one was mentioned. A corporate pilot friend of mine had me buy this book. I hate to read so I didn't get past the first few pages. But my friend said it's an excellent book.


http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pspages/asaFlyWing2.php

"You are the same today as you’ll be in five years except for two things, the books you read and the people you meet."

Charlie "Tremendous" Jones

A recent good read: EASY TARGET by Tom Smith "The riveting true story of a scout pilot in Vietnam" Books written by the guys doing the actual flying go to the top of my list.

Chasing Icarus: The Seventeen Days in 1910 That Forever Changed American Aviation

courierguy wrote:A recent good read: EASY TARGET by Tom Smith "The riveting true story of a scout pilot in Vietnam" Books written by the guys doing the actual flying go to the top of my list.

Hey Tom I just finished Picking up the Pieces, denalipilot recommended it. I liked it.

I have just started Easy Target. The first chapter has me thinking it will be good.

Since I can't get parts to make the Maule fly may as well read.

Cheers...Rob