Armchair Aviation: What would you like written?

A few people have told me I’d better start writing.

I guess they were right. Certainly, judging by your posts on this forum, your enthusiasm and dedication for preserving RNZAF history makes you a great researcher.

Peter Arnold do a ‘Spitfire Survivors’

Yes, yes!

Dave Homewood, I’m with you all the way on your choices.

As for Putnam books, how about Hunting & Percival aircraft? Just about the only major British manufacturer(s) they never covered.

Same for Auster, but were they not covered to an extent in the “Civil Aircraft since 1919” series?

Slightly OT, but something I feel has been neglected, is the story of pleasure flying in the UK. There have obviously been references to it in various books, but I think it would have been an interesting subject to start to pull together in one volume – where the hell would you start?

A book on the first generations of fire/borate bombers (especily the TBM3) would be nice while an article on the Indonesian Airforce Super Constellations with pics (never seen a shot of any of the 3) is also on my wishlist. BW Roger

Cheers Steve. I have thought of another book I’d love to read. An autobiography or very good biography of Sir Tim Wallis. As well as setting the warbirds scene alight in NZ and raising the bar to the level we now have here for collections and airshows, etc, he was a pioneer of deer recovery and helicopter tourism in this country, and has apparently survived over a dozen crashes. As a person he has always been down to earth and has a wonderful philosophy. He is a truly inspirational man due to every endeavour he’s taken on and acheived. Especially taking on teh Russian mafia in order to get the Polikarpov species back in the air. And also the Hurricane, P40K and other types he’s restored.

Last month at the Hamilton Spitfire Memorial unveiling there was unusally a gap in the programme to fill, and so he volunteered to bravely get up on his crutches in front of the crowd to speak from the heart about his feelings for the memorial. He was very, very warmly received and is not just a hero to many but a great inspiration. His planes are often written about but a book is long overdue on him.

Dave Homewood, I’m with you all the way on your choices.

As for Putnam books, how about Hunting & Percival aircraft? Just about the only major British manufacturer(s) they never covered.

‘Maggie Harvey – behind the scenes’

“Tara, the inside story”

“Wartime porn and erotic stories on airbases of both sides. The naughty little monkeys”

and

“How Susannah York was won”

And some very nice books about the restoration of some imporant aircraft similar to the two books by Graham Warner about the Blenheim rebuilds.
Cheers

Cees

Here’s a nomination…a book on the restoration of the AAM’s B-24 (ex-Lackland AFB). Given the types rarity, and the quality of the restoration, I think it would be well received.

A book about the A W Whitley is long overdue. Apart from some odds and ends in former aircrew’s book there is very little about this important aircraft type (I have never seen the Whitley file, apart from some photocopied pages Elliott showed me, so I cannot comment on that one).

And some very nice books about the restoration of some imporant aircraft similar to the two books by Graham Warner about the Blenheim rebuilds. Once you start reading them you cannot put them down. The book about the restoration of Black Six is another gem. I hope they will publish one about the restoration of Halifax NA337 as well :rolleyes:

Cheers

Cees

While primarily a Spitfire fanactic I also really like the P38 Lightning. I want histories on the 474th and 14th Fighter Groups written to help fill out my P38 Fighter Group history section.

Recent works on the 370th and 479th FGs helped fill the gaps but there is still a ways to go.

A nice history of the 35th FG in the Pacific would be welcome too and of course a good work on 41 Squadron RAF during WW2 is a given 🙂

Dan

The Wellington File.

Cheers,

Todd

There are a few books I know are being written right now that I hope will come out soon. One is a history of No. 75 (NZ) Squadron being written by Group Captain Colin Hanson. Though a very good history of the squadron has been written before by Norman Franks called “Forever Strong”, (as well as an earlier wartime book called “Return At Dawn”), Colin is a meticulous researcher and will no doubt turn out a superb book. He wrote ‘By Such Deeds’ which lists every New Zealand airman and woman who has received a medal or award, with the citation, circumstances, personal details, etc. That’s a great resource.

Another in the pipeline is the third volume of Errol Martyn’s superb books, “For Your Tomorrow” listing every New Zealand airman and woman who died while in the service of the RNZAF, RAF and other air forces from 1915 till 1997. The third volume is much anticipated by researchers. I wish him best of luck with it and hope to see it soon.

As for a wishlist, I’d like to see squadron histories written for a few of the RNZAF wartime squadrons. One would be No. 490 (NZ) Sqn. which has been very much overlooked. The other NZ squadrons in the RAF have each had some sort of official or unofficial history written in the past, but not 490.

And I’d love to see a full history written of No.s 3 Sqn and 5 Sqn RNZAF. Both were GR squadrons in the Pacific in WWII, and today both sqns still exist within the modern RNZAF, each having a long and awesome history. Perhaps histories of some of the other squadrons would be great too, especially No. 2 Sqn which began in the 1930’s and went through to the 1999 disbandment of the combat wing. Or No. 25 (DB) Sqn with its Dauntlesses, and No 6 Sqn with its Hinds and then Catalinas. There are many possibilities. A few people have told me I’d better start writing. Uh-oh.

Well I agree that a detailed ‘History’ type book on the Hurricane would be very nice. So would a new updated editon of ‘From Bleriot To Spitfire’! 🙂

I wouldn’t mind Ray Hanna’s autobiography or Steven Grey’s for that matter!

Oh yes, A Spitfire book from Mr Arnold would be very nice too! 😀

Cheers

Paul

I would love to see Either Ray or Steve have a autobiography published,Both have had such intresting lives and Ray in particular must have so many stories of his days in the RAF and with the Red Arrows etc as well as more recent things to write on including the loss of Mark i think it would be a inspiring read, I hope somebody can pick up on the idea( If i had the time and money i would have a go).
I also hope the MH434 book can happen.

New Putnam Books…..

How about a Putnam-style (and I mean their old-style, not some of their lesser later books) book… North American Aviation Aircraft Since 1936

Also something on American civilian bi-planes of the 20’s & 30s. There were so many small firms (rather like the early auto industry) that a good book would help us recognize and sort them all out.

And for a wallet (and back) breaker, a single edition to reflect the current American aircraft industry…Boeing, McDonnel-Douglas, Douglas, North American, and Stearman aircraft … Judging by the current seperate volumes of the Putnam series, it should be about 6 inches thick and cost about the same as a used Mini. 🙂

Well I agree that a detailed ‘History’ type book on the Hurricane would be very nice. So would a new updated editon of ‘From Bleriot To Spitfire’! 🙂

I wouldn’t mind Ray Hanna’s autobiography or Steven Grey’s for that matter!

Oh yes, A Spitfire book from Mr Arnold would be very nice too! 😀

Cheers

Paul

I would like to see books on the following aircraft:

Vultee BT-13/15
Yak-18
Yak-52
Nanchang CJ-6

A Haynes Manual for the Dakota please.

JC

I’d like to finish writing my BofB novel… :rolleyes:

I’ve got a copy Steve.

Yes, a re-print of “From Bleriot to Spitfire. Flying the historic aeroplanes of the Shuttleworth Collection”. If anyone is having a hard time finding me a Christmas present this would be excellent.

And while we’re at it, why not a new edition of this wonderful book, which Mr. JDK taunted me with on my last visit. “Oh, here Steve, look at this wonderful book. Take as long as you like to enjoy it in the next 3 minutes.” Bloody B*&t@rd. A new edition could include some updated photography, which the book could use. Some nice cockpit and panel shots, as well as some “over the shoulder” shots that could be taken with a remote shutter device.

Now, how excellent would that be?

If only, if only…