Autobiographies Of Aircraft Mechanics?

Thanks for the recommendations, it looks like there are some interesting books to pursue. I didn’t know about the servicing commando units.

Although not quite what the OP is after…but nevertheless a very entertaining/interesting/well written book is ‘Flight Path’ by Frank T Courtney.
He had an extremely unorthodox beginning as an RFC pilot,if I may quote myself from another forum LOL

In his book ‘Flight Path’ Frank T Courtney writes that he was an apprentice with and got his ‘ticket’ at the Grahame White school at Hendon pre WW1.He joined the RFC as an AM 2 (Air Mechanic 2nd class),he was already an experienced engine mechanic – so quite a rarity then ,but due to a chronic pilot shortage and because he was already a civilian pilot he voluntarily took on some of the less popular flying tasks and despite wearing spectacles was eventually given RFC wings whilst still an AM2 and without any military flying training/test.He eventually managed to wangle his way to france to operational sqdns, was eventually promoted through the ranks to captain and became a freelance test pilot post war (inc for cierva on the autogiro).
Fascinating book by the way…really unputdownable

I believe that there was one other airman pilot in WW1 ,but he was an AM 1 ; )

Of course Round The Bend by Neville Shute (Norway) has a good bit of “ground work”

Of course ‘Round the bend’ is a novel (fiction) but nevertheless it is a really good read,I only really liked 3 NS books and round the bend was one of them,’Slide Rule’ – his autobiography (Neville Shute Norway) is also an excellent read about his years with the Airship/Aircraft industry as stressman/designer/private pilot.

My old man was known as ‘Harpic’ at work because he was ‘Clean round the bend’ – well he was a little unusual 😀

“Once a Tiff” – author forgotten, for a story telling the FAA side.

Another kiwi autobiography is “We Also Served” by Wally Ingham.

And a recent book is “In Support Of The Few” by Joe Roddis, et al. See here
http://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/19398/support-joe-roddis-485-squadron

One Foot On The Ground by Harry Smith. Published by Cirrus Asociates ISBN 1 902807 14 6
Of course Round The Bend by Neville Shute (Norway) has a good bit of “ground work”
Squadron Airborne is also based around Wartime Squadron life and includes lots of Erk tales

‘Picking up the pieces’ by Denny McCartney. On his adventures as an Insurance adjuster/aircraft mechanic getting wrecked aircraft out of the Canadian bush to ferry them to an airfield for proper repairs, in the 1950s, 1960s. Unbelievable stuff there.

Now there’s a title you couldn’t forget!

Only for the ‘fags and matches’ to disappear and ‘wallet & watch’ now included in the more modern check list.

An interesting book, that is difficult to find, surfaced when researching one of my uncles career (3225 SC) in WWII.
‘A History of R.A.F. Servicing Commando’s’ by J P Kellett & J Davies

Now there’s a title you couldn’t forget!

read this one a couple of years go… interesting of story of ground crews working at forward operating bases..

http://www.luath.co.uk/spectacles-testicles-fags-and-matches-the-untold-story-of-raf-servicing-commandos-in-world-war-two.html

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I can recommend this one:

Chocks and Driptrays by Stanley Newton which is of the immediate post war era

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chocks-Driptrays-Experiences-Mechanic-Pakistan/dp/1846831202

John

You have a very good point here, there should be more books of this kind. The only other one I can think of that might be of interest is ‘Six feet Over’ by Peter Charles. He worked for several airlines as an engineer, before later going on to form his own crop spraying company. However, apart from my own I haven’t seen another copy for years so I don’t know how easy it is to get hold of now. But, if you can find one, its a very good read.

There are some copies to find, i.e. this one http://www.amazon.co.uk//gp/offer-listing/1852000775/sr=/qid=/?condition=new&tag=bf-dt-home-21

You have a very good point here, there should be more books of this kind. The only other one I can think of that might be of interest is ‘Six feet Over’ by Peter Charles. He worked for several airlines as an engineer, before later going on to form his own crop spraying company. However, apart from my own I haven’t seen another copy for years so I don’t know how easy it is to get hold of now. But, if you can find one, its a very good read.