Who Is Your Favourite Aviation Author?

I particularly like the biographies of those that were there such as Don Charlwoods No Moon Tonight, all Jack Curries books and Geoff Wellums First Light among many others. I would add to the list and highly reccomend Tony Spooners In Full Flight. It his his story form training through to flying Wellingtons on anti shipping patrols off Malta. Fascinating from start to finish. His exploits made him highly regarded by the navy for his work with them. If you haven’t read it then seek out a copy. You won’t be dissapointed.

Try Guy Murchie’s “Song Of The Sky”. Or, if you metal bashers want to understand the psychological reasons why you do what you do, then read Neville Shute’s “Round The Bend”. This will give you an alternative view on a number of problems!
HTH
Resmoroh

Favouritehors

I]f you include authors of articles in magazines, then surely Ray Braybook’s column in Air International should be accepted

Deighton for Bomber
Robinson for PoC
Lecomber for almost anything he writes
Fiddimore for Tuesday’s War
Radcliffe for Under an English Heaven

Moggy

Finally, I find Andy Saunders books well researched and easily readable.
Gerry

Who? 😮 :diablo:

Hi all,
I can recommend the following two autobiographies by Battle of Britain airmen.
‘Clouds of fear’ by Roger Hall and ‘ Lifes too short to cry’ by Tim Vigors.
They are both well written and worth having on your shelf.
I have also enjoyed anything written by Sandy Johnstone.
Finally, I find Andy Saunders books well researched and easily readable.
Gerry

Blue – meant to tell you – I am well over half-way through Lancaster Target and cannot wait to get stuck into Mosquito Victory. Currie brings it all to life so easily – you really feel a part of that crew. Thanks a lot for the recommendation.:D

It was a pugnacious-looking bulldog -hanging loosely in the straps of a specially constructed parachute-harness.
[/QUOTE]

So THAT’s where a certain car insurance company got the idea! 😀

Not sure if he’s been mentioned yet but the book I remember most would be Round the bend by Neville Shute. As a young mechanic this book really struck a chord with me………………………..

How about this! Ace Carew,Airman-speed king. By Edward R. Home-Gall 1949?.

[/QUOTE]Ace carew was staring skywards in the wake of the climbing plane with his eyes afire with sudden excitement-eyes that were glued to something which the zooming spitfire had left behind it, suspended in the darkness in its wake. it was a black shape swinging with a pedulum-like motion beneath a jet-black parachute!
“purple thunder!” he muttered into his teeth. “its Bruce!” Now the parachute was approaching the ground a short distance to one side of the barbed wire barrier-and its passenger was taking shape.
It was a pugnacious-looking bulldog -hanging loosely in the straps of a specially constructed parachute-harness.
And that bulldog was Bruce -the mascot; Bruce was a trained paratrooper , and an officially recognised member of the R.A.F. As its feet touched the ground the bulldog twisted its strong neck round to close its formidable-looking teeth upon a quick-release ring on the side of the ‘ chute harness.
With a sharp jerk on the rip-cord the bulldog freed itself of the harness and then, swiftly and skilfully gathering the silk parachute up into a ball with its four paws, thrust it into the centre of a bush. Ace had taught him this trick because a loose parachute ballooning about the country could swiftly start a widespread spy-hunt.

If you ever come across Barrett Tillman’s ‘The Dauntless Dive Bomber of World War Two’, buy it. It’s extraordinarily compelling reading. His book on the Hellcat doesn’t quite have the same ‘in the ops room’ feel to it.

Good man. I can pretty much guarantee you won’t be disappointed…

They are indeed. If you struggle for copies let me know. A purveyor of ‘previously enjoyed’ books near me had both last time I was there, for not very much pennies…

You’ll be delighted to know that I have purchased a copy of each in very good nick. As soon as I have finished Neville Duke I will be up ‘n’ at ’em. Thanks – and I’ll let you know how I get on.

Brilliant book…

Night flyer….Lewis Brandon
Samurai ……Saburo Sakai
Air Crew…….Bruce Lewis
L’waffe War diaries…C Bekker

and the one that IIRC started it all off……Gunners Moon by John Bushby

You guys in the mainland UK are very lucky with the number of “pre-read” shops …was in Yorkshire & London a while back and could have sent a 40ft artic back fully loaded !! not such a good selection over here apart from Belfast and even there they are closing up !

C F Rawnsley, because I was doing the job he did, thankfully after the war. He just described things so well.

If we are talking refernce books then without question. And of course the Jane’s series and Bill Gunston.

William Green
Gordon Swanborough

produced the best aviation reference books in the ’50s and ’60s.

Oh yes – Lancaster at War books – fantastic

Desert Island Discs(Books !) Roger Freemans “Mighty Eighth ” trilogy,”Lancaster At War” books by Garbett/Goulding. “Bomber Squadrons of the RAF” by Philip Moyes. “Catch 22” by Joseph Heller.

I’ve enjoyed Rowland White’s books too, although he’s a relative newcomer compared to some of the illustrious names already mentioned i like how he writes. Helps that he’s covered two of my favourites, the V force and the Bucc 🙂