EvilEagle Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 I just finished "A Lonely Kind of War: Forward Air Controller" by Marshall Harrison. It was excellent. Second (third, maybe) both Ed Rasimus's Vietnam books. Also "Fighter Boys" (can't remember the author) and "First Light" by Geoffrey Wellham were both good WWII/Battle of Britain books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prozac Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 2 on "First Light". Great first person take on being in the BOB. I think Wellham died late in the war or just after doing test pilot work on the Typhoon/Tempest. His memoirs were put into autobiographical form by his surviving family members. Great read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Hand down my favorite was My Secret War...A-1 driver tells his story of Vietnam. I have a signed copy. Required reading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sowchinook Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Anyone know of any good reads or articles on the history of aircraft performance planning? Kinda wondering what it was like in the WW2 era. I can't imagine they had 200pgs of spaghetti charts to run before their B-17 took off. That era of aviation always seemed like it would be quite enjoyable to have experienced so I can't imagine there was any TOLD around to spoil the fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guineapigfury Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Anyone know of any good reads or articles on the history of aircraft performance planning? Kinda wondering what it was like in the WW2 era. I can't imagine they had 200pgs of spaghetti charts to run before their B-17 took off. That era of aviation always seemed like it would be quite enjoyable to have experienced so I can't imagine there was any TOLD around to spoil the fun. They probably just loaded all the bombers up the same and 1 planner ran the charts the night before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85Shiney Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 I am pleased to say that Geoffrey Welham survived the war, was still going strong one year ago (and still is AFAIAA) - an interview here http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/kent/hi/front_page/newsid_8758000/8758271.stm Flying at the Edge (20 Years of front-line and displaying in the cold war era) - Tony Doyle AFC - I f/ound an interesting read A Lonely Kind of War - Marshall Harrison - FAC in Vietnam/Laos 85Shiney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
contraildash Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 (edited) I recently finished "Stuka Pilot" by Hans Ulrich Rudel. It was the version with the preface by Douglas Bader. Safe to say that while I don't agree with his ideology, his story is pretty epic. Stats alone: 2,530 combat missions claiming a total of 2,000 targets destroyed; including 800 vehicles, 519 tanks, 150 artillery pieces, a destroyer, two cruisers, one Soviet battleship, 70 landing craft, 4 armored trains, several bridges and nine aircraft which he shot down. What suprised me was how often Stuka crews landed and picked up their downed squadron mates, how he got stuck in the mud on one attempt and the ensuing escape from the Russians. He also flew FW-190s a lot towards the end of the war. Anyways, very interesting read. My list of books read recently: We Die Alone - story about a failed mission by Norwegian agents in WW2 and the sole survivor's escape. Lions of Kandahar - Battle for Sperwan Ghar Outlaw Platoon - great account of action in eastern Afghanistan Vulcan Test Pilot - very dry read (British test pilot) but neat insight on production/test flying back in the early years of jets Hauling Checks - life of a frieght dog Squawk 7700 - nothing like working your ass off to become a regional airline pilot then realizing it sucks. good book Fighting the Flying Circus - Rickenbacker's WW1 story. Low Level Hell - Loaches at treetop level + huge f'n balls The Rogue Aviator: In the Back Alleys of Aviation - dude leaves the AF and works for some sketchy airline operations American Sniper - seems everyone has read this one recently Sniper on the Easter Front - About an Austrian kid becoming a sniper by accident, I found the Axis' perspective on the retreat from the Russians intreguing. To Kingdom Come - B-17 raid on Stuttgart goes waaaaaay bad. If You Survive - 1Lt in the infantry's story. Starts soon after D-Day, up through Hurtgen forrest. O Face mentioned "By Any Means Necessary" I suggest anyone that's read that also check out two books by Col. Wolfgang Samuel "German Boy" and "Coming to Colorado". Both are about his story of fleeing the Russians in 1945, surviving and escaping eastern Germany, moving to Colorado, and eventually becoming one of the first Ravens to fly in the RB-47s. He has written several other books that I haven't read yet. Edited July 16, 2012 by contraildash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stract Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 just finished The Forgotten 500: The Untold Story of the Men Who Risked All For the Greatest Rescue Mission of World War II by Gregory A Freeman. Great read! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prozac Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 I am pleased to say that Geoffrey Welham survived the war, was still going strong one year ago (and still is AFAIAA) - an interview here http://news.bbc.co.u...000/8758271.stm Well, whatd'ya know.... must've been thinking of another book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewskis Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 (edited) We Were One by Patrick O'Donnell I read this one for the first time a while back, but few books have evoked an emotional response from me as this one did. I re-read it recently, and felt the same way I did after I saw Act of Valor ("I used to think what I did was pretty cool, now a I just feel like a ######") . http://www.wewereone.com/ Edited July 17, 2012 by brewskis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learjetter Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Plug from an old Flying Safety guy; "Darker Shade of Blue" by Tony Kern Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Masshole Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Thanks for all of the recommendations. I will look for some of them on Amazon since none of them were in the bookstore. I did acquire Operation Overflight by Francis Gary Powers though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco_Nav963 Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Plug from an old Flying Safety guy; "Darker Shade of Blue" by Tony Kern By a Texas Tech grad. Excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brickhistory Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Advance word on a soon to be released book: "Fighter Group," by Jay Stout. ("Guinness" is a retired USMC F-4/F-18 pilot, but don't hold that against him...) It is about the 352d Fighter Group, 8th Air Force, ETO. I was asked to review and provide a "blurb" for the back cover so I was given an advance (galley proof) copy. Outstanding read, good flying, accurate descriptions of all the personalities inherent in any unit. From the square-jawed All American to the d-bag that nobody liked, especially when he got liquored up, to the crew chiefs, to the intel dudes. A lot of WWII stuff is kinda formulaic. I thought this was different. He also gets some material from the German side of various fights, so it is interesting to see both sides of an engagement and the war. I'm buying a copy when it's released. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bushmaster Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 The Jungle Express, by Michael Bleriot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TreeA10 Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 Just finished American Sniper by Chris Kyle. SEAL sniper with multiple tours in Iraq, highest confirmed kill count, and longest kill at 2100m. Very interesting reading regarding his experience at the personal level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herkbum Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Just finished American Sniper by Chris Kyle. SEAL sniper with multiple tours in Iraq, highest confirmed kill count, and longest kill at 2100m. Very interesting reading regarding his experience at the personal level. Agree. Good read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stitch Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 (edited) The Few by Alex Kershaw story of the American Pilots who risked jail and loss of passport/citizenship to sneak into England and fly in RAF squadrons during the Battle of Britan while the USA was still trying to stay out of the war. These guys flew in "regular" RAF squadrons LONG before the Eagle Squadrons were set up. EDIT: Spelling and Eagle Sq info. Edited July 30, 2012 by Stitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitman Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Anyone read Adm McRaven's book "Spec Ops"? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backseatdriver Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 Anyone read Adm McRaven's book "Spec Ops"? Yes. Very interesting and thought-provoking (especially if you work in/around SOF). Can get very dry at times (it is a theory book after all) but the case study model using historical examples make for some good reading. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gas Man Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Just finished Fearless. Adam Brown was an amazing guy. Made it into Seal Team 6 after losing an eye and having the fingers on his right had torn off and re-attached. Oh and he was a crack addict too. Need I say more? Read it. http://www.nralifeof...VideoModule/554 http://www.amazon.co...ords=adam+brown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Masshole Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Has anyone read and have a review for any of the following: Bombing To Win by Robert Pape Counterinsurgency by David Kilcullen Wars of National Liberation by Daniel Moran and John Keegan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TreeA10 Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 House to House. Army Sergeant in Iraq on house to house fighting in Iraq. Pretty graphic description of the nastiness of the fight and the conditions of those that fought it. Saddam's Secrets. Iraqi Air Vice Marshall Georges Sada. This guy was a Christian from northern Iraq and never joined the Baath part. Probably why he wasn't killed by Saddam like so many of his AF compatriots. Not sure if a lack of understanding of something lost in translation caused some interesting comments on U.S. hardware. Like calling the Stealth the "B-117" (this is actually accurate and erroneous at the same time) and cruise missiles launched from carriers. He also claimed that 50+ cargo flights carried WMD materials, documentation, and equipment to Syria prior to the start of the Iraqi Freedom. Escape from Camp 14. Truly horrendous situation. A boy born to two political prisoners inside a North Korean prison camp. Basically a non-person with no future other than working to death. Starvation, beatings, executions are a day to day occurrence. Finally meets someone who describes what food is like outside the camp and he decides to escape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old crow Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Just finished Fearless. Adam Brown was an amazing guy. Made it into Seal Team 6 after losing an eye and having the fingers on his right had torn off and re-attached. Oh and he was a crack addict too. Need I say more? Read it. Big "2" on this book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilgore Trout Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Just finished Fearless. Adam Brown was an amazing guy. Made it into Seal Team 6 after losing an eye and having the fingers on his right had torn off and re-attached. Oh and he was a crack addict too. Need I say more? Read it. http://www.nralifeof...VideoModule/554 http://www.amazon.co...ords=adam+brown Adam Brown was a good Arkansan. Glad we've got guys like him on our side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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