Good reads and ripping tales ..

[wehyam]

Can we restart the aviation literature sticky that was lost? Can one of the 'respected' elders please set it up?

I've just re-re-read 'Winged Victory' by Victor Yeates, and the author's biography 'Winged Victor' by Gordon Atkin..

I'm sure many have already read them, but I cant recommend these books too highly .. Its just a start..
What books would you recommend?
...for learning flying technique and tactics... for a douche of reality .. for awe and deference .. for any reason? ..
What about "A rabbit in the air".. by David Garnett for those of us who are not natural pilots...
whatever:ernae:

[Dimus]

This is a nice opportunity to recommend this:

"Teach yourself to fly" by by Nigel Tangye. Although published in 1941, a war later than OFF era, it should be quite enjoyable. Amazon has it here:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Teach-Yourse.../dp/0340966149

For those not scrolling down in the link above here is the description:

"
Teach Yourself to Fly was one of the first titles published in the Teach Yourself series. Written in 1938, on the eve of the Second World War, this book's main purpose was to prepare all short-service pilot recruits and conscripts before they were called for service. Recommended by the Air Ministry, this book was studied religiously by thousands of young men, some as young as 17. This wartime edition (1941) encapsulates the feeling of the time; the tone is endearing, inspiring, nostalgic and often humorous yet the seriousness of its purpose looms like a dark shadow above.

From the 1938 edition of Teach Yourself To Fly:
Your First Solo Flight will be made a great deal sooner if you study this book, for you can master the theory before you even come in contact with the 'plane. Straightforward statement and clear diagrams make its instruction easy to grasp. You can save your instructor's time and patience and that is A SERVICE TO YOUR COUNTRY.

The limitations of this book, as pointed out by the author, remain the same now as they were in 1938: The title, 'Teach Yourself to Fly', I do not intend to be taken literally. However confident the reader may feel when he has reached the last page, it will not be advisable for him to go to an aerodrome and jump into a waiting aeroplane in the belief that he will be able to fly it. For he may have overlooked the direction in which you push the rudder-bar, as I did, or some equally important item. And no aeroplane-owner exactly welcomes the man who cracks his aeroplane up for him.
"

I just love that disclaimer at the end!

[Gousgounis]

Sagittarius Rising by Cecil Lewis. An amazing book for WWI aviation .

[Rooster89]

Here's a couple more for the list that was lost:

Fighting The Flying Circus by Capt. Eddie V. Rickenbacker. A great autobiography by Americas Ace of Aces. Written 1 year after the war its filled with amazing detail.

Ace of the Iron Cross an english translated version of Ernst Udets wartime autobiography. Takes you through the war, his post war flying adventures up to his forced suicide.

Barker VC The tales of William Barker, one of Canada's greatest aces. Written by Wayne Ralph.

[rodion_h]

Hi guys! Been out for too long, but back to check P3's status. Shredward please don't forget my name on the waiting list! I still don't know how to pay for it, but I do have the funds for P3 now, so just tell me how to pay.

I picked up a copy of this from a local bookstore today...


Knights of the Air by Ezra Bowen. Part of the "Epic of Flight" series of Time-Life books.

Anyone else owns it? And I'd be very happy if someone can give a short review before I dive into it. I did browse through it and I absolutely love the pilot uniforms section, superbly done I think.

-RODION

[spooky74]

I have a fare (oops bit to much red wine tonight) fair library devoted to WW1. Here a few of my fav's

The Red Baron- Beyond The Legend by Peter Kilduff
The Pity of War - Niall Ferguson
1915- The Death Of Innocence by Lyn Macdonald (this author has done a plethora of WW1 books)
The Somme by Peter Hart
Gallipoli by Les Carlyon

these are only a few of the maybe dozen or more books on the Great War so please ask for more titles if you want.
I know they are not all devoted to WW1 aviation but hey the airwar was only one area of the conflict.
Spooky drinkn red signing off.

[sandar]

I have just returned from a trip to the Ypres area. I stayed at Talbot House, Poperginge. 24 hours after I left, Harry Patch visited the house. I had bought his biography, "The Last Fighting Tommy", written by Richard Van Emden, a book I highly recommend.

Other books well worth a read are:-
Shrieks and Crashes. a memoir of William Kerr of the Canadian Field Artillery 1917.
Menin Gate & Last Post (Ypres as Holy Ground), by Dominick Dendhoven

On a lighter note The Wipers Times (The complete series of the famous wartime trench newspaper) is very well worth reading.
I quote from Ian Hislop's Foreword to the book, "This extraordinary magazine was written, printed, distributed and read by British soldiers serving in the trenches of the Western Front during the First World War. It was produced on an abandoned printing press salvaged from the ruins of Ypres-hence the title with the classic British mispronunciation-and was an immediate success from its first edition.........Its extraordinary mix of jokes, sarcasm, black humour and sentimental poetry make it a unique record of the period. It is quite literally laughing in the face of death..........It is Blackadder for real and an obvious forerunner of magazines like Private Eye.

[sandar]

1915- The Death Of Innocence by Lyn Macdonald (this author has done a plethora of WW1 books)

I have (I think) all of Lyn Macdonald's First World War books. They are all written in the same style, using personal reminisces of the veterans. I have to say my 'favourite' titles are Roses of no man's Land, Somme and They Called it Passchendaele.

[gimpyguy]

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?...ar+1&x=10&y=17

It's number, roughly 16 Books, each covering rather deeply the aircraft mentioned in the title, and the men who flew her. It is quite well done with Full Color Plates, mostly B & W. printed on glazed paper, it does not have the Treasure Appeal of a rare Hardcover. But it does contain a wealth of information.

As Jack Webb used to say on DRAGNET: "Just the facts"

The Best part is. . you can pick'em up used quite reasonably, buy 1, when you judge the quality, you'll buy more . . . I've got 5

It's Osprey Publishing Company . .Aircraft of the Aces
For those not in North America

[spooky74]

and They Called it Passchendaele.

incedible book that one mate, also look to get Ernst Jünger's "Storm of Steel" a truly eye opening semi-biography of WW1

[sandar]

incedible book that one mate, also look to get Ernst Jünger's "Storm of Steel" a truly eye opening semi-biography of WW1

I lost some relatives in the battles around Ypres and have just returned from visiting their graves and memorials. If you are interested, see my post 'Just returned from Ypres' in the OFF forum

[wehyam]

"Bloody April" by Peter Hart. Every one should read it.. even if his 'appologia' of the Trecnhard Haig.. tactics/strategy etc is a bit sickening:

Arras.. 150,000 Allied casualities.. Think how much worse it would have been without the contribution of the RFC, and in comparison, the RFC casualties "pale into insignificance".. They'd learnt a lot from the Somme debacle... Oh yes...
....... with stupidity even gods struggle in vain.
The French lost 120,000 in the first two days.. Nivelle was the name of their glorious leader... How many more can you lose before you lose??

However the point is .....??
that the major 'war' role of the RFC was photo-reconnaisance and forward air controller.. And this brings me to one of my favourite books... A lonely Kind of war : Marshall Harrison.. its about FAC in Vietnam..

And it raises the question.. How many of the campaign/missions in OFF reflect the primary function... ie flying a dog of a plane along a straight line taking photographs while waiting for baron Ricky and the Albatri to arrive.. Hmm think I'd sooner be whizzing about in my scout... :ernae:

[gimpyguy]

Try to hold your water, even if it's tough. In Phase 3 there will be many 2 seaters, doing all sorts of things. You be able to Fly the Photo plane, OR the Escort aircraft. Work in progress, you'll just have to wait, along with everybodyelse. :ernae:

[wehyam]

I'm waiting gimpy old boy.. with bated breath.. however there's no hurry..I'm still learning to fly..and that may take some time.. .. quick flight will do me for some time yet.. Camel vs Fockker DVII .. going to give him a wingman but 'down grade' him back to rookie.. When I've learnt to fly I might start flying the older planes.. love this game... BTW I think you're right.. I cant tell the clouds are on 1...

[RNAS_Flyer]

heres a link to an online version of Fighting The Flying Circus by Capt. Eddie V. Rickenbacker

http://www.richthofen.com/rickenbacker/

[gimpyguy]

Not to toot my own horn, but if you check out, the STICKY OFF Tips and cheats #8. There's 3 on-line books and lots of other goodies.

[wehyam]

Hello RNAS... thanks .. downloaded it..

[RNAS_Flyer]

Thanks for the heads up gimpyguy :ernae:

[peterjh]

Like most of us I'm looking forward to getting my hands on the OFF3 full version and have only, thus far, seen the videos to cause me to lick my lips about it. I first got my hands on a combat flight simulator when about a dozen years back, the Chuck Yeager Combat program was available. We might sneer at the visuals now but I loved that little program even though I never quite mastered it. Recently I got hold of the autobiography of Chuck and it was a fascinating read. I recommend it. It would be interesting to hear what he thinks of the flight sim world of today.:cost1:

[wehyam]

Aces Falling: Peter Hart..
The last year of the war saw the deaths of many of the aces... as fatique, tactics and strategic demands, the technology and planes develop...

.. another good read .. informed and measured commentary enlivened with 'in their own words' descriptions of what it was like..

The publisher, being deranged, has printed the quotes in a low contrast and almost unreadable font.. he should have been a staff officer.. However...

[Ulerich]

found the rickenbacher link, damn it as I ought to be studying..also I hear that cecil lewis' "strato" something is very well written. All quiet on the western front class? I'd recommend Adolf Galland's "the first and the last" to everyone that hasen't read it. Less chivalrous epoque mayhap, but it covers all aspects, flying & strategy as well as politics.

[wehyam]

Hey ho Ulerich... its
Sagittarius rising: by Cecil Lewis.. really excellent..what are you studying?

[Ulerich]

Well..european studies and politics, though the last few hours I've been lost in Rickenbacher's tales while using google earth. It's the first time I've managed to find a ww1 aviators own words, many thanks. I've been harrassing liberaries and history professors to and fro for years with no result. Seems I won't have to anymore.

I guess my interest in early aviation started in a simular way to many of you, by biggles. I was ten when I found a cardboard box on the loft belonging to my late uncle..biggles was tres a la mode in sweden in the sixtees so there was an abundance to be found at second-hand shops. (Got the "camels are coming", translated and printed in 1941 of which I'm very fond). I'm happy to finally be able to read some real stories and try this game. Just learned about this god-given trackIR also..

[wehyam]

hey ho Ulerich
: european studies and politics.. WWI has to be a exemplar of how not to do it..
There are lots of books to keep you from your studies..
Mannock VC, Ace with one eye.. Oughton and Smith..
Biggles.. that takes me back.. bit UN- politically correct for Sweden (and UK) now I guess.. Off topic.. I 'go' skiing at ARE.. :ernae:

[Ulerich]

..in the sense of being euro/west-centric and putting old colonial values upon us maybe. I shall defend this type of youth litterature (tintin, asterix & obelix, biggles) any day, makes one interested and aware of the world around you at an early stage. And that is valuable.
Must recommend the film La Grande Illusion also from 1937, prophetialistic title as it refers to the great war being the last whilst the world was preparing the next. Plot is simple, two french airmen are downed and made pows and escapes. The film's message though is beautifully and cruelly presented. The 60ies "great escape" starring mcqueen is a hollywood hotted up version.