Author Topic: Book recommendation for AH'ers (Read 768 times)

toonces3 · « **on:** September 30, 2007, 07:04:03 PM »

Hey all,
I picked up The Encyclopedia of Aircraft of WWII at Borders (or Barnes and Noble) for $9.95. It is a softback book, over 500 pages. It has a ton of interesting material in it. In addition to having most of the planes of WWII in it for the different countries, the more popular ones (most of the planes in AH2) have fairly long write-ups. Ever wonder what the difference is between the Spit 9 and Spit 8? It's in there. Wonder how the P47N evolved from the D-series? It's in there. And so on.

I actually picked it up a while back for another game I play, War in the Pacific, because I needed something to identify the more obsure planes I came across (who's ever heard of a plane called a Barracuda?). It's in there.

Here's the link at Amazon.com, but I think you'd be better served looking for it the next time you're at or around the bookstore. For $10, I don't think you can go wrong.

http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Aircraft-Wwii-Paul-Eden/dp/1904687830/ref=sr_1_2/103-4090816-9987808?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191196579&sr=8-2

See ya,
Toonces

Spikes · « **Reply #1 on:** September 30, 2007, 07:26:43 PM »

I have a few plane encyclo's...all with very good info...

toonces3 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 01, 2007, 01:54:41 PM »

Feel free to post additional books that you feel are good references.

Collecting books is a vice of mine- I'm always on the lookout for more.

I mentioned my book specifically because it seems like a huge value for the price.

NoBaddy · « **Reply #3 on:** October 01, 2007, 02:25:37 PM »

I have the book you mention and I recommend these...

The Great Book of World War II Airplanes (a must have)
Fighter Combat and Tactics...................... ...........Robert Shaw
The Ace Factor....................... ............................. Mike Spick
The Aces books........................ ...........................Er ic Hammel
JG 26 Top Guns of the Luftwaffe.................... ......Donald L. Caldwell

For ground pounders...

Panzer Aces......................... ............................. ..Franz Kurowski
Tigers in the Mud.......................... ......................Otto Carius

The panzer books are interesting because they are German combat memoirs.

Airscrew · « **Reply #4 on:** October 02, 2007, 10:05:32 PM »

Books, did someone say books. Ok I got some, probably not as many as most... these are the ones I have on the shelves, I got a few others in boxes

Jane's Fighting Aircraft of WWII (1946 reprint)
Fighters of WWII
World Encyclopedia of the TANK, WW1 to Present (1990)
The Spitfire V Manual
The Hurricaine II Manual
AirWar Against Hitler's Germany
TIME Life Series - The Epic of Flight
Great Fighting Planes
Luftwaffe - The Allied Intelligence Files
The Encyclopedia of Military AirCraft
RAF Heavy Bomber - Lancaster
Flying Fortress
Blitzkrieg
The Battle of Britain
Blood, Tears, and Folly
Terror From the Sky
The History of US Naval Airpower
History of the US Air Force
Blitzkrieg 1940
Air Force - A Pictorial History of the USAF - 1957
Fighter - 1914 to Present (1990)
Aircraft vs Aircraft (kinda like Dogfighter but a book)
The Worlds Greatest Attack Aircraft
The WWII Memorial
Victory in Europe
Lost Warships
American Aircraft of WWII
Axis Aircraft of WWII
British Aircraft of WWII
Soviet Aircraft of WWII
World War 1 - A History
WWII Desk Reference
Aircraft of WWII
Messerschmitt 109 - Luffwaffe Fighter
Hurricaine
Messerschmitt (another 109 book)
ForkTailed Devil
P-38
Messerschmitt 110

airspro · « **Reply #5 on:** October 03, 2007, 04:58:46 PM »

http://www.amazon.com/Luftwaffe-Fighter-Aces-Jagdflieger-Techniques/dp/1853675601/ref=sr_1_6/102-5017931-4971328?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189460419&sr=8-6

Good read . Read it , then fly it some . After a bit read it "yet again" and it will make even more sence .

Brooke · « **Reply #6 on:** October 05, 2007, 12:05:21 AM »

For reference books, in addition to the Great Book of WWII Airplanes, I recommend America's Hundred Thousand, by Francis Dean.

I also have really enjoyed the Osprey Combat Aircraft Series of books on various aircraft:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/102-2931084-7555302?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Osprey+Combat+Aircraft&Go.x=11&Go.y=6

clerick · « **Reply #7 on:** October 05, 2007, 02:15:06 AM »

I hope Guppy doesn't read this thread.. not sure there is enough space to list his library

33Vortex · « **Reply #8 on:** October 05, 2007, 03:08:22 AM »

Recently read Blood Red Snow, a german soldier's memoirs from the eastern front from 1942 (Stalingrad) up til the end of the war. A unique document from one of the common men who served in the Wehrmacht. Highly recommended.

Guppy35 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 05, 2007, 03:30:21 AM »

Just the P38 books in my library

P38 Lightning-Reading List

Group or Squadron Histories:

“An Escort of P-38s-The 1st Fighter Group in World War 2” - John D. Mullins
“Attack & Conquer-The 8th Fighter Group in WW2” –John Stanaway & Lawrence Hickey
“The Eight Ballers: Eyes of the Fifth Air Force”-John Stanaway & Bob Rocker
“20th Fighter Group” – Ron MacKay
"Straight and Level-The story of the 33rd Photo Recon Squadron in WW2" J.B. Woodson Jr.
“The Fighting 33rd Nomads in World War 2 Volumes 1 & 2” -James E. Reed“Cobra in the Clouds-Combat History of the 39th Fighter Squadron”-John Stanaway
“Protect & Avenge-The 49th Fighter Group in World War 2”-S.W. Furguson & William K. Pascalis
"The Only Way Home" 54th FS in the Aleutians" Robert Haynes Murray
“The 55th Fighter Group vs The Luftwaffe”-John M. Gray
“Adorimini-A History of the 82nd Fighter Group in World War 2” –Steve Blake with John Stanaway
"The Dynamite Gang-The 367th Fighter Group in World War 2" by Richard Groh
“The 370th Fighter Group in World War 2” -Jay Jones
“The Geyser Gang-The 428th Fighter Squadron in World War 2” –John Truman Steinko
=The Backdoor Gang-The 430th Fighter Squadron in World War 2-Alex Shennan
"Vampire Squadron-The saga of the 44th FS in the Southwest Pacific"-William Starke
"The 474th Fighter Group in WW2"- Isham Keller.
“Possum, Clover & Hades-The 475th Fighter Group in WW2”-John Stanaway
“The 479th Fighter Group in World War 2” - Terry Fairfield

Books on the P38 Lightning and it’s pilots

“The Lockheed P-38” – Warren Bodie
“Peter Three Eight-The Pilot’s Story” -John Stanaway
“P38 Lightning Aces of the Pacific and CBI” - John Stanaway
“P38 Lightning Aces of the ETO/MTO” - John Stanaway
“Lockheed P38 Lightning” -Steve Pace
“Lockheed P-28 Lightning” -Frederick A. Johnsen
“P-38 Lightning in World War II Color” - Jeffrey L. Ethell
“P-38 Lightning-Restoring a Classic American Warbird” –Jesse Alexander
"Forked Tailed Devil"- Martin Caiden
"Lightning Strikes" Donald Davis

"P38 Lightning in Detail & Scale Part 1 XP-38-P38H" by Bert Kinzey

"P38 Lightning in Detail & Scale Part 2 P-38J-P38M" by Bert Kinzey

"Lockheed P38 Lightning-in USAAF, French, Italian, Chinese Nationalist Service" Arco Aircam Aviation Series #10

"Twelve to One"-5th Fighter Command Aces of the Pacific. Compiled by Tony Holmes. (This is the manual put together by 5th FC using the words of their best pilots. Includes lots of 38 drivers)

"Lockheed P-38 Lightning in Italian Service 1943-1955"-Marco Mattioli

Guppy35 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 05, 2007, 03:37:38 AM »

Spitfire Books in my collection

-Spitfire-The History: Eric Morgan, Edward Shacklady
-Spitfire-The Story of a Famous Fighter: Bruce Robertson
-Spitfire at War: Alfred Price
-Spitfire at War 2: Alfred Price
-Spitfire a Documentary History: Alfred Price
-The Spitfire Story: Alfred Price
-Spitfire-Flying Legend: John Dibbs, Tony Holmes
-Spitfire-The Canadians: Robert Bracken
-Supermarine Spitfire: Chaz Bowyer
-The Spitfire V Manual: RAF Museum Series
-The Spitfire Log: Peter Haining
-Birth of a Legend: The Spitfire: Jeffrey Quill
-Spitfire-A Test Pilot’s Story: Jeffrey Quill
-Spitfire: Bill Sweetman, Rikyu Watanabe
-Camouflage & Markings-Supermarine Spitfire, RAF Northern Europe 1936-45
-Spitfire Mark V Aces 1941-45: Alfred Price
-Late Marque Spitfire Aces 1942-45: Alfred Price
-Supermarine Spitfire MK.XII-24: Arco-Aircam Aviation Series No-8
-Spitfire: John Vader
-Spitfire Mk.XII-24: Famous Airplanes of the World No.9
-Spitfire! Spitfire!: Michael Burns
-Born Again-Spitfire PS915: Wally Rouse
-Spitfire Special: Quarter Scale Modeller
-Spitfire-Sixty Fabulous Years!: Flypast Special
-Supermarine Spitfire: Aero Series 10
-Les Spitfire Francais: Claude Pierquet
-Supermarine Spitfire: Peter Moss
-Spitfire in Action: Squadron Signal Publications Aircraft NO.39
-Spitfire XII Pilot’s Notes
-Spitfire 21 Pilot’s Notes
-Spitfire F.XII Aircraft Griffon III Engine (copy of maintenance notes)
The Supermarine Seafire-David Brown

Spitfire centric Pilot Biographies:
-Wing Leader: Johnnie Johnson
-The Big Show: Pierre Closterman
-Fly For Your Life (Robert Stanford Tuck): Larry Forrester
-Reach For the Sky (Douglas Bader): Paul Brickhill
-Fighter Pilot’s Summer (Paul Richey): Norman Franks
-Clouds of Fear: Sammy Hall
-Falling Through Space: Richard Hillary
-Tally Ho!-Yankee in a Spitfire: Art Donahue
-Spitfire Leader (Evan Mackie): Max Avery & Christopher Shores
-Blue Skies-The Autobiography of a Canadian Spitfire Pilot in World War II: Bill Olmsted
-Shoulder to the Sky (Mike Beytagh) :Gil Thomas
-Enemy in the Sky: Sandy Johnstone
-Test Pilot: Neville Duke

68Raptor · « **Reply #11 on:** October 05, 2007, 03:54:28 AM »

This thread should be sticked as a reference for us noobs. (no hijack intended)

clerick · « **Reply #12 on:** October 05, 2007, 10:40:37 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Guppy35
Spitfire Books in my collection
....
-Spitfire: John Vader...

[/b]

Any relation to Darth Vader?

Quote

-Supermarine Spitfire: Peter Moss

[/b]

Pete Moss! I love it!

Airscrew · « **Reply #13 on:** October 05, 2007, 10:57:59 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by clerick

Any relation to Darth Vader?

Pete Moss! I love it! [/B]

No you're thinking of Jeff Vader, Head of catering on the DeathStar

clerick · « **Reply #14 on:** October 05, 2007, 11:11:06 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Airscrew
No you're thinking of Jeff Vader, Head of catering on the DeathStar

Jeff! Thats right, I'm always messing those two up!