I have too many to list and I have read a few what's has been mentioned. As an all time favorite I would add Len Deighton's
Bomber to the list. It's fiction but was carefully researched.
I have just finished
The Few - about small number of American pilots in the Battle of Britain. (I didn't know that the first Eagle Squadron did not go operational until just after the official end of BOB). This book is about Fiske, Donahue, Keogh, Tobin and Mamedoff who arrived just as the last boats were leaving Dunkerque. None of them survived to Dec 7. 1941.
I got
Hell Hawks for father's day and I'm looking forward tucking into it this weekend. It's about the 365th FG of the 9th AF...air to mud Jug squadrons that did close air support from D-Day to VE-Day.
BTW - Minoru Genda (the Monk) was the staff officer (on Yamamoto's staff (equivalent to CNO in our Navy)) that recognized the significance of shallow-water torpedo technology (Brit Swordfish against the Italian fleet at Taranto) and how it could be applied to the Japanese situation. He developed the idea, submitted it to Yamamoto, designed the shallow-water fins for the JN arial torpedo, supervised the training, and developed the attack plan. Nagumo was the flag officer that executed the plan. Genda was a brilliant man and was the number 2 guy in the Japanese government in the mid-late 70's. He was also a member of the Zero Fighter Pilot's Association and he had the distinction of surviving the sinking of the Battleship Yamato in 1944. He passed away in 1989.
On the point though...if Yamamoto had been the operational commander I think he would have ordered the third attack...arranged a refueling and steamed to the southwest to hunt the US carriers. He knew the value of the US Carriers and the wisdom of the 'hammer blow' at Pearl. Because the carriers escaped, Yamamoto knew it wouldn't be long before the tide turned in the Pacific.
Sorry to spew so much, guys. I think it's great that everyone is reading the really good books about this era of flight, combat and world history.
Raider
PS. For Texas Mom. As a born-again Texan I finished
Lone Star: A History of Texas and the Texans by T.R. Fehrenbach over Christmas/New Years. Now if I can just master the long-neck in the back pocket thing, I'll qualify for citizenship.