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General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: deluxe on June 20, 2000, 09:56:00 AM

Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: deluxe on June 20, 2000, 09:56:00 AM
I just finished reading "I flew for the Fueher". All I can say is amazing...you can get it online at Amazon.com
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: Ripsnort on June 20, 2000, 09:59:00 AM
"Doolittle"..by none other than Doolittle.  Excellent reading.
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: Karnak on June 20, 2000, 10:01:00 AM
Samurai!, which for those few who don't already know is about Saburo Sakai.

The other would be Fly for your Life, which was about Robert Stanford Tuck, an early war British ace.

Sisu
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: HABICHT on June 20, 2000, 10:19:00 AM
"fährte des Jägers" by Erich dickfeld!!


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  (http://saintaw.tripod.com/habichtnew.gif)
     
Quote
"Die Ta 152 war meine Überlebensversicherung in den letzten Tagen des Krieges" OFw Willi Reschke, Ritterkreuzträger, 38 Abschüsse

[This message has been edited by HABICHT (edited 06-20-2000).]
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: Downtown on June 20, 2000, 10:25:00 AM
I got to admit I liked Charlie Bond's "A Flying Tiger's Diary" quite a bit.

I read Samurai and it was pretty good too.  Makes me feel bad for the early U.S.A.A.C. and ANZAC's that had to fly against him.

C.J. Rosbert's "Flying Tiger Joes Adventure Story and Cookbook." has many great recipies, I can't wait to make "Tex" Hills Barbecue Sauce.  C.J.Rosbert cooked for Princes Grace "Kelly" once.  Grace Kelly is the Hottest WWII, or Post WWII Era actress IMHO, after Ingrid Bergman.

Ah...

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"Downtown" Lincoln Brown.
    lkbrown1@tir.com    
 http://www.tir.com/~lkbrown1 (http://www.tir.com/~lkbrown1)
Wrecking Crews "Drag and Die Guy"
Hals und beinbruch!
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: Yeager on June 20, 2000, 10:27:00 AM
Top three:

*Yeager*

*Press On* (Yeager II)

*To fly and to FIGHT* (Bud Anderson)

Go figure....

Yeager
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: Ripsnort on June 20, 2000, 10:28:00 AM
Still waiting to see a book posted here that I haven't read!

Side note to Yeager, when I first saw  your callsign on WB's when you joined, I thought "I hope he lives up to the name of that great pilot! he has used for his callsign"...  You know what?  You have!  (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif)

[This message has been edited by Ripsnort (edited 06-20-2000).]
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: Hangtime on June 20, 2000, 10:44:00 AM
'To Fly and Fight...'  Bud Anderson.

Really.. read it. You'll re-read it again and again..  This was an American of his time.. and his remininces struck a chord. Bygone era; bygone concepts, but the man's heroism is timeless. Wonderful insights into what makes a man fly; and fight.  (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)

Hang


Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: buhdman on June 20, 2000, 11:13:00 AM
My favorite is "To Fly and Fight", Bud Anderson, but another one I enjoyed is:

Spitfires, Thunderbolts, and Warm Beer : An American Fighter Pilot over Europe by Philip D. Caine

Interesting and very detailed diary of an American who flew Spitfires for the RAF and went on to fly P-47s for the US.

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Walt (buhdman) Barrow
(formerly lt-buhd-lite)
The Buccaneers - "Return with Honor"
home.earthlink.net/~wjbarrow


[This message has been edited by buhdman (edited 06-20-2000).]
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: Swager on June 20, 2000, 11:19:00 AM
"The Big Show"   by Pierre Clostermann

"A Thousand Shall Fall"   by Mury Peden

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Swager
XO   I/JG2~Richthofen~[/i]

"Damn.....I can't believe I missed that shot!!!"
 (http://saintaw.tripod.com/swager.jpg)
JG2 "Richthofen" (http://members.tripod.com/JG2/)

[This message has been edited by Swager (edited 06-20-2000).]
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: bongo on June 20, 2000, 11:23:00 AM
All of the above    (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)   Also check out the books by Eric hammel, like Aces against japan aces against japan 2.you can find his books at amazon.com and look in the out of print section at amazon.com.  most of his books are short stories about fighter jocks. great reading.

[This message has been edited by bongo (edited 06-20-2000).]

[This message has been edited by bongo (edited 06-20-2000).]
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: Staga on June 20, 2000, 11:30:00 AM
1. A.Galland's "Die Ertzen und die letzen"<sp?> First and last ones in Finnish translation  (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)

2.Pierre Clostermann "The Big Show"

Staga
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: danish on June 20, 2000, 12:10:00 PM
Several of the above mentioned +

Messerschmitts Over Sicily by Johannes Steinhoff - physical and psykological breakdown just around the corner.

Another very good similar read is The War Diary of Helmut Lipfert by Helmut Lipfert\Werner Girbig - allthough I suspect his memory has been "modeled" some.

Dancing In the Skyes by Tony Jonsson - simply good read.

danish
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: Lizard3 on June 20, 2000, 01:36:00 PM
Here's a link to my old squad's page(AW3). Theirs a downloadable version of a book by the squads "freind" Cmdr McWhorter, "First Hellcat Ace"  http://www.users.uswest.net/~jpfinch/thefirsthellcatace.htm (http://www.users.uswest.net/~jpfinch/thefirsthellcatace.htm)

The book is relatively new as I believe it was published this spring.

Liz

[This message has been edited by Lizard3 (edited 06-20-2000).]

Having just re-read it myself, its interesting to note ranges he fired at and ranges he quotes as max range. The "new" gunsight he talks about sounds interesting also. He also states that the Japanese 20mm had a better range than the .50's. A very distinguished flyer for sure.

[This message has been edited by Lizard3 (edited 06-20-2000).]
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: Luckyone on June 20, 2000, 01:51:00 PM
Yes, what Staga said and I would add "the Guiena Pig" same publisher. Both were paper back and easy reads in low light. As long as they were shelling you could read.
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: Yeager on June 20, 2000, 02:04:00 PM
Ahh schucks...hehe....thanks Rip  (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)

I try, believe me.....I try

Yeager
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: gatt on June 20, 2000, 02:47:00 PM

Messerschmitt Over Sicily (Steinhoff)
The Big Circus (Closterman)
The Look of Eagles (Godfrey)
Tumult in the Clouds (Goodson)
The Blue Arena (Spurdle)
The Last Enemy (Hillary)
Fighter Pilot (Richey)
Mustang Ace (Goebel)

Great books  (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif) Some are rare.
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: Red Ant on June 20, 2000, 02:55:00 PM
"To know oneself in Battle" by Alexander Pokryshkin.
This book has not been translated into English as of yet, but I am currently working on remedying that situation

Also:

"Samurai" by Saburo Sakai
"VF-17: The Jolly Rogers" by Tommy Blackburn
"Baa Baa Black Sheep" by Greg "Pappy" Boyington

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Red Ant
WB: redant
CO, =XXX= Tres Equis <VVS>
"When you're in a P39, ALL planes are zekes"
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: Luckyone on June 20, 2000, 02:59:00 PM
Did I just see a big hug from rip to yeg? eeuwh! Both, ya all are just havein' too much fun as I am today.
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: Dune on June 20, 2000, 03:37:00 PM
The two best I've read are:

Mustang Ace by Bob Goebels, 31st FG.  Goebels was an 11-kill ace in Italy with the 15th AF.  You don't get to see much info on the MTO from the US side because the reporters liked England better.

The War Diary of Helmet Lipfert by Helmet Lipfert, JG 52.  
Lipfert was a 203-kill ace on the Eastern Front.  Great book.  Doesn't say much about the whole politics surrounding German flyers, mostly concentrates on the air war over Russia.  Something else you don't see much about.  Helps you understand how the LW acheived such high kill totals.  Lipfert flew 2 and sometimes 3 times a day, and ran into the VVS almost every hop.  Plus he was shot down around 10 times  (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif).  Shows that the LW flyers that got big numbers had an amazing amount of both skill and luck.

Two other great books are:

To Fly and Fight by Bud Anderson, 357th FG.

HERKY!  Memoirs of a Checktertail Ace by Herschel Green, 325th FG.

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Lt Col Dune
X.O. 352nd Fighter Group (http://www.352ndfightergroup.com)
"The Blue Nosed Bastards of Bodney"

"Credo quia absurdum est." (I believe it because it is unreasonable)
- The motto of the Republic of Baja Arizona
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: Waxer on June 20, 2000, 09:12:00 PM
Blond Knight of Germany - by Tolliver

About Erich Hartmann. He had an amazing career, during and after WWII. 10-1/2 years as a Soviet POW; rose to high rank in the Bundesluftwaffe and NATO after the war.


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Waxer
II/JG2 Richthofen

 (http://home.earthlink.net/~neiljohnston/_uimages/waxer1.jpg)

"Nothin' up my sleeve...Presto!"

[This message has been edited by Waxer (edited 06-20-2000).]
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: Mathman on June 20, 2000, 09:16:00 PM
Well, I am currently reading "Deadly Sky: The American Combat Airman in World War II." It is really interesting. Not so much for stories and such, but it really goes into the experiences of the pilots (bomber and fighter) during the war. I find the section on how they viewed the Japanese versus how they viewed the Germans very revealing.

I have also been thumbing through "The Black Sheep" by Bruce Gambel. very insightful and revealing, particularly about Boyington and the "errors" in his own book.

-math
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: Downtown on June 21, 2000, 07:01:00 AM
Bruce Gamble will have a book out around Christmas time on Just Boyington.

I saw "Black Sheep Squadron" and didn't pick it up cause I was on a whirlwind bookstore tour.  Thought I would nab it in the last one I visited.  Shame on ME!  It was only in the one.  I trade messages/E-mails with Bruce and was thinking of trying to get a Signed copy + the new book from him.

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(http://www.tir.com/~lkbrown1/dtahcard.gif)
"Downtown" Lincoln Brown.
    lkbrown1@tir.com    
 http://www.tir.com/~lkbrown1 (http://www.tir.com/~lkbrown1)
Wrecking Crews "Drag and Die Guy"
Hals und beinbruch!
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: eskimo on June 21, 2000, 08:47:00 AM
Great Thread!

"Fly for Your Life", by Larry Forester,
 This is the incredible story of Robert Stanford Tuck, a 29 kill spitfire pilot, an amazing marksman, and probably the luckiest limey who ever flew.  

"Reach for the Sky", by Paul Brickhill,
The story of Douglas Bader, a legless spitfire pilot and the RAF's first wing leader, who repeatedly cheated death.

"Thunderbolt!", by Robert S. Johnson with Martin Caidin,
A great story about Robert S. Johnson and his flying tank.

eskimo
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: Vladd on June 21, 2000, 06:54:00 PM
Fighter Pilot, by Paul Richey.

It has the merit of being first published in 1941, which gives it an immediacy many books written years later lack. The original edition was naturally censored to a degree; obviously this is not the case any more and a revised edition is well worth getting hold of. Anyone interested in No.1 Sqd RAF in the Battle of France will not read a more vivid or honest account.

Vladd
Title: What is your favorite WWII pilot biography/book?
Post by: --my-- on June 22, 2000, 07:55:00 AM
Good choices folks!

Here is a _must_ too:
"Double Fighter Knight" by Ilmari Juutilainen
Publisher: Apali Oy. 1996  
ISBN: 952-5026-04-3

This is a translation of "Illu" Juutilainen's
original memoirs "Punalentäjien kiusana" published in 1956.

Book info at the publishers web site: http://www.apali.fi/Books/DFK/www.dfk.html (http://www.apali.fi/Books/DFK/www.dfk.html)

To get a taste of "Illu" there is a nice interview of him at the
Fighter Tactics Academy website:
 http://www.sci.fi/~fta/finace01.htm (http://www.sci.fi/~fta/finace01.htm)  

 --my--

[This message has been edited by --my-- (edited 06-22-2000).]