Book Suggestions

[Banshee7]

Getting back into AH has gotten me motivated to do some more reading.  What are some books you suggest? I really want to focus on WW2 Pilots/Aircraft/Aviation.  I remember some suggestions from back in the day, but I don't recall the names.

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[Hajo]

Hey Banshee here are two.  One about the Luftwaffe Aces titled:  The German Aces Speak by Colin D. Heaton and Anne-Marie Lewis.  Great read and very informative.

Also one of my favorites titled: Zemkes Wolfpack.  The story of the 56th FG and Hub Zemke as told to Roger A. Freeman.  Freeman authored the book, story by Hub Zemke.

Both books from the Pilots mouths.

[Banshee7]

Hey Banshee here are two.  One about the Luftwaffe Aces titled:  The German Aces Speak by Colin D. Heaton and Anne-Marie Lewis.  Great read and very informative.

Also one of my favorites titled: Zemkes Wolfpack.  The story of the 56th FG and Hub Zemke as told to Roger A. Freeman.  Freeman authored the book, story by Hub Zemke.

Both books from the Pilots mouths.

Perfect!  Thank you!  That's the type of stuff I'm looking for. 

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[turt21]

An excellent work Im reading now is "Blood and Fears" by Kevin Wilson about American bomber crews in Europe and the atrocious price they paid. $10 at Chapters hard cover.

[Rich46yo]

Well its not a flight book but I recommend "The Last Lion" series about Winston Churchill. Its as comprehensive a biography of a world leader as you'll ever read. Winston was a fascinating man.

[Brooke]

I like Hajo's suggestions.

Would add:

The First and the Last, by Adolf Galland
Samurai, by Saburo Sakai
Baa Baa Black Sheep, by Boyington
The Wrong Stuff, by Smith
Masters of the Air, by Miller
The Few, by Kershaw
Aces High, by Yenne

[Banshee7]

I like Hajo's suggestions.

Would add:

The First and the Last, by Adolf Galland
Samurai, by Saburo Sakai
Baa Baa Black Sheep, by Boyington
The Wrong Stuff, by Smith
Masters of the Air, by Miller
The Few, by Kershaw
Aces High, by Yenne

Awesome!  I actually have read Aces High.  I have also read A Question of Honor about the 303 Sqn.

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[Oldman731]

Getting back into AH has gotten me motivated to do some more reading.  What are some books you suggest?

Hmmmm.

"The Mighty Eighth," by Roger Freeman, is essential.  It's an expensive book to buy, but your library probably has a copy.  Even the photo captions have (often chilling) information, above and beyond that in the text.  Required reading.

As someone mentioned, Robert Johnson's "Thunderbolt," Sakai's "Samurai" never get old.  I would add Johnnie Johnson's "Wing Leader" to this genre.

Two novels:  Len Deighton's "Bomber," and my very favorite book of all time, "Twelve O'Clock High," by Beirne Lay, Jr. and Sy Bartlett.  I have read it at least once a year since I was in junior high school.  Long out of print, your library is your friend.

Beware of anything that Martin Caiden wrote by himself (which is most of what he wrote).

- oldman

[Brooke]

Robert Johnson's "Thunderbolt,"

+1

[Hajo]

Hmmmm.

"The Mighty Eighth," by Roger Freeman, is essential.  It's an expensive book to buy, but your library probably has a copy.  Even the photo captions have (often chilling) information, above and beyond that in the text.  Required reading.

As someone mentioned, Robert Johnson's "Thunderbolt," Sakai's "Samurai" never get old.  I would add Johnnie Johnson's "Wing Leader" to this genre.

Two novels:  Len Deighton's "Bomber," and my very favorite book of all time, "Twelve O'Clock High," by Beirne Lay, Jr. and Sy Bartlett.  I have read it at least once a year since I was in junior high school.  Long out of print, your library is your friend.

Beware of anything that Martin Caiden wrote by himself (which is most of what he wrote).

- oldman

I have a first edition of Robert Johnson's Thunderbolt with a note written by Johnson and autographed by him.  It was a gift he presented to a friend of his who served in the 8th AF.  Most prized book in my Library.

I also have a book similar in Title to Mighty Eighth.  It's titled  America's Mighty Eighth Air Force by Warren Bodie who is said to have had the most photographs of WWII aircraft.  He's was a noted author.  He also wrote P47 Thunderbolt from Seversky to Victory, and he also wrote  the book The Lockheed P-38 Lightning.  Both books describe their aircraft from the drawing stage to the final models.I don't know how easy they are to find today.  Best bet is Amazon if you wish to find and purchase.

By the way, both books were published by Widewing Publications.  If you've played aces high since its' early days, the name Widewing should be familiar.  Yes......he's the publisher of the three books mentioned above (America's Mighty Eighth Air Force included of course)  He was a very good Aces High virtual Pilot also. 

[Vraciu]

I like Hajo's suggestions.

Would add:

The First and the Last, by Adolf Galland
Samurai, by Saburo Sakai
Baa Baa Black Sheep, by Boyington

These and the four below which are among the best ever written for offering little-known takes on their subjects:

“Stuka Pilot” by Hans Rudel

“The Other Battle” by Peter Hinchcliffe (One of the BEST books I’ve ever read, it focuses on the RAF vs. Luftwaffe air war at night and is simply brilliant.   Written and researched by a man who was there, he writes with a depth of knowledge only experience provides.)

“Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway” by Anthony P. Tully and Jonathan Parshall (Their original research and time-motion approach to the battle give a perspective that completely upends the traditional view of the battle.  An amazing read.)

“Big Friend, Little Friend” by Richard Turner

I have more but these wil do.

Edit in: I should add  “Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo” by Ted W. Lawson.   Great book.   

[Banshee7]

I have a first edition of Robert Johnson's Thunderbolt with a note written by Johnson and autographed by him.  It was a gift he presented to a friend of his who served in the 8th AF.  Most prized book in my Library.

I also have a book similar in Title to Mighty Eighth.  It's titled  America's Mighty Eighth Air Force by Warren Bodie who is said to have had the most photographs of WWII aircraft.  He's was a noted author.  He also wrote P47 Thunderbolt from Seversky to Victory, and he also wrote  the book The Lockheed P-38 Lightning.  Both books describe their aircraft from the drawing stage to the final models.I don't know how easy they are to find today.  Best bet is Amazon if you wish to find and purchase.

By the way, both books were published by Widewing Publications.  If you've played aces high since its' early days, the name Widewing should be familiar.  Yes......he's the publisher of the three books mentioned above (America's Mighty Eighth Air Force included of course)  He was a very good Aces High virtual Pilot also. 

I remember Widewing well!  I also believe I have a copy of the P-38 book by Bodie compliments of Dan (aka CorkyJr).

[MiloMorai]

Len Deighton's "Bomber,"

I hope it is not like his "Fighter" book.

The 5 book series, Black Cross, Red Star the air war over the Eastern Front. Expensive tho.

[Bruv119]

Bozon recommended   "terror in the starboard seat: 41 trips aboard a mosquito, a true story of 418 squadron 1998" 

I had to order it from NYC as there are very few copies this side of the pond.   Looking forward to reading it.   

Having the Mossie in DCS will be awesome. 

I think my two favourites from my collection are Warburton's War: The Life of Maverick Ace Adrian Warburton, DSO, DFC, DFC (USA) and Saburo Sakai's "Samurai"

[Rich46yo]

I assume you already have "Shattered Sword". The final word on the Midway battle.