REQUEST: Good aviation/military books

[BigRed389]

Some Brit oriented stuff I picked up last deployment in Scotland I finally got around to finishing:

APACHE by Ed Macy, a British Army Apache pilot who was in Afghanistan and flew in with Royal Marines strapped to the wings to pick up a MIA. Great read.

SEA HARRIER OVER THE FALKLANDS by CDR Sharkey Ward, CO of the RN 801 Sea Harrier Sqdn.

NO PICNIC, 3rd COMMANDO BRIGADE IN THE FALKLANDS by Maj Gen Julian Thompson, RM, the overall ground forces commander for much of the campaign.

ONE HUNDRED DAYS: MEMOIRS OF THE FALKLANDS WAR by ADM Sandy Woodward, sub guy that had command of the RN task force to retake the Falklands.

RAF HARRIER GROUND ATTACK - FALKLANDS by Sqdn Ldr Pook, RAF CO.

All great books, and provide different perspectives.

 

[gparks1989]

THE BLACK BATS by Chris Pocock

Saw him give a book presentation this afternoon and can't wait to read it. Tells the story of CIA sponsored, Taiwanese flown B-26 and later P-2V missions over China. They dropped leaflets and agents over major Chinese cities throughout the fifties and sixties. Also pioneered SIGINT/ELINT missions over China. If I'm not mistaken, that's where the World Watchers of VQ-1 got their insignia from...could be horribly mistaken.

The author is also the unofficial historian of the U-2 and wrote about the Black Cats...another Taiwanese squadron that flew the U-2 up until the detente period and the formalization of ties between China and the US.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Just picked up another awesome read the other day. Chronicles the CONSTANT PEG program throughout the 1970's and '80's. Here's a link:
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Eagles-Americas-General-Aviation/dp/1846033780#noop

 

[Catmando]

Just picked up another awesome read the other day. Chronicles the CONSTANT PEG program throughout the 1970's and '80's. Here's a link:
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Eagles-Americas-General-Aviation/dp/1846033780#noop

Haven't read that. But here are a couple of relevant websites of interest:

http://area51specialprojects.com/migs.html

http://area51specialprojects.com/video/havedoughnut_technical.swf

http://area51specialprojects.com/video/havedrill_tactical.swf

Been there; done that. T-shirt is still classified

 

[Pariel]

From someone who has no flying experience all: Red Eagles is a great read. Very interesting stuff.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Haven't read that. But here are a couple of relevant websites of interest:

http://area51specialprojects.com/migs.html

http://area51specialprojects.com/video/havedoughnut_technical.swf

http://area51specialprojects.com/video/havedrill_tactical.swf

Been there; done that. T-shirt is still classified

I bet that was an interesting time to be flying!

 

[Res784]

+1 on Red Eagles ... Truly fascinating stuff.
A previous boss of mine (retired USAF Brigadier General) was a Nellis aggressor and made very frequent field trips to Tonopah to visit the 4477th. Loved hearing the stories.

 

[ryan1234]

Just picked up another awesome read the other day. Chronicles the CONSTANT PEG program throughout the 1970's and '80's. Here's a link:
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Eagles-Americas-General-Aviation/dp/1846033780#noop

Thanks for the link!! Just ordered it!

Btw.. have a MiG-21 and two MiG-17s (A/B) for sale if anyone wants them.. all single seat though.

 

[yodaears]

Sorry if it has been mentioned but Steven Pressfield's Killing Rommel. Historical fiction about the British Long Range Desert Groups in North Africa and their attempts at killing Rommel (big surprise). I didn't really enjoy much of his other stuff (I'm probably in the minority of Marines on that one) but this one was pretty good, especially if you like reading about the North African campaigns.

http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Rommel-Novel-Steven-Pressfield/dp/0385519702

 

[Cron]

Anyone get to read this yet?

A Nightmare's Prayer: A Marine Harrier Pilot's War in Afghanistan

 

[bunk22]

Just got the book and from what I've read so far, just outstanding. The book is Gen Robin Olds memoirs:

Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/03...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

I can't think of anyone who looks more the part than a leader and fighter pilot combined. Matter of fact, he didn't just look it, he was it.

 

[ryan1234]

Just got the book and from what I've read so far, just outstanding. The book is Gen Robin Olds memoirs:

Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/03...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

I can't think of anyone who looks more the part than a leader and fighter pilot combined. Matter of fact, he didn't just look it, he was it.

That is a great book... I'm sure you being in the military can appreciate that much more.. but even from a civilian side... it's just a great book about a great man.

I don't think I put it down... especially during the parts about flying the P-80 and Meteor for the first time... Wow.... that was balls deep.

 

[Jim123]

The First and the Last by Adolf Galland

http://www.amazon.com/First-Last-Adolf-Galland/dp/0899667287

Autobiography/historic narrative by a famous WWII Luftwaffe pilot. First published in German in the 1950s then translated into English in the 1980s (with additional reprints later).

 

[bunk22]

That is a great book... I'm sure you being in the military can appreciate that much more.. but even from a civilian side... it's just a great book about a great man.

I don't think I put it down... especially during the parts about flying the P-80 and Meteor for the first time... Wow.... that was balls deep.

I'm trying to save most of it for my plane ride home from Korea but I started reading it and it's tough to put down. One certainly doesn't have to be military to appreciate Olds and his accomplishments. I'm not a fighter guy and certainly love reading and hearing about his exploits in combat.

 

[phrogdriver]

Wow.... that was balls deep.

There's a special level in hell for guys perverse enough to spank it to military biographies.