Best Recommended Pilot Bio Book to Read?

java.lang

New Member
Hi guys,

This is my first post in the forum but I have spent many hours reading various posts for a while.

I had a question I thought I would ask the community as I can guess that there must be a few people her that have read some good books, especially on aviation and pilot biographies.

Can anyone recommend some books to read on pilots and their careers? I am reading Douglas Baders Reach for the Sky, but I would like to read more but don't know which ones are best. I ordered books on Erich Hartmann and Hans Marseille, they were both German WW2 fighter aces, but I am sure there are others out there that are worth reading.

Any suggestions?
 

Feanor

Super Moderator
Staff member
Welcome to the forum. Read the rules and enjoy your stay. Also an introductory post in the intros and off topic forum might be helpful.
 

Bonza

Super Moderator
Staff member
Hi guys,

This is my first post in the forum but I have spent many hours reading various posts for a while.

I had a question I thought I would ask the community as I can guess that there must be a few people her that have read some good books, especially on aviation and pilot biographies.

Can anyone recommend some books to read on pilots and their careers? I am reading Douglas Baders Reach for the Sky, but I would like to read more but don't know which ones are best. I ordered books on Erich Hartmann and Hans Marseille, they were both German WW2 fighter aces, but I am sure there are others out there that are worth reading.

Any suggestions?
This isn't a book, but there is a dvd boxed set called "Hunters In The Sky", which is a collection of interviews from fighter aces of WWII. Includes interviews with a lot of the famous aces such as Adolf Galland and Erich Hartmann. Definitely worth watching.

I've heard that "Sled Driver" by Brian Shul is very good, although I have not tracked down a copy. He was an SR-71 pilot, so I imagine the story of his career is a very interesting one indeed!

Hope that helps. :)
 

STURM

Well-Known Member
It really depends on what you're in to..... Are you mainly interested in WW2 German and British aviation or also other periods? I'd recommend these, though not all are biographies and some are out of print.

The Final Hours - Steinhoff
Bury Us Upside Down - Newmann and Shephard
The Other Battle - Hinchcliffe
Drop Zone Borneo - Annett
JG 26 - Caldwell
Sea Harrier Over the Falklands - Ward
 

java.lang

New Member
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6
@Bonza: Thanks for the DVD tip, I will add it to my wishlist and see if I can get it easily. The ABC shop online in Australia has it for $34.95 ( Hunters in the Sky - DVD - ABC Shop ) just in case others want to find it somewhere...

The Sled Driver title sounded good too, however, a quick amazon search revealed that it is definitely in the 'collectible' range as it starts at about US$290 for a second hand copy! At that price one must wonder if national secrets are being revealed? ( [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Sled-Driver-Flying-Worlds-Fastest/dp/0929823087/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261971629&sr=8-1]Amazon.com: Sled Driver : Flying the World's Fastest Jet (9780929823089): Brian Shul: Books[/ame] )

@Onkel: Thanks for the web link, reading/downloading it now!

@STURM: Thank you very much for that list of books, I added them all to my amazon wishlist and will hunt them down shortly.

I am currently in the process of applying for ADF pilot and thought it would be a good idea to read some bios of pilots throughout the ages, especially military pilots. I don't mind if they are RAF, RAAF, Luftwaffe, Soviet, French, USA, etc. I just want to get a deeper insight into their lives and lessons they learnt.

As a side note, I received a book titled "Hell Fire" by Ed Macy ( [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Apache-Inside-Cockpit-Fighting-Machine/dp/0802118941/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261973247&sr=1-1"]Amazon.com: Apache: Inside the Cockpit of the World's Most Deadly Fighting Machine (9780802118943): Ed Macy: Books[/ame] ) for Christmas and it is a good read for anyone looking to learn about British Apache helicopters in Afghanistan and their Gazelles in Great Britain, and the training process that takes place before all the above. I would in fact highly recommend it for anyone interested in getting into rotary wing flight.
 

south

Well-Known Member
If you are applying for RAAF/ADF may I suggest a few books on Australians.

Killer Caldwell by Jeffrey Watson - on Clive Caldwell (v. good)

Sock it to 'em Baby by Garry Cooper & Rupert Hillier - on Coopers experiences as a FAC in Vietnam (alright)

Nicky Barr, an Australian Air Ace by Peter Dornan - on Nicky Barr (Fantastic story, prob my favourite of the 3 aussie ones I have listed)

Non Australian
Fly for your life by Larry Forrester - on Bob Stanford Tuck (v. good)

Chicken Hawk by Bob (perhaps Robert) Mason (exceptional, esp if you are into choppers)
 

java.lang

New Member
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8
@south: Thanks for those tips, I'll add them to my wish list at once. I actually just recieved a copy of "Clive Caldwell Air Ace" by Kristen Alexander yesterday and have begun reading it. I wonder how it compares to the Killer Caldwell title you suggested?
 

south

Well-Known Member
Sorry mate, I have no idea how it compares.

There are a few other good aussie pilots who you could chase up.

I know there was a book written about Bobby Gibbes, who was CO of 3 Sqn before and after Nicky Barr. A further pilot to look up would be Keith "Bluey" Truscott.

Cheers mate
 

java.lang

New Member
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10
@smith: Thanks again for the help.

Bobby Gibbes appears to have completed an autobiography titled "You Live But Once" ( [ame=http://www.amazon.com/YOU-LIVE-BUT-ONCE-Autobiography/dp/B000W31BHQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262153023&sr=8-2]Amazon.com: YOU LIVE BUT ONCE. Autobiography.: Bobby: Gibbes: Books[/ame] ), ebay and amazon don't appear to have it in stock unfortunately.

I also found a book about Keith Truscott on amazon ( [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Bluey-Truscott-Squadron-R-F/dp/B00144T5Y8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262153446&sr=1-1]Amazon.com: Bluey Truscott - Squadron Leader Keith William Truscott, R.A.A.F., D.F.C And Bar: Ivan Southall: Books[/ame] )

Unfortunately so many of these good books appear to be either unavailable or are collectors items (i.e. extremely expensive). I think I will have to wait until next Christmas or birthday to order a whole bunch to save on shipping.

@Onkel: I finished reading the autobiography on Richtofen, it was a good read and didn't take more then a few hours to get through. Thanks again for forwarding the reference.
 

P.O.S.

New Member
Id highly recommend "Falcon's Cry" by Michael Donnelly

[ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Falcons-Cry-Desert-Storm-Memoir/dp/0275964620]Falcon's Cry: Desert Storm Memoir: Amazon.co.uk: Michael Donnelly: Books[/ame]

It covers his time in the USAF most notably his missions flying F-16's in The Gulf War but also expands into later problems with a serious illness, powerful stuff.

I emailed him once years ago out of the blue too, and what a nice bloke he turned out to be!
 

John Sansom

New Member
Hi guys,

This is my first post in the forum but I have spent many hours reading various posts for a while.

I had a question I thought I would ask the community as I can guess that there must be a few people her that have read some good books, especially on aviation and pilot biographies.

Can anyone recommend some books to read on pilots and their careers? I am reading Douglas Baders Reach for the Sky, but I would like to read more but don't know which ones are best. I ordered books on Erich Hartmann and Hans Marseille, they were both German WW2 fighter aces, but I am sure there are others out there that are worth reading.

Any suggestions?
For a tour of the civil side, Ernest K. Gann's output is pretty much a "must". Google him up on Wikipedeia for a bio and a list of at least 26 of his books (along with various other writing credits). Gann has not been limited to the civil side of aviation. For instance, even with the press of oncoming years, he included piloting a U2 and an F-15 to his hands-on and dunnit list.

Two big-time and popularly known writing efforts are "the High and the Mighty" and "Fate is the Hunter". Gann also loved ships under sail and they, too, were full and bye in his typewriter.
 

Redcoat78

New Member
I strongly recommend you the following books I have read some years ago

"Samurai" by Saburo Sakai" and "Baa Baa Black Sheep" by Gregory Pappy Boyington, both set during WW2 on the Pacific Theater.

It's like reading the same stories, the same war, the same battles but from both sides and different - but often similar - points of view.

Simone
 
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