WW2 Books that you've read??

Soviet Ace · #1 08-29-2009, 01:51 AM

I'm just curious, to what book(s) everyone if anyone (I'm sure there's a few

) who have read a book about a pilots life during WW2? It could be about a bomber pilot or fighter pilot, doesn't matter. I'm just curious since I just finished reading for the 50,000th time "Samurai" about the highest scoring Japanese ace during WW2 Saburo Sakai. Incase anyone doesn't know who he is, he was the highest scoring Japanese Ace in WW2, that survived the war. The actual highest scoring ace was his friend Hiroyoshi Nishizawa aka "The Devil". I've also read "Duel of Eagles" by Peter Townsend, who flew during the Battle of Britain. It's a very good book that tells about the entire 1940 campaign, and his time flying during it. I highly recommend both books for those interested in the Japanese pilots perspective of the war, and a good/highly regarded book on the Battle of Britain.

juz1 · #2 08-29-2009, 02:17 AM

I'm kinda curious about Stuka Pilot, but I want to make sure I get the edited version with all the Nazi BS removed...seeing as it's required reading for A10 pilots it look like fundamental reading for ground attack.

Lots of cool stuff out there...I was reading the other day about the only VC of the BOB...a Hurricane pilot in a flight of 3 got bounced by 110s...all three hurricanes shot down, but the VC winner started climbing out of his burning plane when he noticed the 110 had over shot him, so he CLIMBED BACK INTO HIS BURNING PLANE, shot it down, and only then bailed out. Balls of steel!
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Mercury milan history

redtiger02 · #3 08-29-2009, 02:53 AM

A Pictoral History of the Luftwaffe is great, should be easy to find at Amazon or <gasp> a real bookstore.

"To Fly and Fight" by Col. Bud E. Anderson (ret.) is also a great book about combat against the Luftwaffe in a P-51D. He really goes into the tactics and emotional toll that fighting in the air takes on a pilot. Also, I would recommend watching every episode of Dogfights on the History Channel that you can find. They break every single fight down move by move and show you what went right, what went wrong, what could have been done better, what was just luck.

Riceball · #4 08-29-2009, 03:06 AM

No books I can think of. But I have read Avaition History, and Air Classics magizines for a few years now. Each issue has a couple multi-page stories, mostly WW1 thru Vietman. They have updates on restorations, airshows, all kinds of stuff. I like AH better but they are both recommended.

redtiger02 · #5 08-29-2009, 04:02 AM

Also, if you have a lot of time to burn, read all the volumes of "The War in the Air" by Sir Walter Raleigh, not the colonial type guy, the professor type guy. It's several volumes long but it covers everything there is to know about WW I flight.

Tally-Ho · #6 08-29-2009, 05:51 AM

My most recent WWII books about pilots were

Aircrew (can't remember who wrote it)
Fighter Boys (can't remember who wrote it)
Wild Blue by Stephen Ambrose

Enjoyed all of them.

Swagger7 · #7 08-29-2009, 06:03 AM

I've read Samurai and Stuka Pilot! Another good book is On Boyington's Wing, written by Pappy Boyington's wingman. If you want a good WWI read, checkout Wind in the Wires and An Escaper's Log, both by Duncan Grinnell-Milne. He was a British pilot who got shot down and captured, but escaped and returned to the air to become an ace (6 kills I think) Basically, you've gotta read the first half of WitW, then An Escaper's Log, then the rest of Wind in the Wires. Escaper's Log was written first, hence the weird format. They're both fairly hard to find, so if you're interested, I'd suggest Inter Library Loan (or whatever they call it outside the US).

Irishmandkg · #8 08-30-2009, 12:56 AM

Not for a long time, but the last I read was Flyboys, same guy who wrote flags of our fathers(the movie was okay, letters from iwo jima was badass though). Flyboys was pretty brutal.

Soviet Ace · #9 08-30-2009, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irishmandkg

Not for a long time, but the last I read was Flyboys, same guy who wrote flags of our fathers(the movie was okay, letters from iwo jima was badass though). Flyboys was pretty brutal.

I read flyboys once. It was... interesting. Now I understand why my other grandfather never liked talking about the Japanese. It's weird having two grandfathers who flew for two opposing sides sometimes.

The Doctor B · #10 08-30-2009, 01:15 PM

My favourite books have to be:

1) The Big Show by Pierre Closterman - superbly written book about the air offensive after the BoB! I cannot reccomend this book highly enough.

2) First Light by Geoffrey Wellum - Very good book written by the youngest participant in the Battle of Britain. When I read this book, I can't turn the pages fast enough!