Good reference WWII books?

[B-17engineer]

I was curious if there were any good WWII reference books on tanks or aircraft?Thanks

 

[vikingBerserker]

My favorite all around book would be "The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II" by Metro Books.

It also has small arms and ships.

 

[Matt308]

Yeah that's a good one. I own that one. And its cheap if you can find on Amazon or at Costco/Sam's Club.

 

[mudpuppy]

If you don't mind getting books that are "gently used"; I have had some good luck with the abebooks.com website. Sort of a clearing house for used book stores all over the US, Canada, UK, etc. Even if you don't want to purchase online, it allows me to browse the inventory of a not-so-local used bookstore.

If you are looking for narratives to go along with the technical; try the "Concord - Armor at War" series. Just search them through your favorite site and be sure to comparison shop. Schiffer Military History publishing also did a whole "Profile" series on some select aircraft and those are sweet looking, but not that cheap.
Regards,
Derek

 

[B-17engineer]

Thanks a lot guys I'll look at those!

 

[johnbr]

I loved Silent Victory By Clay Blair Jr.

 

[renrich]

If you want what, IMO, is the best reference for US WW2 fighters, get "America's Hundred Thousand," by Dean, a huge book with all you will ever want or need to know about US fighters in WW2, plus lots of photos of US fighters from the 1920s on and a chronology of each wartime fighter.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Dam, that book looks awesome, just ordered it from Amazon.com, thanks!

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Some books from my collection that I can recommend:

Aircraft
Luftwaffe Codes, Marking Units 1939-1945 by Barry C. Rosch
ISBN: 0-88740-796-X

60 Years Of Aeronautical Research 1917-1977 by David A Anderson
ISBN: 033-000-00736-1

Luftwaffe Over America - The Secret Plans to Bomb the United States in World War II by Manfred Griehl
ISBN: 1-85367-608-X

Messerschmitt Me 109 Volume I 1936-1942 by Anis Elbied and Andre Jouineau
ISBN: 2-913903-088

Messerschmitt Me 109 Volume II 1942-1945 by Anis Elbied and Andre Jouineau
ISBN: 2-913903-10-X

Sea Eagles - The Messerschmitt Bf 109T by Francis L. Marshall
ISBN: 1-871187-23-0

Luftwaffe Secret Projects - Ground Attack Special Purpose Aircraft by Dieter Herwig Heinz Rode
ISBN: 1-857800-150-4

Luftwaffe Secret Projects - Fighters 1939-1945 by Walter Schick and Ingolf Meyer
ISBN: 1-85780-052-4

Die Grossen Luftschlachten des Zweiten Weltkriegs
ISBN: 3-7043-6029-5

America's Hundred-Thousand - US Production Fighters of WW2 by Francis H. Dean
ISBN: 0-7643-0072-5

KG 200 - The Luftwaffe's Most Secret Unit by Geoffrey J. Thomas and Barry Ketley
ISBN: 1-902109-33-3

Luftwaffe Colors 1935-1945 by Michael Ullman
ISBN: 1-902109-34-1

Stormbird - Flying Through Fire as a Luftwaffe Ground-Attack Pilot Me 262 Ace by Oberst. Hermann Buchner
ISBN: 1-902109-10-4

Naval

The World's Great Battleships by Robert Jackson
ISBN: 1-57145-262-1

The Discovery of The Bismarck by Robert D. Ballard
ISBN: 0-446-51386-5

Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II
ISBN: 0-517-67963-9

War at Sea 1939-1945 by John Hamilton
ISBN: 0-7137-1660-6

Jane's War At Sea 1897-1997 by Bernard Ireland and Eric Grove
ISBN: 0-004-720-652

Janes's Battleships of the 20th Century by Bernard Ireland and Tony Gibbons
ISBN: 0-00-470997-7

World War 2 In General

Kreigstagebuch des OKW 1939-1945 (OKW War Diaries) Volumes 1 though 8.
ISBN: If you would like the ISBN's please send me a PM. I do not feel like pulling all 8 volumes off of my shelf to get them).

The Illustrated History Of The Third Reich by John Bradley
ISBN: 0-448-14628-2

The American Heritage Picture History of World War II by C.L. Sulzberger
ISBN: 0-517-10523

I have many many more books that I could recommend, but they are all packed away in storage at the moment. Hopefully soon I can get a hold of them.

Dam, that book looks awesome, just ordered it from Amazon.com, thanks!

That really is a great book. A while back I ordered it to use as a reference for a Term Paper that I was doing for Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. It was a wealth of information and together with some other sources helped me get a 100% on my Term Paper.

 

[mudpuppy]

Thanks for starting this topic B17engineer. I've got some good additions to my little wish list I keep in my wallet.
DerAdler, congrats on the excellent marks for your paper. If it is related to Technical aspects of WWII aviation perhaps you could post a copy in the technical section? In the past I've had some enjoyable reads of thesis papers posted at the US Army War College or the USAF counterpart.

Oh, and Happy Fathers Day to all the "pater familias" out there!
Derek

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

DerAdler, congrats on the excellent marks for your paper. If it is related to Technical aspects of WWII aviation perhaps you could post a copy in the technical section? In the past I've had some enjoyable reads of thesis papers posted at the US Army War College or the USAF counterpart.

Maybe one day...

It was about the history of development of aircraft between 1914 and 1945. It included how aircraft were designed, technical aspects, advancements in technology and advancement in production. I am very proud of it, not sure if I want to post it though...

 

[renrich]

Chris, congrats on your paper. Wish I could read it as it sounds very interesting. Perhaps you might publish it one day!

 

[mudpuppy]

Okay, I understand, Der Adler (Chris?), and there is no pressure at all. Grades that high usually only come about when you really enjoy your studies/major. thats a success in itself.
Come payday, I will be placing an order with Amazon for "America's Hundred-Thousand"; that looks like a top-shelf reference!

 

[B-17engineer]

Wow Adler thanks for the ISBN numbers it helps a lot!I just got the Encyclopedia of WWII Weapons by Metro Books. It was five dollars on eBay . Congrats on your paper!

 

[renrich]

To add to the list, especially as this forum is a bit euro-centric, LOL, there are two books I have in my library which are, IMO, the best examples of serious but readable research on the subject of fighter combat I have ever read. The first is "The First Team" by John Lundstrom. This is an account of US Navy fighters in WW2 from 1941 to mid 1942. The second is by the same author. I don't have it in front of me but it is something like,"The First Team at Guadalcanal" and goes on through November, 1942. Both books are extremely well researched with all sorts of references from both Japanese and American sources. There is supposed to be an another follow up book which has not come out. If one wants to become informed about carrier fighter combat in thse days, these books are a must.

 

[Oreo]

Is there one nice big reference book that covers the basics of all (or most) of the WWII combat a/c with a good degree of accuracy? Right now my tentative benchmark is Weal's "Combat Aircraft of World War Two". I grew up with Bill Gunston's similarly named "Combat Aircraft of World War II". Not able to constantly reference 3,000 books all the time, I would like to know that a single book was able to give me a quick, fairly reliable answer-- and a good jumping-off point to find more info if I need to go to other sources. Maybe there's no such thing-- or maybe there's a good series that is reliable, I don't know.

 

[vikingBerserker]

The best one I have is The Rand McNally Encyclopedia Of Military Aircraft, 1914-1980 by Enzo Angelucci, however there is not a tremendous amount of detail.

The next overall one I have is Complete Book of World War II Combat Aircraft also by Enzo Angelucci. However it is nowhere near being a complete list and leaves a number of aircraft out (for some reason he decided that patrol bombers were not combat aircraft).

 

[Oreo]

The best one I have is The Rand McNally Encyclopedia Of Military Aircraft, 1914-1980 by Enzo Angelucci, however there is not a tremendous amount of detail.

I had that one once, and after I moved several times in rapid succession, it was found to be missing. Ouch. It was pretty good. I had paid a pretty penny for it too, used, no less.

 

[renrich]

"Aircraft of World War II," Kenneth Munson.

 

[Oreo]

"Aircraft of World War II," Kenneth Munson.

Thanks, I just ordered it. Never saw it before that I know of. What do you especially like about it?