Recommended books for the library? (1 Viewer)

[twoeagles]

One thing I have been hoping to see here is some exchanges on books
and reference materials recommended by the group. There are some pricey
items out there, and I can't afford to plow money into books that don't offer
value, or are at least good reading material. So, here are some from my
small shelf that I really like and can recommend to anyone who loves WW2
aircraft and related hardware and stories of aerial exploits. I would love to know what
everyone else recommends, and maybe a review or two...

British Aircraft Armament, Vol 2, RAF Guns and Gunsights, 1994,
by R. wallace Clarke; Japanese Aircraft Equipment, 1940-45, 2004, by
Robert C. Mikesh; Retsoring Museum Aircraft, 1997, also by Robert Mikesh; The Focke-Wulf 190, A Famous German Fighter, 1965, by Heinz Nowarra; Samurai!, by Saburo Sakai and Martin Caidin, 1957 (love it!); Warpath Across the Pacific, by Lawrence j. Hickey, 1984;
Attack and Conquer, the 8th Fighter Group in WW2, 1995, by Stanaway and Hickey; Allied Piston Aircraft Engines of WW2, by Graham White, 1995; and the first warbird book I ever bought, back in 1972, and
still very useful: Warplanes of the Third Reich, by William Green.

My two most recent additions come from the Czech republic, REVI Publications, by Martin Ferkl: the Mitsubishi G4M Betty, and the Mitsubishi Ki-46 Dinah. These are two very impressive soft cover books with terrific graphics that will be important to anyone who wants to model these birds.

 

[mkloby]

Still waiting on the arrival of all my books - tmo called today and said they'd be here today...
I'll post up several of the ones I loved later, if my shipment arrives...

 

[Emac44]

My fellow Aussies. New Book released by General Peter Cosgrove. Did Price check on it $32 per copy from Book World. Ideal Christmas Present buying my copy next week

 

[Erich]

2 Eagles maybe you need to be more specific ? I have a library that runs into thousands of pieces

are you looking for unit histories, overall generalized book on particular a/c ? by the way Heinz N book on the Fw 190 needs a toss into the fireplace, I have the book as well, find a copy of Peter Rodeikes Fw 190/Ta 152. W.Greens big book has taken a backseat and sits lonely in the dust.

JG 300, volume 1 is typical of one of the expensive books at $ 85.00 dollars but this is to be expected of thouroughly researched book with profiles/text and photos. Books of any quality just are not 9.95 US anymore. Most of the English Osprey titles are crap and not worth the monies paid, I have too many of them on my shelves, Napoleonics is another thing but the a/c titles........yowser, no thanks !

so what are you lookin for ?

Erich ~ the compassionate

 

[syscom3]

The author of "Warpath Across the Pacific" (best group history ever written) has volume two available. "Revenge of the Red Raiders". This is about the 22nd BG.

Fantastic book! I bought it a few months ago and highly recommend it.

World War II Air Wars - International Research and Publishing

 

[timshatz]

"Winged Victory" by Victor Yeats
"Things they Carried" by Tim O'Brien
"Fire in the Sky: The Air War in the South Pacific" by Eric Bergund
"Piece of Cake" by Derek Robinson (Also it's successor, "A good clean fight")
"Goodbye Darkness" by William Manchester
"With the Old Breed" by E. B. Sledge
"The Last Enemy" by Richard Hillary


It's a start. Some are fiction, some are non-fiction. All are good.

 

[pbfoot]

"Winged Victory" by Victor Yeats
"Things they Carried" by Tim O'Brien
"Fire in the Sky: The Air War in the South Pacific" by Eric Bergund
"Piece of Cake" by Derek Robinson (Also it's successor, "A good clean fight")
"Goodbye Darkness" by William Manchester
"With the Old Breed" by E. B. Sledge
"The Last Enemy" by Richard Hillary


It's a start. Some are fiction, some are non-fiction. All are good.

A companion of a Piece of Cake is the trilogy of the 105 weasel guys out of Thailand during Viet nam by Tom Wilson named :
Termite Hill
Luckys Bridge
Tango Uniform
and this is also an entertaining read
Terror In the Starboard Seat by a 418 sqn intruder navigator Dave Macintyre

 

[lesofprimus]

Out of all my books, I have to recommend to anyone who hasnt read it yet:

Flyboys, by James Bradley.....

It will give u new insight into the horrors and personalities on both sides of the Pacific Theatre...

 

[Micdrow]

One thing I have been hoping to see here is some exchanges on books
and reference materials recommended by the group. There are some pricey
items out there, and I can't afford to plow money into books that don't offer
value, or are at least good reading material. So, here are some from my
small shelf that I really like and can recommend to anyone who loves WW2
aircraft and related hardware and stories of aerial exploits. I would love to know what
everyone else recommends, and maybe a review or two...

British Aircraft Armament, Vol 2, RAF Guns and Gunsights, 1994,
by R. wallace Clarke; Japanese Aircraft Equipment, 1940-45, 2004, by
Robert C. Mikesh; Retsoring Museum Aircraft, 1997, also by Robert Mikesh; The Focke-Wulf 190, A Famous German Fighter, 1965, by Heinz Nowarra; Samurai!, by Saburo Sakai and Martin Caidin, 1957 (love it!); Warpath Across the Pacific, by Lawrence j. Hickey, 1984;
Attack and Conquer, the 8th Fighter Group in WW2, 1995, by Stanaway and Hickey; Allied Piston Aircraft Engines of WW2, by Graham White, 1995; and the first warbird book I ever bought, back in 1972, and
still very useful: Warplanes of the Third Reich, by William Green.

My two most recent additions come from the Czech republic, REVI Publications, by Martin Ferkl: the Mitsubishi G4M Betty, and the Mitsubishi Ki-46 Dinah. These are two very impressive soft cover books with terrific graphics that will be important to anyone who wants to model these birds.

With all the Japanese books you have labeled twoeagles then I would try this book.

Japanese Naval Aces and Fighter Units in WWII by Ikuhiko Hata and Yasuho Izawa. Translated by Don Cyril Gorham

Enjoy Micdrow

 

[twoeagles]

Thanks all - exactly the kind of exchange I was hoping for. Making up my
holiday list. Erich - being told Heinz Nowarra's book on Fw190 is crap and being given a good title to replace it is what I need to know. Thanks!

So, what does the forum think about Key Publication's Spitfire - the History?

 

[timshatz]

A companion of a Piece of Cake is the trilogy of the 105 weasel guys out of Thailand during Viet nam by Tom Wilson named :
Termite Hill
Luckys Bridge
Tango Uniform
and this is also an entertaining read
Terror In the Starboard Seat by a 418 sqn intruder navigator Dave Macintyre

I'll give them a whirl PB, can always use more good books.

Thanks.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Here are books in my Library that I recommend. Most of my Library is still at my mothers house and I only have about 50 books here right now to go through and recommend from:

Not all are Aviation though:

Janes Battleships of the 20th Century by Bernard Ireland

Vietnam Combat from the Cockpit by Robert Dorr

Janes War at Sea 1897 to 1997 by Bernard Ireland

The Vietnam Experience Combat Photagrapher

Luftwaffe Codes, Markings, Units 1939-1945 by Barry C. Rosch

Matthew Brady's Illustraded History of the Civil War by Benson L. Lawson

Janes Fighting Ships of WW2 (1945 Edition)

3rd Reich Cloth Ensignia by Brian L. Davis and Ian Westwall

The Illustrated History of the 3rd Reich by John Bradley

Luftwaffe Secret Projects Fighters 1939 to 1945 by Walter Schick and Ingor Meyer

Luftwaffe Secret Projects Ground Attack and Special Purpose Aircraft by Walter Schick and Ingor Meyer

The Worlds Great Battleships by Robert Johnson

KG 200 The Luftwaffes Most Secret Unit by Geoffrey Thomas and Barry Ketley

Das Grosse Flugzeugtypenbuch by Wilfred Kopenhagen and Dr. Rolf Neustaedt

Luftwaffe over America The Secret Plans to Bomb the US in WW2 by Manfred Griehl

Messerschmitt Me-109 Vol.1 and 2 by Anis Elbied, Andre Jouineau, Dominique Breffort

The American Heritage Picture History of WW2 by C.L. Sulzberger

Die Grossen Luftschlachten des Zweiten Weltkriegs by (can find who wrote it)

War At Sea 1939-1945 by John Hamilton

War in the Air by Stephen Coonts

3rd Reich Militaria by Robin Lumsden

Sea Eagles The Messerschmitt Bf-109T by F. L. Marshall

Kreigstagebuch des OKW

Janes World Aircraft Identification Book

Bravo Two Zero by Andy McNab

 

[twoeagles]

Thanks Chris!

I have two other very fine books that I can recommend, but you Luftwaffe
experts will need to tell me if they indeed warrant prominence on the shelf:

JG 300 Wilde Sau Vol. 1 from Eagle Editions, and Willi Reshke's JG300/301.

 

[rochie]

stalingrad, berlin the downfall both by anthony beevor are great reads
also with the old breed by e b sledge
fighting 109 uwe fiest, falklands the air war are both very informative.
there was a big debate in the uk about bravo two zero it has been accused of being total fiction apart from the route they took not sure myself though !

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Thanks Chris!

I have two other very fine books that I can recommend, but you Luftwaffe
experts will need to tell me if they indeed warrant prominence on the shelf:

JG 300 Wilde Sau Vol. 1 from Eagle Editions, and Willi Reshke's JG300/301.

Erich can probably tell you about those books. He is pretty much the Wilde Sau expert.

 

[Erich]

well Les has the first volume of JG 300. And yes if you are intersted in the night defense that the unit provided in their Bf 109G's and Fw 190A's and then off to defending the Reich by day ............ yes get it. Besides it is the only book(s) on Jg 300 that will probably be published of note. there were two volumes done in German as photo books, forget them. Will Reschkes book is more of a personal bio than anything but he does cover indepth of his unit JG 302 flying the Bf 109G-6 and then later his time in JG 301 flying 109's, Fw 190A-8's and finally the mysterious Ta 152H-1. Will is a super guy and I am in contact with him right now even through another European research contact. Again the only book of note on the two units. Kagero did a Polish/English book on JG 301 but it is quite inadequate, the profiles are not correct and some of the operations listed are very brief.
JG 301 brings a bit of an itch in me as I had a cousin serve in 5./JG 301, KIA on 26 November 44, so I remain critical of what has been written about this Geschwader which has been very loose-ended

May I suggest waiting for the two volumes on JG 4 translated by friend Neil Page, written by Eric Mombeek, who will probably publish privately. I have the two German language and they are excellent, again on a very little known Geschwader.

Schiffer publications has had the German language books on JG 27, 53, and portions of JG 3 already done in English. Again expensive but worth it.

Don Caldwells efforts on JG 26 are also worthy of note.

Robert Forsyth, Classic Publications, UK : JV 44

Martin Pegg, Classic Publications, UK : Hs 129

Classic Publications, UK : Me 262, 4 volumes, the last two cover operations

well there are some Luftwaffe titles for you guys.

8th AF English author-historian Roger Freeman's works are usually excellent, his Mighty 8th and airfields of the 8th AF cannot be beat. then of course you have the plethoria of 8th AF fighter unit histories as well as bomb group histories at your fingertips

 

[mkloby]

Eagle Day: BoB - Richard Collier (great account of various sqaudrons on both sides of conflict)
A Secret History of the IRA - Ed Maloney
Fleet of WWII - Richard Worth
Blitzkrieg - Len Deighton (excellent account of Nazi party rise and the sacking of France)

 

[k9kiwi]

An interesting read to understand the mindset is available online

Mein Kampf

 

[Tony Williams]

Well, since you mentioned an armament book as one of your favourites I can't resist pointing to THIS ONE 8)

Tony Williams: Military gun and ammunition website and discussion forum

 

[d_bader]

I agree with Der adler, Luftwaffe secret projects are class. All 3 books give information about crazy German designs that could have been put in service during the war. To find out if you are interested go to luft46.com