Warbird Information Exchange

I was wondering if anyone has recommendations for WW2 Aviation related books. I was thinking Whirlwind, and heard there is a new book about the Ploesti Raid. What are some good reads? I started to read the book on how the ME262 was designed, but the book was stolen and haven't seen it since, which was a good read.

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"According to the map, we've only gone 4 inches."

Two I'd recommend would be A Dawn Like Thunder, the true story of Torpedo Squadron Eight by Robert J. Mrazek and American Raiders, the race to capture the Luftwaffe's secrets by Wolfgang W.E. Samuel...

Dealing with the Battle of Midway and Operation Lusty respectively.

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The Wrong Stuff (The adventures and misadventures of an 8th Air Force Aviator) by Truman Smith. One of the best books I have ever read! You won't be able to put it down!

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Ken Terpstra

Vice-President
Stockton Field Aviation Museum
PV-2D Harpoon 84062

Bob Dorrs 'Mission to Berlin' just finished it and a really good factual read.

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-

"The First Team", about Naval aviation during the first 6 or 9 months of the war was excellent.

Beyond Pearl Harbor: The Untold Stories of Japan's Naval Airmen

http://www.beyondpearlharbor.com

What Tolliver did for the Jagdwaffe with Horrido, WIXer Ron Werneth has done for the Kaigun aviators and mechanics in BPH. Enjoy.

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

Fading Wings, Feded Glory by John Dinou. A gritty, real, blunt account of a WWII B-26 Marauder pilot and not a self-glorifying "how I won the war singlehandedly".

A Soldier in the Cockpit: From Rifles to Typhoons in WWII by Ron Pottinger. Story of a young British man who starts out in the infantry and becomes a pilot flying Typhoons supporting among other campaigns, Monty's Operation Market Garden. Another honest, riveting account of combat without the bombast and boasting.

I'll second this one. I picked up a copy this past winter and have slowly been making my way through it.

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WREAKING HAVOC - A Year in an A-20
by
Joseph W. Rutter

FLYING TIGERS - Claire Chennault and His American Volunteers, 1941-1942
by
Daniel Ford

AN AIRLINE AT WAR - Pan Am's China National Aviation Corporation and its Men
by
Robert L. Willett



The Rutter book is pretty good. Rutter is a regular guy who manages find trouble (not serious) on the ground and in the air. On their first meeting, he manages to inadvertently insult his CO and later on he gets in the way of the 345th BG while it is pounding Clark Field. Good stuff.

Daniel Ford's book is excellent. Excellent!!!

Willett's book is under appreciated. The book treats Pan Am's pioneering effort in China and CNAC's efforts in the CBI. I loved it.

TonyM.

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"Welcome back Mr. Lasky."

Here's a great read:

"Fortress Against the Sun" by Salecker

A well researched and written history of B-17 operations in the Pacific Theater from pre-Dec 7, 1941 thru 1943. 464 riveting pages!!

An absolute classic, which includes incredible insight into the unsung crews of wartime trans-Atlantic & Hump flying is Ernest Gann's "Fate is the Hunter". Probably one of the finest aviation books out there.

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"Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves."

'First Light' by Geoffrey Wellum- a very young RAF pilot in the battle of britain and beyond- can't recommend too highly.
'Wings on my sleeve' by Eric Brown- Account of how a Fleet Air Arm pilot went from protecting convoys from carriers to test pilot. If you haven't heard of Eric 'Winkle' Brown, google him and be prepared to be amazed. I have met him twice, he is a real gentleman in the true sense of the word and a brighter, more interesting and sprightly 93 year old you are never likely to meet
'Stuka Pilot' by Hans Erich Rudel- how he survived over 2,500 missions on the Eastern front
'Duel under the stars" by Wilheln Johnen- a german night fighters' perspective
'War in a Stingbag' by Charles Lamb. Early FAA operations in the Med including Taranto and Malta

"Hell Hawks" by Robert E. Dorr, story of fighters in the 9thy Air Force
"The Few" by Alex Kershaw, story of the American Eagle Squadrons in the RAF
"Thunderbolt" by Robert S. Johnson - second highest scoring American in Europe.
the first title has been censored

After browsing Amazon, I'm interested in the others that have been listed, but I'd like to know if anyone has read any of the Following:

The Last Mission: The Secret History of World War II's Final Battle by Jim Smith and Malcolm McConnell

Whirlwind: The Air War Against Japan, 1942-1945 by Barrett Tillman

Hunting Warbirds: The Obsessive Quest for the Lost Aircraft of World War II by Carl Hoffman

Warbird Recovery: The Hunt for a Rare World War II Plane in Siberia, Russia by Gordon Page

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"According to the map, we've only gone 4 inches."

I read Hunting Warbirds: The Obsessive Quest for the Lost Aircraft of World War II by Carl Hoffman
A few years ago. Very good book. A good portion of it is dedicated to the attempted recovery of the B-29 Kee Bird. I highly recommend it!

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