Recommended Reading, Military and General Aviation

Lexx_Luthor · May 15, 2014

Got this last night, and read it in about an hour.

g'>TWIN MUSTANG: THE NORTH AMERICAN F-82 AT WAR By Alan Carey.

Light on text, but includes some really good info about the Allison~vs~Merlin I have not seen before.

Heavy on pictures, very interesting stuff here.

If you are desperate for info, any info, including ordnance, then thumbs up.

I'm looking to get a DH Hornet book, and there is one out there.

MigBuster · May 16, 2014

Short overview of versions and operations in Astan - and many others

http://www.ospreypublishing.com/store/Sukhoi-Su-25-Frogfoot_9781782003595

Lexx_Luthor · May 28, 2014

_2 '>Red Wings over the Yalu by Xiaoming Zhang

This was an interesting one, and needed, because it focused on the Chinese development of an air force from nothing. I gather that the PLAAF actually did pretty good in Korea *considering* it began in development and training as a service only in early 1950, about 2 years before (major) Chinese air involvement. That was really, really rushed.

Its important to me because in my SF stargetic game, the USSR will be largely isolated (more so than in the real Cold War), and the Chinese would provide support in many ways in surviving a longterm western bombing campaign, and so the Soviets should provide much more support for the (later) Chinese revolution and defensive PLAAF development. How long would that relationship last?
Ah, another campaign variable.

Next up: Jet Age Man

Lexx_Luthor · June 5, 2014

Wow!

Jet Age Man: SAC B-47 and B-52 Operations in the Early Cold War by Earl McGill

Well, just very Wow. Need to let this one sink in. Its quite deep. Author flew B-29s in Korea, then RB-47s and B-52s hi and lo, and BUF Ops arclight, and instructed them.

A few things -- what one accidental sidewinder can do for a B-52 made crews at the time wonder about surviving a penetration. The most deep description I've seen of what happened in that accident.

Never break up air crews that work, and spend their ground lives together.

Never exceed 60 degrees bank in a BUF, which was a skinny plane, the fat put on later for PC reasons.

Aurora are a *huge* part of flying high altitude on long nights near the pole. I already figured that out. :biggrin: I didn't know the rapidly shifting colours and patterns created serious disorientation and messed with staying on a tanker, even for a man (McGill) who was known as one of the better pilots at staying on tankers.

This is the best book out there right now. Get it. He could write another ten volumes on this same subject. I wish this was only Volume 1.

Edited June 5, 2014 by Lexx_Luthor

tselepides · December 8, 2014

Very useful--than you all.

Now for those of you who like naval aviation, here you can download pdf issues of US NAVAL AVIATION NEWS, a magazine I have read since I was 14 (now I am 67):

http://www.history.navy.mil/nan/backissues/1970s/1976/backissues1976.htm

Those are from1976, but look for older ones too--they start around 1955.

Nick Tselepides

Athens, Greece.

MAKO69 · January 21, 2015

"Laughter & Tears" A combat pilots sketchbook of WWII Squadron life. This is a great book about a P-47 Fighter/Bomber pilot about his whole experience in the US Army Air Corps. Its called laughter and tears for a reason though.

B52STRATO · May 24, 2015

Is someone know if a book covered the Sukhoi Su-9 and Su-11 ? I searched on several pages, but it seems that nothing ever was wrote on their own story.

+streakeagle · May 25, 2015

Is someone know if a book covered the Sukhoi Su-9 and Su-11 ? I searched on several pages, but it seems that nothing ever was wrote on their own story.

I think the closest you are going to get is this history of Sukhoi. It isn't a very big book and it covers all of their aircraft, so it can't be too detailed: http://www.amazon.com/Sukhoi-Interceptors-Red-Star-Vol/dp/1857801806

B52STRATO · May 25, 2015

Thank you streak, I had to look the books of Gordon and they seemed to be the most elaborate. It's a bit crazy so little has been written about their history, of course their careers were without operational commitments, but even in Russian literature it seems impossible to find a book about them.

MigBuster · May 25, 2015

I think the closest you are going to get is this history of Sukhoi. It isn't a very big book and it covers all of their aircraft, so it can't be too detailed: http://www.amazon.com/Sukhoi-Interceptors-Red-Star-Vol/dp/1857801806

Have had that book a few years - very technical and detailed - includes all the prototype models and details on design - like his other stuff. There is a bit of stuff on operational use - not that they saw much (has a transcript of the Su-15 airliner shootdown).

MigBuster · July 20, 2015

Currently Reading The Hunter Killers (Vietnam) by Dan Hampton (Ex Viper Driver)

Very good thus far and useful tech info in the Weasel gear.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Hunter-Killers-Extraordinary-Dangerous/dp/006237513X

KJakker · October 28, 2015

I just got some new reference material that I managed to get in good condition for a reasonable price. If any modders want some information from these books feel free PM me about it.