Good book for those who have time to read

[pa12drvr]

Gordon, one reviewer called it a combat diary, so no. He also wrote 7 Came Through about surviving in a life raft with 6 others after a crash. His memoirs include some good stories about travelling the country as a car manufacturers' rep, learning how to deal with machinery. The only way he got into pilot training without a college degree was his mechanical experience.Later while traveling the world meeting world figures he would find he knew people everywhere from past lives.

"Rickenbacker: An Autobiography" or just "Rickenbacker". I seem to recall that my copy was "Rickenbacker" but that may have just been the cover and not the formal title.

Devoured that book when I was a youngster...the old man met Mr. Rickenbacker somewhere along the line and gave me the book to read.

Ranges from his early days of an apprentice mechanic, to race driver to WWI pilot to Eastern Airlines.

Some vignettes:
- After some early job, had some $$ in his pocket, bought his girl a diamond ring not knowing what that meant;
- His recollections of taking better care of his aircraft engine and machine guns during WWI so that they were more dependable;
- He credited his mental toughness for surviving both his offshore ditching (and the long period awaiting rescue) and his severe injuries after a landside EA crash;
- Stories of the early days of EA and competing with (among others) Braniff and offering to carry mail for "$0.000"
- Taking a customer demonstration / test ride in a DC-??? aircraft with his entire management team and suggesting a slow and gentle return to the field when the fuselage walls were rhythmically flexing in flight.

Amazon has copies in hardback.

[Skywalker]

Yes, his wiki makes many ref to "Rickenbacker".

[BC12D-4-85]

Reread this excellent book detailing Fred Weick's life as an aeronautical engineer: https://www.amazon.com/GROUND-UP-Fre.../dp/0874749506

Follows the history of aircraft development and gives some background on propellers, engine cowling, tricycle landing gear, various safety improvements, the Ercoupe, and many years at Piper designing some of their fleet.

Those were different times and thinking outside the box was encouraged.

Gary

[Skywalker]

Along those lines, More Than My Share by Kelly Johnson, director of the Lockheed Skunk Works. I haven't read it, but I did read one by his successor which takes you thru stealth and how devilishly hard it is to achieve stealth.

[mam90]

Not cub or small airplane related, but quite a story.

[Dick Williams]

Nice to see this thread still going. Don't miss Richard Holm's Bound For The Backcountry. He now has two volumes out. The first focuses on central Idaho and has become the definitive reference book for Idaho backcountry aviation history. The second focuses on the Hell's Canyon country and history. They are both great books, but it is probably better to read the first volume first. It gives a great base and background.

[JEH]

Runway Dust
by Charles R Furden
About Utah central in the 1950's, j3's, spray planes, people. Interesting book.

[cubdriver2]

I received a great gift the other day. One of my customers is the son of a farmer named Charlie and his wife Rose. I first meet Charlie back in 1974 when I was up here visting. He had a cow with a twisted stomach and needed help flipping the cow over with the old rope trick ( consult Rick Papp for info ) Charlie was a sly humerous old codger and I liked him right away. We would bump into each other a few times a year and iritate each other. We became good friends. Charlie and Rose grew up on a farm on Long Island NY and then moved North in the late 60s. I knew that Rose and Charlie had both raced motorbikes in enduros in the 60s. Charlie died about 15 years ago in his late 70s and Rose passed a few years ago in her 80s. Both loved life and were missed by many after they were gone. So...back to their son Bill. Bill comes in my shop the other day and says " I have some things of mom and dad's that you might want " he brings in a box of books that they both had read, it was a box of how to fly airplane books. Bill told me his mom and dad had taken flying lessons and that his mom had soloed. That they had gone a couple times to the Rhinebeck Aerodrome years back. Some of you know that I volunteered at the Aerodrome from 98 to 03. The only time that I meet Cole Palen was in 92 when I took my son and a few friends to watch the show. Cole died in 93 and I have regretting not hanging around the Aerodrome when Cole was still alive. I get digging in the box of books and find a cope of Gordon Bainbridge's book The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. Something that I had just never gotten around to aquiring. Felt like Christmas



And then I opened the cover



Priceless!

Glenn

[cubdriver2]

I received a great gift the other day. One of my customers is the son of a farmer named Charlie and his wife Rose. I first meet Charlie back in 1974 when I was up here visting. He had a cow with a twisted stomach and needed help flipping the cow over with the old rope trick ( consult Rick Papp for info ) Charlie was a sly humerous old codger and I liked him right away. We would bump into each other a few times a year and iritate each other. We became good friends. Charlie and Rose grew up on a farm on Long Island NY and then moved North in the late 60s. I knew that Rose and Charlie had both raced motorbikes in enduros in the 60s. Charley died about 15 years ago in his late 70s and Rose passed a few years ago in her 80s. Both loved life and were missed by many after they were gone. So...back to their son Bill. Bill comes in my shop the other day and says " I have some things of mom and dad's that you might want " he brings in a box of books that they both had read, it was a box of how to fly airplane books. Bill told me his mom and dad had taken flying lessons and that his mom had soled. That they had gone a couple times to the Rhinebeck Aerodrome years back. Some of you know that I volunteered at the Aerodrome from 98 to 03. The only time that I meet Cole Palen was in 92 when I took my son and a few friends to watch the show. Cole died in 93 and I have regretting not hanging around the Aerodrome when Cole was still alive. I get digging in the box of books and find a cope of Gordon Bainbridge's book The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. Something that I had just never gotten around to aquiring. Felt like Christmas



And then I opened the cover



Priceless!

Glenn

[SJ]

I just started reading Rinker Buck's new book "Life on the Mississippi". Most of us have read Flight of Passage, if you have not read Oregon Trail also by Rinker it is a good one. Life on the Mississippi starts out with some pretty interesting history lessons (as did Oregon trail) about how we got out of the North East.



P.S. the "for those who have time to read" part of this means it will take me about three months to read this book. It has been crazy here!

[Gordon Misch]

There is this version too.

[SJ]

There is this version too.

Certainly the inspiration for him taking a flatboat down the river!

[Gordon Misch]

Certainly the inspiration for him taking a flatboat down the river!

Well, I purchased both. I delight both in Mark Twain and the Buck brothers. Should be fun reading.

[Steve Pierce]

Usually takes me forever to read a book but quite the opposite with Fighter Pilot by Robin Olds. Couldn't put it down. All he wanted to do was fly and sabotaged his own career so he could. True maverick and a great read from WWII ace in P38s and P51 to F4s in Vietnam.

[RaisedByWolves]

Usually takes me forever to read a book but quite the opposite with Fighter Pilot by Robin Olds. Couldn't put it down. All he wanted to do was fly and sabotaged his own career so he could. True maverick and a great read from WWII ace in P38s and P51 to F4s in Vietnam.

Imagine being on the cutting edge of aviation fighter technology, going from mustangs and p-38’s to f-4’s all in combat. It was a great book. I’ve been listening to audible a lot when driving. Seems like that’s my only free time. A lot of good flying books on there


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[Steve Pierce]

I liked how he got checked out in the P80.

[flybynite]

Haven't seen this one mentioned and don't recall where I heard of it. Easy read.

"My part of the sky" Roland Beamont

[wireweinie]

Did Wally Fisk ever get a Typhoon? That man had the coolest toys.

Web

[Brandsman]

There’s a Typhoon project in the UK, but I think the answer must be «*no*» because there hasn’t been an airworthy Typhoon since about 1947


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[Speedo]

I recently began reading “A Thousand Trails Home” by Seth Kantner. It’s a biographical account of life near Ambler, AK and illustrates the important role that caribou play in the lives of subsistence hunters in that part of Alaska. He’s a great writer and the book is full of beautiful photos. He’s written several other books, include “Shopping for Porcupines” and “Ordinary Wolves,” and I can recommend them, too.

“A Thousand Trails Home” led me to the online biography of Oliver Cameron, found at olivercameron.org. It’s a really interesting account of a family of gussuks moving to the Kobuk region. If you read either book you’ll come away with an appreciation for how tough and resourceful you need to be if you’re going to live in the bush. Definitely much, much harder than you might think.

[JohnnyR]

I am in the midst of this book and can also recommend it for content. As well, it is a beautiful book in terms of print and pictures.

I recently began reading “A Thousand Trails Home” by Seth Kantner. It’s a biographical account of life near Ambler, AK and illustrates the important role that caribou play in the lives of subsistence hunters in that part of Alaska. He’s a great writer and the book is full of beautiful photos. He’s written several other books, include “Shopping for Porcupines” and “Ordinary Wolves,” and I can recommend them, too.

“A Thousand Trails Home” led me to the online biography of Oliver Cameron, found at olivercameron.org. It’s a really interesting account of a family of gussuks moving to the Kobuk region. If you read either book you’ll come away with an appreciation for how tough and resourceful you need to be if you’re going to live in the bush. Definitely much, much harder than you might think.

[Willie]

Probably one of the best Vietnam war books I've read is "Dead Men Flying" by Michael Mullane. A4's and F8 (escorts) off the USS Oriskany in the 1967 - 68 time frame. Carrier Air Wing 16 had more losses than any other CAW in the war.

[mvivion]

Probably one of the best Vietnam war books I've read is "Dead Men Flying" by Michael Mullane. A4's and F8 (escorts) off the USS Oriskany in the 1967 - 68 time frame. Carrier Air Wing 16 had more losses than any other CAW in the war.

THAT is a GREAT book! Talk about tough duty….. A must read.

MTV

[Steve Pierce]

Cathy got me her cousin's book Diary of An Aerospace Whistleblower: The Ultrasonic Research Story for Christmas. Fascinating book to me and I read it in 2 days. Hit home with me in several ways, some people's ethics and the behavior of some of pour government employees. With as much military and commercial aviation manufacturing in the Dallas Ft. Worth metromess I have dealt with some of the players and use the company that picked up the pieces in the aftermath for magnaflux work. Not for everyone but an easy read and I found it very interesting.

Reading Lucky 666 right now. Having read a lot on B17s bombing in Europe and a lot of books on the Pacific theater this covers the B26 Marauders and B17s in the Pacific theater. Even has a blurb on the cover from Rinker Buck.

[Steve Pierce]

Visited my folks after Christmas and they are both avid readers. Was telling my Dad how much I like the Robin Olds book so he sent me home with a couple of Navy versions.

[Steve's Aircraft (Brian)]

https://www.amazon.com/Smokejumper-G...s%2C162&sr=8-1

One of our good friends. Lee keeps his SuperCub just to the South of our hanger.

Brian

[Willie]

Steve Pierce, Ch 26 of "Last of the Gunfighters" is a harrowing story of my friend Ron Luther getting keelhauled by the Enterprise. He and the airplane went through the screws which chopped up the airplane. The Captain of the Enterprise was not happy.

[Speedo]

Steve Pierce, Ch 26 of "Last of the Gunfighters" is a harrowing story of my friend Ron Luther getting keelhauled by the Enterprise. He and the airplane went through the screws which chopped up the airplane. The Captain of the Enterprise was not happy.

I suspect Luther wasn’t very happy, either.

[Bobo]

“Into The Mouth Of The Cat” is one of the top 5 books I’ve ever read and I read a lot. It’s a biography of Lance P. Sijan who was a USAF Phantom pilot, Vietnam POW and MOH recipient (posthumously).
Be prepared to be moved emotionally as you read about his resilience and shear mental will power during his survival, evasion, resistance & escape after being downed over North Vietnam. After reading this book, you will have a renewed appreciation for those who volunteer to serve in our country’s military services.
The USAF awards the Sijan Leadership award annually to those who best demonstrate the highest qualities of leadership in their job and life.
Attachment 64290

[akmarty]

I didn’t see a couple of my favorites here.

I Could Never Be So Lucky Again by James Doolittle
—-he started off bush flying in AK!
Over To You, Going Solo both by Ronald Dahl
—-RAF fighter pilot during WW2, wrote children’s books as well (Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach) excellent short stories. War stories raw and exhilarating. Went to combat in a plane with 1.5hrs in it!


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[Cubus Maximus]

most recent good reads:

CS Forrester's Hornblower series


A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell


Leadership: Six Studies in World Strategy by Henry Kissinger


Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan


The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown


Indestructible: One Man's Rescue Mission That Changed the Course of WWII by John R. Bruning


Churchill: Walking with Destiny by Andrew Roberts


The Good Shepherd by CS Forrester


A Year in the Life of a Cowboy by Owen D Roane


Tower of Skulls: A History of the Asia-Pacific War, Volume I: July 1937-May 1942 by Richard B Frank


Masters and Commanders: The Military Geniuses Who Led the West to Victory in World War II by Andrew Roberts


The Memoirs of US Grant: by US Grant


Chapters 13 and 14: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/59254/59254-0.txt "The Great Sermon Handicap" and "The Purity of the Turf"

[85Mike]

I definitely second "The Boys In The Boat"!! Awesome story!!

Mike

[mvivion]

I just finished reading Corwin “Corky” Meyer’s recollection of his career as an Experimental Test Pilot for Grumman. For perspective, he started his career with Grumman in 1942. His first flight test plane was the F6F Hellcat. His last project with Grumman was the F14.

Name of the book is “Corky Meyer’s Flight Journal”.

https://books.google.com/books/about/Corky_Meyer_s_Flight_Journal.html?id=uAXLBAAAQBAJ& printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button&hl=en&ne wbks=1&newbks_redir=0&gboemv=1

Get a copy….amazing stories by a very humble man….with a sense of humor.



MTV

[BC12D-4-85]

Like wet feet? Try this pre-war classic by Sir Gordon Taylor, The Sky Beyond. His pioneering of routes across the Pacific in a PBY are amazing.

Gary

[Just call me Al]

That's Roald Dahl.
I will have to look for these books definitely interested in both of these authors.
I look for the books in this forum thread at the local library and if they aren't there, I ask them to request them through Inter Library Loan. Always come within a week or so and convenient and very minimal expense.

I didn’t see a couple of my favorites here.

I Could Never Be So Lucky Again by James Doolittle
—-he started off bush flying in AK!
Over To You, Going Solo both by Ronald Dahl
—-RAF fighter pilot during WW2, wrote children’s books as well (Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach) excellent short stories. War stories raw and exhilarating. Went to combat in a plane with 1.5hrs in it!


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AL