Classic British Flight Sim

I found this recently published book in the library the other day and it makes fascinating reading.Another account of a varied career in aviation.The ISBN is :-
9-781-909808-27-0.Rod Dean has flown many types including theJaguar,P51 Mustang and Chipmunk as well as the Hunter Meteor and Spitfire.A very readable and nicely produced book.


EricT

Tomliner wrote:I found this recently published book in the library the other day and it makes fascinating reading.Another account of a varied career in aviation.The ISBN is :-
9-781-909808-27-0.Rod Dean has flown many types including theJaguar,P51 Mustang and Chipmunk as well as the Hunter Meteor and Spitfire.A very readable and nicely produced book.


EricT

I met and worked with Rod at 2 Great Warbirds displays, when he was flying Spencer Flacks Mustang VF-S,
Sunny VIII. Nice bloke.

Ttfn

Pete

I've read part one and have only just gotten my hands on part two, but Ken Ellis' "Testing to the Limits" deserves a mention if you ask me:
Testing to the Limits: British Test Pilots Since 1910 - volume 1, Addicott to Humble

Testing to the Limits: British Test Pilots Since 1910 - volume 2, James to Zurakowski

This seems to be the first book (or rather books) to cover the many test pilots that supported the British aviation industry. It includes short (and some longer) biographies of all mentioned pilots but also a few longer articles about the changing role of the test pilot throughout the years. Ellis has included all the pilots who either performed the first flight on a type or who gave their lives in the course of their work. That obviously means that not everyone is included, many production test pilots had to be left out for example, but this is still a very comprehensive book. It is also extensively illustrated to show the many different types flown throughout the years.

Peter's post -

http://cbfsim.co.uk/cbfs_bb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=29849

Prompted me to post the following.
I've recently finished reading 'Into the Black', by Rowland White (the Author of the excellent 'Vulcan 607').
This is the story of the development and first launch of the space shuttle, along with all of the behind the scene politics, crew selection and technical challenges. The level of research, detail and explanation (as with Mr Whites other publications), is amongst the best I've ever read.
It also details what was happening in the (then) black projects of early satellite reconnaissance (hence the reference to Peter’s post regarding the X37B), including digital photography and downloads.
I highly recommend this book. Just be prepared to burn the midnight oil.

Kevin

I just finished reading this book.

Around the World in 175 Days: The First Round-the-World Flight

Its about the first successful around the world flight, done by a team from the US Army air core in 1924, with a lot of help from the US Navy and a lot of others along the way. Peters around the world flight made me inspired about doing something similar and when hearing about this flight though I should do my research on the first real flight.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/15609 ... UTF8&psc=1

Kevin Farnell wrote:Peter's post -

http://cbfsim.co.uk/cbfs_bb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=29849

Prompted me to post the following.
I've recently finished reading 'Into the Black', by Rowland White (the Author of the excellent 'Vulcan 607').
This is the story of the development and first launch of the space shuttle, along with all of the behind the scene politics, crew selection and technical challenges. The level of research, detail and explanation (as with Mr Whites other publications), is amongst the best I've ever read.
It also details what was happening in the (then) black projects of early satellite reconnaissance (hence the reference to Peter’s post regarding the X37B), including digital photography and downloads.
I highly recommend this book. Just be prepared to burn the midnight oil.

Kevin

Thanks Kevin...I've just placed an order and look forward to reading it.

In the UK the Works shops have had some top books in at pocket friendly prices recently.

I've seen Ernest K Gann's Fate is the Hunter, Eric Brown's Wings on my Sleeve, Sully's Sully (!), and the 1940 Spitfire Manual in the last couple of weeks.

Too bad I got them all a while back.

Another interesting one is Leo McKinstry's history of Operation Sealion and the British defence build up to forestall it.

One interesting snippet was about who proposed Irish re-unification as the trade-off for Eire taking up arms against Germany, and who declined the idea. One was Churchill and the other was Devilera. You my be surprised at who said what and why!

Another snippet that made me laugh on the train was some text from a helpful pamphlet that the British dropped on the continent when it was thought that an invasion was imminent.

The German troops had started to believe rumours that the defending Brits could set fire to the sea around landing boats, so we sent them a pamphlet full of useful phrases to use such as: "We feel seasick, Where is the bucket?", "The sea smells of petrol here.", "See how well the captain burns." and "We must turn back."

Well worth £3.

petermcleland wrote:

Kevin Farnell wrote:Peter's post -

http://cbfsim.co.uk/cbfs_bb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=29849

Prompted me to post the following.
I've recently finished reading 'Into the Black', by Rowland White (the Author of the excellent 'Vulcan 607').
This is the story of the development and first launch of the space shuttle, along with all of the behind the scene politics, crew selection and technical challenges. The level of research, detail and explanation (as with Mr Whites other publications), is amongst the best I've ever read.
It also details what was happening in the (then) black projects of early satellite reconnaissance (hence the reference to Peter’s post regarding the X37B), including digital photography and downloads.
I highly recommend this book. Just be prepared to burn the midnight oil.

Kevin

Thanks Kevin...I've just placed an order and look forward to reading it.

I'm sure that you won't be disappointed.
Did you ever read Rowland White's 'Vulcan 607'? Probably the best book I have ever read. The level of research and detail is exceptional.
'Into the Black', is written with the same level of commitment. I would be interested to know , if you with your extensive experience in the aviation industry, find the book as enthralling as I did.

Regards

Kevin

Kevin,
Amazon tell me my book is to be delivered today.

Well it arrived yesterday on my birthday and I'm well into it now

Came across two very interesting books in a local library recently.

Spitfires, Thunderbolts and Warm Beer by Philip D Caine.(isbn 0-02-881115-1) A young American civil pilot, LeRoy Gover joined the RAF in 1941, trained at a US contract school, and found himself flying Spitfires (66 Sq) in the spring of 1942. He was later transferred to the USAAF and flew Thunderbolts until his return to the US in 1944. He kept an almost daily diary and even more than the flying, it' s a story of life in wartime RAF units. This is the experience of life on the ground, rough conditions, poor food and the social life of a young fighter pilot in wartime England.

Bombers, the Aircrew Experience by Philip Kaplan (isbn 0-7607-2057-6) A look at the Bomber business , mostly as seen by the young enlisted aircrew. The concentration is primarily on WW II, as it should be , but there are interesting diversions into WW I as well as Korea, Vietnam and Iraq. In many ways, a terrifying and unglamorous experience for those lucky enough to survive. More than 100,000 RAF and USAAF crew did not. A very sobering read.

Both books are available on Amazon.