Book recommendations for the 8th Air Force?

[Procopius]

I'm on a bit of a USAAF kick right now, and I was wondering if people had some useful references that I might have overlooked or should consider. I have the following:

 

Serenade to the Big Bird, by Bert Stiles

An Emotional Gauntlet, by Stuart Wright

The Mighty Eighth, by Roger Freeman

Mustang at War, by Roger Freeman

The Lockheed P-38 Lightning. by Warren Bodie

and

The P-47 Thunderbolt: From Seversky to Victory, by Warren Bodie.

 

Obviously this is a pretty meager basis to start from. I'm interested in particular in Big Week and the evolution of US fighter doctrine. I welcome the input of those infinitely more knowledgeable than myself.

[T-21]

8th Air Force Warpaint and Heraldry by Roger Freeman,   Arms and Armour  1997 is a very good book for unit markings and National markings.

[Smithy]

I have quite an interest in the 4th Fighter Group and have most of the books published specifically regarding them and memoirs/bios of the pilots and can recommend:

 

Frank Speer's books: "The Debden Eagles"; "Eighty-One Aces of the 4th Fighter Group"; "One Down, One Dead" and "Wingman"

Grover Hall, "1,000 Destroyed"

Fry and Ethell, "Escort to Berlin"

James Goodson, "Tumult in the Clouds"

Troy White, "Adventures of the 4th Fighter Group" (don't let the childlike title fool you, enormous amount of research in a very readable format, also includes a lot of never seen before photos)

 

Other 8th AF ones:

 

Ted Fahrenwald's "Bailout over Normandy" and "Wot a Way to Run a War" (brilliantly written and at times laugh out loud funny accounts of this flyboy's time with the 352nd FG)

Bud Fortier, "An Ace of the Eighth"

Julian and Randall, "Zemke's Wolfpack" (one of the best photo documentaries of an aviation unit ever made. Incredible.)

 

Hope that helps in some small way.

 

Edit: I should add that I've included a couple of memoirs/bios for some added colour.

Edited January 3, 2019 by Smithy

[Smithy]

On 1/2/2019 at 1:29 AM, Procopius said:

US fighter doctrine.

 

Procopius, I forgot to add one which does a good job of covering this and then some. Jay Stout's "Fighter Group" is a brilliant study of a fighter group (in this case the 352nd) in England and covers absolutely all aspects, from tactics, organisation, combat, right down to life on and off base and even things like call signs and radio procedure. A really superb book and very readable.

[Latinbear]

I would recommend Donald L. Miller's "Eighth Air Force" published in 2007 by Aurum. Partly a strategic history, the book also looks at the 8th from the perspective of the bomber crews themselves. It is fairly meaty at 521 pages excluding the index and notes but I found it well written and a very enjoyable and educational read. 

[Mancunian airman]

What would the cost be for a book with 521 pages ?

Is it hard or a soft back book ?

Does it have artwork of B17's etc ?

 

It sounds like the kinda book one SHOULD HAVE

 

I have been looking into one particular B17 that crashed landing at my local wartime airfield . . . .

 

 

 

 

[Latinbear]

On ‎1‎/‎6‎/‎2019 at 6:58 PM, Mancunian airman said:

What would the cost be for a book with 521 pages ?

Is it hard or a soft back book ?

Does it have artwork of B17's etc ?

 

It sounds like the kinda book one SHOULD HAVE

 

I have been looking into one particular B17 that crashed landing at my local wartime airfield . . . .

 

 

 

 

 

It was £25 new. Hardback. Notes, Bibliography and Index add another 150 pages. There are 46 pictures in it. There is no artwork. 

You'll find it on Amazon. 

 

[fightersweep]

On 1/3/2019 at 12:58 PM, Smithy said:

 

Troy White, "Adventures of the 4th Fighter Group" (don't let the childlike title fool you, enormous amount of research in a very readable format, also includes a lot of never seen before photos)

 

Have you got Troy's book on Ralph "KIdd" Hofer? That's a wonderfully researched book. One of my favourite wild card aces too!

 

With shelves heaving under the strain of 8th and 9th Air Force related books, I'll have to get my thinking cap on and put up a list. I have always had a soft spot for Philip Kaplan and Alan Smith's book, One Last Look. It's just a nice book to leaf through.

 

Graham Simons and Harry Friedman's book on the Memphis Belle "Dispelling the Myths" is an amazing tome. 30 years of research and it shows too. A fantastic read that doesn't leave a stone unturned. I was lucky enough to get invited to the book launch at Bassingbourne....quite a day!

 

Steve

Edited January 15, 2019 by fightersweep

[JasonC]

Regarding fighter doctrine and tactics, perhaps Osprey's publication on VIII Fighter Command - 'The Long Reach'.

 

https://ospreypublishing.com/viii-fighter-command-at-war

 

In fact, PM your address and you can have mine.

Edited January 15, 2019 by JasonC

[Procopius]

18 minutes ago, JasonC said:

Regarding fighter doctrine and tactics, perhaps Osprey's publication on VIII Fighter Command - 'The Long Reach'.

 

https://ospreypublishing.com/viii-fighter-command-at-war

 

In fact, PM your address and you can have mine.

Gosh, that's very kind of you! 

[JasonC]

I'm under gentle but constant pressure to reduce the amount of shelf space occupied by my books. Come to think of it, not dissimilar to Chinese water torture. 😉 

 

Another suggestion would be Martin Middlebrook's 'The Schweinfurt-Regensburg Mission'.

 

J.

[Army_Air_Force]

Roger Freeman's "Mighty Eighth War Diary" and "Mighty Eighth Manual" are good companions to go with "The Mighty Eighth". The Freeman/After the Battle "Airfields of the Eighth Then and Now" is interesting, though being writting in the late 1970's, most of the airfields have changed a huge amount since the photos in the book.

[Smithy]

4 hours ago, fightersweep said:

Have you got Troy's book on Ralph "KIdd" Hofer? That's a wonderfully researched book. One of my favourite wild card aces too!

 

With shelves heaving under the strain of 8th and 9th Air Force related books, I'll have to get my thinking cap on and put up a list. I have always had a soft spot for Philip Kaplan and Alan Smith's book, One Last Look. It's just a nice book to leaf through.

 

Graham Simons and Harry Friedman's book on the Memphis Belle "Dispelling the Myths" is an amazing tome. 30 years of research and it shows too. A fantastic read that doesn't leave a stone unturned. I was lucky enough to get invited to the book launch at Bassingbourne....quite a day!

 

Steve

 

I haven't got Troy's book on Hofer but have been meaning to buy a copy - I actually emailed Troy late last year about doing so but Christmas got in the way, thanks for reminding me Fightersweep!

 

Talking of Kaplan, I have a soft spot for his "Little Friends" which is about the fighter pilot experience in England and over Europe, and it's very good. I have his "The Few" and "Wolf Pack" (about the U-boat war from the experience of the U-boat crews) and like "Little Friends" they have a tremendous selection of period photos and images of objects and places from the time and how they look now. It's a great format and works, and as you say they are the kind of books that you go back and leaf through again and again.

 

Getting back to Troy, if you haven't got "Adventures of the 4th FG" definitely pick up a copy, it's fantastic and chockablock full of previously unpublished photos.

Edited January 15, 2019 by Smithy

[Paul821]

Slightly different but "The Mighty Men of the 381st: Heroes All" by James Good Brown, brings to life the people who flew, and in many cases gave their lives. Brown was the Chaplain at Ridgewell and gives an excellent account of day to day life on the base.

 

Only issue that it a very rare book and copies tend to sell for over £100 in the UK. It may be easier to get a copy in the US.

[fightersweep]

40 minutes ago, Smithy said:

 

I haven't got Troy's book on Hofer but have been meaning to buy a copy - I actually emailed Troy late last year about doing so but Christmas got in the way, thanks for reminding me Fightersweep!

 

Talking of Kaplan, I have a soft spot for his "Little Friends" which is about the fighter pilot experience in England and over Europe, and it's very good. I have his "The Few" and "Wolf Pack" (about the U-boat war from the experience of the U-boat crews) and like "Little Friends" they have a tremendous selection of period photos and images of objects and places from the time and how they look now. It's a great format and works, and as you say they are the kind of books that you go back and leaf through again and again.

 

Getting back to Troy, if you haven't got "Adventures of the 4th FG" definitely pick up a copy, it's fantastic and chockablock full of previously unpublished photos.

You won't be disappointed. It's a great book although it does seem to be fetching silly prices on the second hand market. Troy is a really great guy. I had my first dealings with him when his Hofer book was first published and I was the buyer at Midland Counties. As I bought a fair few copies on my initial order, he sent me a signed copy for myself along with an artist's proof of the cover's artwork. Troy is quite the artist too....some of his paintings are very nice. I will certainly look out for a copy of Adventures of the 4th FG.

25 minutes ago, Paul821 said:

Slightly different but "The Mighty Men of the 381st: Heroes All" by James Good Brown, brings to life the people who flew, and in many cases gave their lives. Brown was the Chaplain at Ridgewell and gives an excellent account of day to day life on the base.

 

Only issue that it a very rare book and copies tend to sell for over £100 in the UK. It may be easier to get a copy in the US.

Brown's book is indeed a great read. Haven't been to Ridgewell for years, but certainly explored the place many times when I was with the Rebel Air Museum at Earls Colne. Still have a 1944 dated Coca Cola bottle I found there. 

 

Steve

[Smithy]

14 minutes ago, fightersweep said:

I will certainly look out for a copy of Adventures of the 4th FG.

 

I got my copy through Blurb and couldn't be more happy. They have four options IIRC, two paperback and two hardback, and a normal and deluxe version of each.

 

I went for the hardback deluxe and the quality is superb, paper stock is excellent and the book is beautifully bound, much better dare I say than some of the big, established, traditional publishing houses.

 

It was my first experience of Blurb and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.

[fightersweep]

Not heard of Blurb. Is that print and demand type site? I'll check it out. Thanks for the heads up! 👍

[Smithy]

8 minutes ago, fightersweep said:

Not heard of Blurb. Is that print and demand type site? I'll check it out. Thanks for the heads up! 👍

 

That's the type of place Sweep. I'd never even heard of them before I ordered. Here's the link for the deluxe edition:

 

http://www.blurb.co.uk/b/6384409-adventures-of-the-4th-fighter-group-deluxe-edition

 

It's not cheap for the deluxe version but as the 4th is one of my pet interests I had to have it and I don't regret it in the slightest. Worth every penny.

 

EDIT:

 

I forgot to say if you click on "PREVIEW" there's some sample pages.

Edited January 15, 2019 by Smithy

[fightersweep]

Thanks for the link. Certainly looks nice, and it would be rude not to buy the deluxe edition! Noticed on the forward that Troy is now in Uruguay....He was in Australia when I dealt with him. He certainly gets around a bit!

 

Steve 

[FalkeEins]

bit late on this ..but thanks for the link to that one Smithy!

 

..getting back to the OP's question you must look out for  Danny Morris' "Aces & Wingmen" (pub, Neville Spearman).. Published in 1972 it has a very good collection of b/w photos, most of which aren't anywhere else. It also has first-person accounts from "second-stringers" who weren't usually (at least back in 1972) featured in works like this. There are the usual listings of pilot accomplishments, aces, codes, etc., and 32 pages of color profiles that aren't quite up to today's aviation art standards. However, the photos make this book worth having, There was a second edition, published in two volumes, by Aviation Usk, edited by Tom Frisque. The first volume was written by Danny Morris, and published in 1989. The second volume has Bill Hess' name on it, and was published in 1999  (yes, there is a story there..). The covers of both volumes of the second edition are similar..approx 250 pages, each book has around 1,000 photos crammed in ..

 

[Troy Smith]

On 02/01/2019 at 00:29, Procopius said:

I'm on a bit of a USAAF kick right now, and I was wondering if people had some useful references that I might have overlooked or should consider. I have the following:

 

this

Air Force Colors, Vol. 2: ETO & MTO (European & Mediterranean Theaters of Operations) 1942-45, by Dana Bell

https://www.amazon.com/Air-Force-Colors-Vol-Mediterranean/dp/0897471083

copies for $5 and post...

I got mine in 1981, and still enjoy flicking through. 

 

Great selection of interesting photos and a one stop shop for looking up unit markings, changes in camouflage  etc etc etc.  

 

Having @Dana Bell here as a member and still researching is one of the treats of this place...

the two other volumes are well worth having, but the above is the one that covered my main interests. 

https://www.amazon.com/Air-Force-Colors-Vol-1926-1942/dp/B002L4SZA0

https://www.amazon.com/Air-Force-Colors-1942-1947-Specials/dp/0897473760 

 

If you can find one, a bound volume of the Ducimus USAAF camoulage and markings would be handy, but scans are here

https://boxartden.com/reference/gallery/index.php/Modeling-References/Camoflage-Markings

 

@Procopius  the bound RAF set set is available at what look a decent price....

https://www.amazon.com/Camouflage-Markings-Fighter-Command-Northern/dp/0903234009

 

[Smithy]

2 hours ago, FalkeEins said:

bit late on this ..but thanks for the link to that one Smithy!

 

Pleased you liked it FalkeEins. If you have an interest in the 4th FG then it's an absolute must have. Troy White is a really excellent researcher and has made the book a very readable one. I have most of the books specifically published about the 4th and Troy's book is one of the very best.