Aviation Autobiographies - Top 3 or 5!

[PatG]

Having recently read 'Scramble' by Tom Neil and now the best part the way through his 'Silver Spitfire' book I'd be interested to know which aviation related autobiographies people think should be in the top 3 or 5 and 'musts' to read.

 

To kick things off my top 5 is as follows:

 

• Geoffrey Wellum - First Light
• Johnny Johnson - The Last British Dambuster
• Tom Neil - Scramble & Silver Spitfire
• Alastair Panton - Blenheim Summer
• John Martin - A raid Over Berlin

 

I'm sure people have their own favourites so I'd love to know what they are so that I can add to my library!

 

Pat.

 

ps. also tried reading Alex Henshaw's 'Sigh For A Merlin' plus Jeffrey Quill's 'Spitfire - A Test Pilot's Story' but found both to be very dry, dull and unreadable so gave up on both I'm afraid.

 

[CarLos]

Harald Penrose - Adventure with Fate

 

 

[stevehnz]

Alan Deere- Nine Lives

Colin Gray- Spitfire Patrol

@PatG IMHO, it is a mistake to include only autobiographies. I'd rather read a well written biography by a competent author than a poorly written autobiography. I have many more of these on my shelves. My contribution to date is alI can recall off the top of my head. There may be more.

Steve.

[Rob G]

Faster Than the Sun - Peter Twiss (much else, but piloted the Fairey FD2 to 1000mph)

 

Slide Rule - Nevil Shute (shared design of airship R100, co-founded Airspeed Ltd and famous author)

 

The Dangerous Skies - A E Clouston (prewar RAF, test pilot, dH88 Comet distance records)

 

All terribly English and rather dated (Twiss' book was updated in the 80s iirc) but covering an absolutely fascinating period in aviation.

[FalkeEins]

-'Mustang Ace' - Bob Goebel. (31st FG) A NASA scientist post-war, very clever man, excellent writer. His son's account of flying Buccaneers in the RAF is in the '.... Boys' book... 

-Steinhoff - 'Straits of Messina' 

[PatG]

OK, biographies are all of real interest too.

 

Pat.

[kiseca]

For biographies, Paul Brickhill's Reach For The Sky, about Douglas Bader, is a favourite of mine, even though I've heard some parts may be embellished or inaccurate. I still think it is a great read.

 

Not many others have stood out for me. Johnnie Johnson's Wing Leader was quite good, and I also quite enjoyed Mandy Hickson's An Officer, Not a Gentleman, about her experiences moving through pilot training and her career in a Tornado cockpit.

 

Stretching the theme of Aviation a little, Michael Collins (the third guy on Apollo 11) wrote an autobiography called Carrying The Fire. It is well written and he has a good sense of humour, and continuing on the space theme and stretching the definition of a biography somewhat, Stephen Walker's Beyond is a superbly written book about the early Soviet space program and Yuri Gagarin's first flight into space.

 

 

[PatG]

Just to add that I recently read 'The One That Got Away' about Franz von Werra and that was a very enjoyable read and followed the film exactly, but then again I believe the film was based on the book so perhaps not that surprising. Akin to the 'Band Of Brothers' book that I've also recently read by Stephen Ambrose and again the book is as per the drama series.

 

I love the suggestion about Al Deere, one of my favourite BoB pilots, so now off to check Amazon for this and some of the other suggestions, but also awaiting other excellent suggestions.

 

Pat.

Ps. I read 'Reach For The Sky' many years ago and enjoyed it greatly.

[Karearea]

Some real classics above. I won’t repeat them in my list, but here’s a few more.
 

Eric Brown- Wings In My Sleeve

Desmond Scott- Typhoon Pilot

 

I’ve liked some of the recent memoirs I’ve read too, I’ve found many modern authors have been willing to expound on their experiences of conflict in a sensitive nuanced way. A few that stand out:

Mike Sutton- Typhoon

Nathan Gray- Hazard Spectrum

 

 

 

[tempestfan]

On 4/21/2024 at 12:52 AM, stevehnz said:

Alan Deere- Nine Lives

Colin Gray- Spitfire Patrol

@PatG IMHO, it is a mistake to include only autobiographies. I'd rather read a well written biography by a competent author than a poorly written autobiography. I have many more of these on my shelves. My contribution to date is alI can recall off the top of my head. There may be more.

Steve.

Looks like a slight Kiwi bias there 😉 A pity Warren Schrader apparently didn't like talking (and writing) about himself and his exploits, or being written about.

[malpaso]

Flying Fury - McCudden

Wings on my Sleeve - Brown

First Light - Wellum

Airymouse - Penrose

Aeroplane Affair -Isaacs

 

I’ve put the last two as showing the love and joy of flight.

[malpaso]

On 4/20/2024 at 10:13 PM, PatG said:

 

ps. also tried reading Alex Henshaw's 'Sigh For A Merlin' plus Jeffrey Quill's 'Spitfire - A Test Pilot's Story' but found both to be very dry, dull and unreadable so gave up on both I'm afraid.

 

Agreed, Quill was bearable to read but Henshaw comes across as an awful snob even by the standards of the 40s!

[PatG]

It's a pity about Quill and Henshaw as they both had incredible tales to tell but clearly they were no authors so perhaps a biography may have been more digestible if written by an author who had the ability to communicate with the reader instead of just  reeling off a litany of dates and facts (very dry) in the case of Quill, or debatable opinions and over blown ego in the case of Henshaw.

 

Just bought '9 Lives' by Al Deere so will report back once I've got into it but I know there is also a book by Brian Lane which I'm also tempted to buy given his pivotal role in the BoB with 19 squadron.

 

Thanks all for your illuminating suggestions which will keep me going for quite some time and please keep them coming!

 

Pat.

[Tim R-T-C]

Sam Halpert's A Real Good War

 

It is presented as a novel, but written by a B-17 ETO veteran and definitely feels autobiographical with vivid descriptions of the bombing campaigns from the view of a crewman. A compelling read.

[PatG]

Just finished reading 'Silver Spitfire' by Tom Neil and another gripping read very well written so recommended to all.

 

Fortunately '9 Lives' by Al Deere has just arrived in the post so my reading continues!

 

Pat.

[stevehnz]

Spitfire Strikes - Sqn Ldr Johnnie Houlton.

Spitfire into Battle - Grp Cpt Wilfred Duncan-Smith

Steve.

[FalkeEins]

Spitfire Command - Bobby Oxspring

[Jonners]

'No Moon Tonight' by Don Charlwood, written about his time as a Lancaster nav on 103 Sqn at Elsham Wold, which I drove across to get to work where I am now, on a former Lancaster airfield almost in sight of Elsham. Thoughtfully and elegantly written, it is a far cry from some of the more 'gung-ho' Bomber Command authors such as Jack Currie. Thoroughly recommended, especially for the poignancy of the final chapter.

 

I'll also back a previous bid for 'Slide Rule' by Neville Shute, particularly for his superbly-crafted analysis and critique of government-run projects, in this case the R101.

 

Jon

Edited April 29 by Jonners

[Sabrejet]

Forever Flying by Bob Hoover is my top autobiography!

 

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned Ernest K Gann's Fate is the Hunter, which is another top-notch read. I'd also recommend The Cannibal Queen by Stephen Coonts.

[Gerald the Gorilla]

First light is awesome.

When thunder rolled by Ed Rasimus and the others he has written as well.

Chickenhawk by Robert Mason

Flying Through Midnight by John T Halliday

Into the Black by Rowland White.

[T-21]

Serenade To The Big Bird  by Bert Stiles, a B-17 co-pilot with the 91st BG Bassingbourn from April to July 44.

 

The Eighth Passenger  by Miles Tripp   bomb aimer on a 218 Squadron  Lancaster from Chedburgh.

 

Two Men In A Flying Machine   by John Morris,  ferrying General Aircraft Monospar Australia to England 1961. This aircraft is now preserved at the Newark Air Museum.

 

Stranger To The Ground  by Richard Bach    a night flight in a USAF F-84 from Wethersfield to France  dodging thunderstorms.

 

 

Mention of Alex Henshaw  must read  "Sigh For A Merlin" about his testing Spitfires and Lancaster's from the Castle Bromwich factory.

Edited May 3 by T-21

[Julien]

On 21/04/2024 at 21:19, Karearea said:

Some real classics above. I won’t repeat them in my list, but here’s a few more.
 

Eric Brown- Wings In My Sleeve

 

 

 

 

A must read, im lucky to have a signed copy, was a real pleasure to meet him and hear one of his talks.

[Julien]

Fighter Pilot by Robin Olds. Was finished by his daughter Christina and Ed Rasimus after he sadly died. 

[bentwaters81tfw]

Eric Brown and Robin Olds. Both a 'must read'.

[Alan P]

I echo @Sabrejet's recommendation of Fate Is The Hunter, an excellent read about mid-20th Century civvy flying. 

 

Low Level Hell by Hugh Mills is my 2nd favourite Vietnam memoir after Chickenhawk. Real edge of your seat stuff! 

 

Lesser known but brilliant from the early days of US Navy jet flying is Flying Low by BK Bryans. 

 

Also recommend Ed Rasimus' Vietnam memoir When Thunder Rolled which was surprisingly frank about his fear of combat, which was very refreshing and honest. I bet he had to fight his publisher to keep those bits in. 

 

Good question, by the way!