M2 Posted January 8, 2014 Author Posted January 8, 2014 In response to the above, as usual the Duffelblog delivers! Former Defense Secretary Bob Gates Slips, Falls On Knife 68 Times
Spur38 Posted January 9, 2014 Posted January 9, 2014 I think "Duffel Bag" missed one...should be "Falls on Knife 69 times"! I'm getting Gates book today.....
O Face Posted February 7, 2014 Posted February 7, 2014 Thank you for the recommendation. "A Lonely Kind of War" was an excellent book. It was very well written, a true page turner.
so.it.goes Posted February 10, 2014 Posted February 10, 2014 Now that I have some more time to read again, I just spent three hours going through this thread looking to bolster my "Will Read" list. Some really great selections on here. I'll add "The Good Soldiers" by David Finkel, a Pulitzer winning author. The best book I've read of its kind, and I maintain one of the best books I've read, period. https://www.amazon.com/Good-Soldiers-David-Finkel/dp/0312430027
Milchstrasse Posted February 14, 2014 Posted February 14, 2014 Has anyone read Dead Men Fying? I was thinking of picking it up: https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Men-Flying-Americas-Battlefield/dp/1936488353/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392366130&sr=8-1&keywords=dead+men+flying
Marco Posted February 14, 2014 Posted February 14, 2014 If you liked Skunk Works read More Than My Share of It All. Kelly Johnson's memoirs.
Cell Dweller Posted February 15, 2014 Posted February 15, 2014 If you liked Skunk Works read More Than My Share of It All. Kelly Johnson's memoirs. I read a sample of "Skunk Works", and it basically sounded like a self-congratulatory account of Ben Rich's life at Lockheed. I have heard that "More Than..." is more well written, but because the subject is Johnson and not Rich, the focus is less on Lockheed and more on Johnson's life and times. It is very difficult to find a good book on DoD acquisition programs that is not very academic or very self-promoting (think "I worked at Company X on the F-69 program, and we did awesome, until the government got in our way.")
TreeA10 Posted February 15, 2014 Posted February 15, 2014 I read a sample of "Skunk Works", and it basically sounded like a self-congratulatory account of Ben Rich's life at Lockheed. I have heard that "More Than..." is more well written, but because the subject is Johnson and not Rich, the focus is less on Lockheed and more on Johnson's life and times. It is very difficult to find a good book on DoD acquisition programs that is not very academic or very self-promoting (think "I worked at Company X on the F-69 program, and we did awesome, until the government got in our way.") "The Dream Machine" by Richard Whittle. Didn't really seem to be pro or con but certainly did cover Bell/Textron push for a tilt rotor since the 60s. Good look at how compromise affects design, i.e. the V-22's size was set by the amphib assault ship deck limits which was set by prior helos, not by best aero performance.
Breckey Posted February 16, 2014 Posted February 16, 2014 I went to a conference a few years back that had a rep from Sikorski discussing the Joint Multi-Role Helicopter program. One of the points of the discussion was how the Navy requirements are some of the main constraints placed upon any new joint helo program. He said that if the CH-46 footprint requirement would not have existed, the prop-rotors for the V-22 would have been better optimized for hover. This would have greatly reduced, if not eliminated, the downwash and engine performance problems.
BigFreddie Posted February 22, 2014 Posted February 22, 2014 Has anyone read Dead Men Fying? I was thinking of picking it up:https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Men-Flying-Americas-Battlefield/dp/1936488353/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392366130&sr=8-1&keywords=dead+men+flying It was ok, nothing special. There are much better Vietnam helo books out there.
Royal Posted April 6, 2014 Posted April 6, 2014 The Pentagon Wars by Col James Burton was recently re-released for the Kindle. It should be mandatory reading for anyone in the armed services. It's got some stellar first hand insight into Col Boyd's theories and impact, the inner workings of the military-industrial-congressional complex, and how we got where we're at today as a military. Among other things, Col Burton put his entire career and livelihood on the line to ensure the Bradley Fighting Vehicle wouldn't be a coffin on tracks for our ground pounders. It's been a while, but I remember the HBO movie based on the book being decent. 1
Sketch Posted April 6, 2014 Posted April 6, 2014 Just finished Warthog: Flying the A-10 in the Gulf War by William Smallwood. Its been mentioned here before and for good reason; its well written and overall I really enjoyed it. Its not perfect but the author does a great job of explaining the A-10's role in the Gulf and how they were able to accomplish their missions despite some of the tremendous obstacles they faced on both sides (many coalition CC's didn't even want to use them at first). The level of detail is incredible and a good portion of the book is pilot accounts of their missions and even a few pages of horrendous POW stories. Overall great book that I highly recommend but for any Hawg pilots be careful the ending is very bittersweet... 1
billy pilgrim Posted April 7, 2014 Posted April 7, 2014 Military related... I liked Riding Rockets by Mike Mullane - a former F-4 WSO. Also reading An Astronauts Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield - really not a fan due to all the "this is how awesome I am" undertones. 2
KState_Poke22 Posted April 7, 2014 Posted April 7, 2014 Just finished Warthog: Flying the A-10 in the Gulf War by William Smallwood. Its been mentioned here before and for good reason; its well written and overall I really enjoyed it. Its not perfect but the author does a great job of explaining the A-10's role in the Gulf and how they were able to accomplish their missions despite some of the tremendous obstacles they faced on both sides (many coalition CC's didn't even want to use them at first). The level of detail is incredible and a good portion of the book is pilot accounts of their missions and even a few pages of horrendous POW stories. Overall great book that I highly recommend but for any Hawg pilots be careful the ending is very bittersweet... Also by him is a book about the F-15E in the Gulf War. Goes into some great detail like how the guys were dodging SAMs at low altitude and the creative methods they used to counter the Iraqi gunships (who were firing on Iraqi civilians) at the end of the war when they were told not to engage them.
Sketch Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 Also by him is a book about the F-15E in the Gulf War. Goes into some great detail like how the guys were dodging SAMs at low altitude I have my eye on that one but I just ordered "Vipers in the Storm" which also been mentioned many times so I'll be reading that next. the creative methods they used to counter the Iraqi gunships (who were firing on Iraqi civilians) at the end of the war when they were told not to engage them. Uh.. tree top level supersonic pass directly over their heads? Also, has anyone read Air Superiority Blue: The F-15 Story by Donn Byrnes? Saw this while browsing Amazon and after reading about the F-X debacle in Boyd I was hoping this might go more in-depth.
Vice Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 Are there any books about the Cuban MiG pilot that defected and landed at Homestead? Apparently that guy hijacked an airliner and flew back to Cuba a few years later...
Steve Davies Posted April 9, 2014 Posted April 9, 2014 Also, has anyone read Air Superiority Blue: The F-15 Story by Donn Byrnes? Saw this while browsing Amazon and after reading about the F-X debacle in Boyd I was hoping this might go more in-depth. Everyone knows that the there's only one book worth buying about TWGASF: Eagle Engaged But on a serious note, going to buy the Byrnes book. Could be a great insight.
M2 Posted April 9, 2014 Author Posted April 9, 2014 Are there any books about the Cuban MiG pilot that defected and landed at Homestead? Apparently that guy hijacked an airliner and flew back to Cuba a few years later... 5 октября 1969 г. угон самолета МиГ-17Ф №232 эскадрилья 1913 ВВС Кубы. Молодой кубинский летчик л-т Эдуардо Гуэрро Хименес пересек границу и приземлился на американской авиабазе Хомстед. Полет проходил на высоте 10 - 13 метров, что не позволило радарам вовремя обнаружить нарушителя. В момент посадки МиГ-а на той же авиабазе находился самолет "Air Force-1" президента США! Translation: "October 5, 1969 hijacking of aircraft MiG-17F fighters No. 232 Squadron 1913 Cuban Air Force. A young Cuban pilot l-t Guèrro Eduardo Jiménez crossed the border and landed at the US airbase Homestead. Flight took place at a height of 10-13 metres, which prevented the radars detect wrongdoing. At the time of the landing of MiG-and on the same air base was flight "Air Force 1" President of the United States!" The plane was returned to the Cubans and ten years later, on June 12, 1979, Jiménez hijacked Delta Flight 1061 back to Havana!
Vice Posted April 10, 2014 Posted April 10, 2014 5 октября 1969 г. угон самолета МиГ-17Ф №232 эскадрилья 1913 ВВС Кубы. Молодой кубинский летчик л-т Эдуардо Гуэрро Хименес пересек границу и приземлился на американской авиабазе Хомстед. Полет проходил на высоте 10 - 13 метров, что не позволило радарам вовремя обнаружить нарушителя. В момент посадки МиГ-а на той же авиабазе находился самолет "Air Force-1" президента США! Translation: "October 5, 1969 hijacking of aircraft MiG-17F fighters No. 232 Squadron 1913 Cuban Air Force. A young Cuban pilot l-t Guèrro Eduardo Jiménez crossed the border and landed at the US airbase Homestead. Flight took place at a height of 10-13 metres, which prevented the radars detect wrongdoing. At the time of the landing of MiG-and on the same air base was flight "Air Force 1" President of the United States!" The plane was returned to the Cubans and ten years later, on June 12, 1979, Jiménez hijacked Delta Flight 1061 back to Havana! I'm Russian/Ukrainian and I read it Russian before realizing there was a translation... Anyway is there any more detailed documentation on this event? I know "MiG Pilot" talks about the Russian dude that defected and landed in Japan, but there's nothing I can find that's substantial about the Cuban guy that landed in Homestead. Speaking of defectors, are there any interesting book about ANY pilot defectors over the past few years besides "MiG Pilot"? I enjoy reading about their frustrations and the events that led up to the defection.
TreeA10 Posted May 23, 2014 Posted May 23, 2014 Everyone knows that the there's only one book worth buying about TWGASF: Eagle Engaged But on a serious note, going to buy the Byrnes book. Could be a great insight. Currently building a summer travel list for the Kindle app on my iPad . As an author, do you have any insight as to why some books are available on Kindle and some, like your F-15s in Combat, are not?
ARIs 'R' Us Posted May 24, 2014 Posted May 24, 2014 It's historical fiction but The Winds of War and War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk are two of the best written and best researched books I've ever read, with a lot of history and 60-70's outlook of WWII thrown in. If you haven't read Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, which is doubtful by now, go get it today. Posted from the NEW Baseops.net App!
brickhistory Posted May 24, 2014 Posted May 24, 2014 (edited) 2 for anything by Wouk. These mentioned but also The Caine Mutiny. Both the book and movie are outstanding. Best fiction book ever is "Once an Eagle." Although based on the Army, the concepts you see b1tched about so much here as new afflictions are vividly illustrated in the book. This book follows a regular guy from his enlistment in the 1917 Pancho Villa expedition, through WWI, the Great Depression, WWII, and into early Vietnam. Just great writing and anyone with a familiarity with the military will recognized the characters and problems. A huge part of what made me want to join, then cope, then eventually leave, the service. Best book ever. Edited May 24, 2014 by brickhistory 1
backseatdriver Posted May 24, 2014 Posted May 24, 2014 +1 on Once an Eagle. Phenomenal book - it's a very long read (1300 pages!), but a very good one.
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