Any of these worth reading?

[Southside Bucky]

Gentlemen.

I've had the following books for years but never read any of them, probably because I thought they'd pale in comparison to Winged Victory.

Recently though I've been reading Derek Robinsons WW1 airwar trilogy and really enjoyed them. Can any estimable forumite recommend or save me wasting my time on any of these?

The Blue Max

The Blue Max

. J D Hunter.

Aces High. William Hughes.

One Spring in Picardy. William Stanley.

The Friendless Sky. Alexander McKee.

Wings Over France. H E Hartney.

The Mustering of the Hawks. John Harris.

The Unfeeling Sky. Peter Saxon.

A Killing for the Hawks. F E Smith.

They were all written in the sixties and seventies when attention to detail was not what we've come to expect these days, if anyone can single one or two out that are worth reading I'll be very grateful.

Thanks in advance.

Bucky.

Hello

I think I remember reading a novel about WWI flying by Peter Saxon many years ago. I don't recall the title: the one you list doesn't ring any bells. Anyway, the one I read was real goodies and baddies stuff (the main evil Hun sported a swastika on his tail!) and great fun if you were eight or nine but not for re-reading now.

[MikeW]

Bucky,

I have some of these in my collection, so my quick n'dirty critique as follows:

The Blue Max. J D Hunter. - it's ok, some here think it's wonderful

Aces High. William Hughes. - total crap

The Friendless Sky. Alexander McKee. - Not a novel, snippets of fact, it's all right in a lightweight sort of way


The Mustering of the Hawks. John Harris. - crap, but not as total as Aces High

The Unfeeling Sky. Peter Saxon - more than total crap, and there's several in the series, having the same character but totally unrelated to each other, it's dire, you have been warned.

A Killing for the Hawks. F E Smith - again dire.

Mike

[Southside Bucky]

Thanks Mike, wonderfully succinct, you're my kind of reviewer!

That leaves me only 'One Spring in Picardy', and 'Wings over France' to peruse. Half a chapter each should do it.

I hate to impose on you any further but apart from 'Winged Victory' and D. Robinson's trilogy, do you know of any other WW1 airwar novels worth reading?

Thanks to you too Felix, Saxon is obviously one author to avoid!

Incidentally, we seem to have a few things in common you and I. We're both Londoners, we both have a keen interest in WW1 aviation and Red Baron and we both play music. You don't happen to support Chelsea and love pre war Blues music do you?

Thanks again fella's.

Bucky.

[Pips]

Gotta disagree with MikeW's summation. With the exception of The Unfeeling Sky all are, think, quite entertaining. And on a par with Robinson's books.

To enjoy them just keep in mind what they are... which being novels are simple and romantic in nature, short on facts and big on action. No point comparing them to books the like of 'Winged Victory' - which is biographical in nature.

The best novel I have come across is Ernest K Gann's In 'The Company Of Eagles'. Good story, well written and interestingly covers the German/French side of things.

[Pmacko]

Hi Bucky,

Here are a few of my favorites:

In The Company of Eagles - Ernest Gann

The Rage of Angels - Alan Fisher

No Parachute - Arthur Gould Lee (true story...not fiction)

Just received Wind in the Wires by Captain Duncan Grinnell-Milne

Hope this helps.

[MikeW]

Cobby,

Gotta disagree with MikeW's summation.

I can only say that you are easily pleased. The books I dissed are not in the same league as the Robinson books. Equivalent of Enid Blyton vs Phillip Pullman.


As for the Ernest Gann book, the story is different, but I can only say that if you are happy for the Germans to have been caught out by a Flight of Sopwith Triplanes because they thought they were Fokker Triplanes, well ...well... I'm speechless!

[Southside Bucky]

Fella's.

It's taken over a week for the first reply to this thread. I was starting to feel neglected! But it's hotting up nicely now eh!

Cobby, thanks for your input. 'The Company Of Eagles' sounds as though it's worth checking out.

Paul, 'The Rage Of Angels' is a new one on me, would you mind telling me when it was written and in what WW1 time period it's set?

Mike, yeah, I know what you mean, it can really spoil your reading pleasure when Authors make research errors like using the wrong plane at the wrong time. Even Robinson has fell into that trap, but sometimes I think we have to overlook these gaffes and try to enjoy the story, so long as the book isn't riddled with 'em!

Thanks again all.

Bucky.

Hello

Well, I recommend Cecil Lewis's Sagitarrius Rising. Like Duncan Grinnell-Milne, he spent some time in the famous 56 squadron, although much earlier than G-M. It isn't a novel: it's autobiographical. But it's a terrific read.

I think that one of the reasons we like reading books about this period is to learn more about it. Thus, in a novel set in the period, we are hoping that the author has researched his subject sufficiently to:

a) Not embarrass us with obvious errors . . . cut to March 1918, with Hauptmann Engels swooping down in his trusty Eindecker to take out Micky Mannock's equally deadly twin brother's Sopwith Salamander with one short sharp burst of his twin Oerlikons, for example.

b) Actually teach us something we didn't know.

Even the very best have flaws. Yeates in Winged Victory makes many references to his Camel-flying hero throttling down (or, indeed, up). As far as I know, throttling down or up is impossible with a rotary engine: it's either on or its off. Having seen quite a number of original rotary-engined aircraft fly (thanks to the Shuttleworth Collection's flying days), I've never yet witnessed one change its throttle setting.

But heck. Somewhere, above, someone mentioned acquiring a book by (or about?) Duncan Grinnell-Milne. I had no idea such a thing existed. I'm off to find it!

And, finally, Chelsea? <groan> No wonder you like the "blues"! (pun very much intended)

[Lufbery]

Originally Posted by Felix

Even the very best have flaws. Yeates in Winged Victory makes many references to his Camel-flying hero throttling down (or, indeed, up). As far as I know, throttling down or up is impossible with a rotary engine: it's either on or its off. Having seen quite a number of original rotary-engined aircraft fly (thanks to the Shuttleworth Collection's flying days), I've never yet witnessed one change its throttle setting.

Hi Felix,

Actually, rotary engines did have throttles (or something very much like them)! There were a couple of different types, but they all had the same purpose -- to regulate the air and fuel flows so the engines could operate most efficiently at all altitudes.

This (click the link) is a great thread on the subject. Forum member Michael Skeet explains the technical details quite well.

But that's not why I'm here.

What's the deal with Hartney's Wings Over France? Is it the same book as Up and At 'Em, but with a different title?

Regards,