What book are you currently reading?

[bob2s]

The Incredible Life of Hubert Wilkins. Was taught about this man at school and he led an adventurous life.

The extraordinary, must-read story of the brave, bold Hubert Wilkins - Australia's most adventurous explorer, naturalist, photographer, war hero, aviator, spy and daredevil - brought to life by Australia's greatest storyteller.
Sir Hubert Wilkins is one of the most remarkable Australians who ever lived.
The son of pioneer pastoralists in South Australia, Hubert studied engineering before moving on to photography, then sailing for England and a job producing films with the Gaumont Film Co. Brave and bold, he became a polar expeditioner, a brilliant war photographer, a spy in the Soviet Union, a pioneering aviator-navigator, a death-defying submariner - all while being an explorer and chronicler of the planet and its life forms that would do Vasco da Gama and Sir David Attenborough proud. As a WW1 photographer he was twice awarded the Military Cross for bravery under fire, the only Australian photographer in any war to be decorated. He went on expedition with Sir Ernest Shackleton, led a groundbreaking natural history study in Australia and was knighted in 1928 for his aviation exploits, but many more astounding achievements would follow. Wilkins' quest for knowledge and polar explorations were lifelong passions and his missions to polar regions aboard the submarine Nautilus the stuff of legend.
With masterful storytelling skill, Peter FitzSimons illuminates the life of Hubert Wilkins and his incredible achievements. Thrills and spills, derring-do, new worlds discovered - this is the most unforgettable tale of the most extraordinary life lived by any Australian.

[Rossian]

Having finished it and reflected on it I have to say it was a dull read. Not the content, what they went through was staggering in the flights they did in a/c with no heating for 23/24 hour flights north of the Arctic circle and then doing it again after a day's rest. At one point they did 70 hours flying in 7 days, airborne time that is. Pre-flight preparation, briefing get the boat out to the a/c, fly, boat in to shore, debrief and your now talking seriously long days.
When I was young we went from Ballykelly to Madagascar the long way round in our trusty Mk2 Shackleton all flown at 1000ft and 143 knots range speed (with the exception of the flight across the Congo which had to be above 10000ft to keep away from trigger happy Congolese a/c). BKY, Gib,Sal Cape Verdes, Ascension,Kinshasa,Nairobi where, thankfully, No2 engine ate all its valve gear and we could rest. It wasn't until the next crew followed us on the same route and as we met them with a beer we realised how terrible we must have looked when we arrived. They were on their knees. We left them with the broken a/c and left for Madagascar the next day in their a/c.
And thus began the detachment to end all detachments.

The Ancient Mariner

[TheGreenGoblin]

And thus began the detachment to end all detachments.

The Ancient Mariner

So when will we have the pleasure of reading your book on that detachment!

[Pinky the pilot]

Mao; The Unknown Story by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday.

Only just started it. Up to P72 of 676.

[TheGreenGoblin]

And thus began the detachment to end all detachments.

The Ancient Mariner

So when will we have the pleasure of reading your book on that detachment!

I bought the 'Arctic Airmen' book after reading your first post. I am thoroughly enjoying it!

[Rossian]

I found it difficult to show why I thought it was a dull read. Apart from idolising his captain, there is little about the other people and "people" is what made maritime different way back then and all the time I was actively flying in maritime and I hope that it continues on the P-8.
I was discussing this with the retired Air Marshal (no longer with us) and he said that as a young exchange officer on an early P-3 squadron he was taken to task for spending too much time talking to the operators on the crew. Or, as the exec concerned referred to them "the enlisted *****". 30 years after him I found a similar attitude still prevailing in the USN.

The Ancient Mariner

[om15]

Zero Night by Mark Felton.

Written by an historian it is a detailed and well written account of one of the less well known big escapes from WWII Germany.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_Night

[Ibbie]

Deltics Across The Pennines.

[EA01]

A book on the anatomy of the human arm... :/

[reddo]

How to write you Master's thesis.

[TheGreenGoblin]

Received a belated birthday from a friend... Jet Propulsion - Cumsty and Heyes...

Tis wonderful... (even though his present was mathematically ironic)...

[TheGreenGoblin]

How to write you Master's thesis.

reddo, what is you subject?

[Pinky the pilot]

Just finished Mao; The Unknown Story by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday.

An interesting insight into spmeone whom would have to have been the most murderous, unfeeling pschopathic (expletive deleted) ever to have walked the Earth!!

And now, for something completely different; About to start Allied Aircraft Piston Engines of World War 11
bt Graham White.

Found in a local 'Op Shop.' Got it for nothing as it was about to be thrown out!

Admin; A suggestion! Could not this thread be merged with the 'Engrossing Read' thread?

[TheGreenGoblin]

This is a case where reading one book has led to me reading another and ordering another two as a result of reading the first two.

Having become intrigued, I have have purchased, and now read, "Frank Whittle" by Andrew Nahum, and have purchased and will read Whittle's own autobiography "Jet – The Story of a Pioneer" as well as George Bulman's memoirs...

Bulman's memoirs are a superb buy... in beautiful condition and published by the Roll Royce Heritage Trust and full of fine, historical photographs and engine diagrams as well. Even better, I managed to smuggle the book in without it being detected by my better half, who is now the uber book comptroller, fighting to prevent any further aviation related literature entering into the house.

To give Bulman his due, his memoirs are fascinating, even though he might swing some arguments, in one sense, to lend post hoc support to some of his decisions at the time covered by the memoirs. His literary style, while old fashioned, is never florid, and is often gracious, and never boring. He has been castigated by many of Whittle's biographers, but Bulman emerges as a passionate aviation minded engineer, with a piquant sense of humour and an eye for a good anecdote.

I thoroughly recommend this book (if you can find it).

[TheGreenGoblin]

The Hidden Truth - Maurice R Hamlin.

Whenever people purport to have, or understand, a hidden truth, "Ich greife zu meinem treuen Luger", or switch on my sceptometer, at the very least, and thus it is with this book written, and enjoyable for all its eccentricities, by an ex member of the RAF, and incentivised, as it is by "frustration to obtain justice against the glory seeking actions of two senior RAF officers who caused the death of their crews". One of the cases he claims to have the truth about is this one!

Heathrow Avro Vulcan Crash

In his book The Hidden Truth Maurice Hamlin, a former member of the RAF on duty the day of the crash, claims that Harry Broadhurst ignored three direct orders to divert away from Heathrow due to the poor weather conditions (noting other aircraft had already been diverted). Pilots, he goes on to say, cannot ignore these orders but Hamlin believes that Broadhurst continued to attempt to land due to the waiting press and dignitaries. He further claims a fifty-year D-Notice was placed on the incident (that has now expired).

How credible all this is I cannot say, but I guess that senior officers can be glory seekers, and that cover ups do happen!

Whatever the case the book is worth a read.

PS - In fact, so familiar are some of the refrains in this book, that I am sure, Mr Hamlin, if he is still alive, would feel right at home here at ops-normal!

"In some ways, we children, despite the lack of antibiotics, were often far healthier than many children of today. There was none of the present day Molly Coddling a restrictions where the State forbids all manner of fun that might cause a fall, a bump on the head, etc. Many an independent spirit is stifled today."

[TheGreenGoblin]

The Hidden Truth - Maurice R Hamlin.


How credible all this is I cannot say, but I guess that senior officers can be glory seekers, and that cover ups do happen!

Whatever the case the book is worth a read.

Actually I almost ran out of patience with this book, whose sloppy editing, egregious spelling mistakes and occasional factual errors (the author keeps talking about the Isle of White! ) detract from some of the more interesting things that Mr Hamlin has to say. Ultimately I persevered, but the first half of the book dealing with his somewhat unconventional RAF career was more interesting than rest. I downgrade my earlier recommendation.

Graduated to Iron Fist From The Sea: South Africa's Seaborne Raiders 1978-1988 by by Arnè Söderlund and Douw Steyn, a fascinating treatment of the clandestine sea borne operations undertaken by South Africa’s 4 Reconnaissance Commando Regiment. Well worth reading.

[PHXPhlyer]

Flying blind : the 737 MAX tragedy and the fall of Boeing / Peter Robison.


"A fast-paced look at the corporate dysfunction--the ruthless cost-cutting, toxic workplaces, and cutthroat management--that contributed to one of the worst tragedies in modern aviation Boeing is a century-old titan of American industry. The largest exporter in the US, it played a central role in the early days of commercial flight, World War II bombing missions, and moon landings. It remains a linchpin in the awesome routine of air travel today. But the two crashes of its 737 MAX 8, in 2018 and 2019, exposed a shocking pattern of malfeasance, leading to the biggest crisis in the company's history. How did things go so horribly wrong at Boeing? Flying Blind is the definitive exposé of a corporate scandal that has transfixed the world. It reveals how a broken corporate culture paved the way for disaster, losses that were altogether avoidable. Drawing from aviation insiders, as well as exclusive interviews with senior Boeing staff, past and present, it shows how in its race to beat Airbus, Boeing skimped on testing, outsourced critical software to unreliable third-parties, and convinced regulators to put planes into service without properly equipping pilots to fly them. In the chill that it cast over its workplace, it offers a parable for a corporate America that puts the interests of shareholders over customers, employees, and communities. This is a searing account of how a once-iconic company fell prey to a win-at-all-costs mentality, destabilizing an industry and needlessly sacrificing 350 lives"-- Provided by publisher.

A rather damning account of failures on the part of Boeing and the FAA and, in my opinion, criminal actions by Boeing.

PP

[fin]

Thanks pp. Got it on hold. Not the 1st good book recommendation I have found here. Just finished Lightning Down.

[OFSO]

I've gone back to read the Hieronymus Bosch novels. Connolly is a damn fine writer.

[PHXPhlyer]

I've gone back to read the Hieronymus Bosch novels. Connolly is a damn fine writer.

I got a late start with him but I've read everything in order.
Haven't been really able to get started with "Bosch" series on Amazon. I really need to binge it.

PP