War & Flying Stories

Some of the books that I enjoyed on Flying & War (especially WWII) are shared below:

Great Flying Stories by Frederick Forsyth – these are a collection of short stories and two which I clearly remember are ‘The Shepherd’ and another one related to a cat. The former was about how a lost pilot finds his way home during a night sortie and the latter was about a bunch of novice pilots gaining gradual experience and their faith and fortunes being tied to the presence of the cat as they come in for landing each day.

Fighting the Flying Circus – by the American ace fighter pilot Eddie Rickenbacker was another very interesting read on his experiences as a pilot during World War I. Written in first person, his account of the flying challenges, the training and the courage of the various men who left home and fought in far away countries is very interesting and informative.

Wings by Danielle Steele – not a huge fan of this writer, the only reason I chose this book was the title and the summary on the paper back! It turned out to be a dramatic love story yet involving characters with a deep passion for flying and how they achieve their dreams with respect to becoming pilots and other aviation feats.

Pastoral by Nevil Shute – one of the first few books I read by this author and then became a fan. A simple story set in World War II about bomber pilots who went out over enemy lines day after day and learning to survive the war. In the Wet, A Town Like Alice and The Chequer Board are some other very interesting novels by Nevil Shute. His books have never been a disappointment.

Richard Bach’s Biplane, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Illusions and Hypnotizing Maria were much more than just about his passion for flying but his outlook and beliefs about life and attitudes. Yet these were interesting reads set amidst his interest in flying.

Birth of an Air Force – the memoirs of Air vice Marshal Harjinder Singh was a great read about how the Indian Air Force came in to existence in 1932 and the challenges that the Indian pilots faced since India was still under the British rule. A hilarious read and a very informative book. I would like to read this one again someday.

Night of the Fox, The Eagle has Flown, Bad Company, Drink with the Devil are some of the thrilling books amongst many others by Jack Higgins. Set during the war years to present day connections, his books are gripping and with just the right amount of detail for one to enjoy the unfolding story.

Leon Uris – Mila 18, Mitla Pass, Exodus, QB VII are some of the memorable reads by Leon Uris. These stories were centred on war time bravado and the experience of Jews during the war and after. Books that were intriguing and very informative. I found O’Hara’s Choice a little disappointing.

These were some that I could recollect but I know there were a lot more that held my interest and thankfully enough that I still need to get my hands on!

Any suggestions by fellow readers?