Aviation History Writers

[Steve Pace]

I often wonder what happened to William Green who I've read since I was a boy of 12 in 1955. Green and the late Peter M. Bowers have always been my idols as far as famous aviation history writers go. There are numerous other good ones out there but, in my eyes, they have always been my top choices. -SP

 

[Orionblamblam]

Seems he died in January 2010.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/7407993/Lives-Remembered.html

Bill Green

Jan 2, aged 82. One of the outstanding postwar aviation writers, maintaining a standard for decades that very few others equalled. Compiler of the Observer's Book of Aircraft, an annual pocket volume published continuously for 35 years which encouraged thousands of schoolboy and young adult enthusiasts to enter the world of aviation. In 1958 co-authored The Air Forces of the World, the first comprehensive work to show in detail the disposition of the world's air power. From the 1960s to the 1980s he founded and edited Flying Review International, Air Enthusiast and Air International, and in 1971 edited the 600-plus page book Warplanes of the Third Reich offering definitive research and detail on combat aircraft flown by the Luftwaffe during the Second World War.

 

[Steve Pace]

Aviation history writers don't often get recognized for the many, many hours of research and writing that it takes to produce a salable work. So in addition to William Green and Peter Bowers let me add Walter J. Boyne, Jay Miller and Dennis Jenkins to my personal list of accomplished writers. Their works literally 'speak for themselves.' -SP

 

[AeroFranz]

Bill Gunston wrote many of the books that got me interested in aviation in the first place. 'Future fighters' was one of my favorites.

 

[Steve Pace]

Bill Gunston wrote many of the books that got me interested in aviation in the first place. 'Future fighters' was one of my favorites.

Indeed! He's one of the best. -SP

 

[Steve Pace]

A less heralded one in particular is Steve Ginter who has written most of his Naval Fighters publications himself. Including his Air Force Legends series, Ginter is rapidly approaching 100 published books. Very impressive! -SP

 

[SOC]

Bill Gunston was always a favorite of mine growing up, I remember looking for those smallish Salamander volumes all over Europe. Currently my favorites are Jay Miller, Dennis R. Jenkins, Paul F. Crickmore, Tony Landis, and Jim Goodall. Gee, I wonder what they often wrote about?

Other than those, the guy that wrote this one seems to have figured out how to string coherent sentences together ;D

 

[Steve Pace]

Thank you, SOC.

 

[bercr]

Well

If i had to keep only 1 book in my library, i will choose the XP-54, XP-55, XP-56 Pusher Fighters (Specialty Press) of the great M. Gerald H Balzer.

And i notice that many and many interesting photos seen in books come from M Balzer collection.

I have read in a AAHS 2010 Newsletter that M Balzer is preparing a book about Northrop ? Do you have more information about this ? Thank you

 

[airman]

Seems he died in January 2010.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/7407993/Lives-Remembered.html

Bill Green

Jan 2, aged 82. One of the outstanding postwar aviation writers, maintaining a standard for decades that very few others equalled. Compiler of the Observer's Book of Aircraft, an annual pocket volume published continuously for 35 years which encouraged thousands of schoolboy and young adult enthusiasts to enter the world of aviation. In 1958 co-authored The Air Forces of the World, the first comprehensive work to show in detail the disposition of the world's air power. From the 1960s to the 1980s he founded and edited Flying Review International, Air Enthusiast and Air International, and in 1971 edited the 600-plus page book Warplanes of the Third Reich offering definitive research and detail on combat aircraft flown by the Luftwaffe during the Second World War.

Yes, sad news ! :-\
He have a living namesake ex- Hurricane Pilot (93 years old )

 

[pathology_doc]

Wikipedia says Gunston is still among us. Do you know of anywhere I might write to the man? His Encyclopaedia of Combat Aircraft is 99% of the reason I'm interested in aviation.

 

[htbrst]

I always found Gunstons magazine articles more ispirational than his books - particuarly on some of the more obscure aircraft. This link gives an (incomplete) insight into some of the quality articles he has written : http://www.theaviationindex.com/authors/bill-gunston?page=2

Sometimes the sheer variety of the publications some authors publish in is very inspiring ! B)

(on that same site, if you go here: http://www.theaviationindex.com/authorlist , you can see the books/articles by each author - very cool!)