Books we would like to see produced

[Schneiderman]

If there is a topic of special interest to you and you believe that there is a gap in the market, then why not write it yourself?

 

[boxkite]

Yefim Gordon did that for Russian testbed aircraft (for Hikoki). It's something like 400 pages with 2-3 aircraft per page.

I've bought this one, but there were many more manufacturers outside Russia to do so: United Kingdom, USA, France (and smaller ones in Canada, Czechoslovakia, ...).

 

[boxkite]

If there is a topic of special interest to you and you believe that there is a gap in the market, then why not write it yourself?

Many years ago we did (regarding VTOL projects) - as article series for AHS conferences. It was a very interesting job, but there were differences in support by the archives. It's more complicated now to get access to them. On the other hand I don't speak/write English very well :-\ . Yes, it's a job for a profi, not for an amateur like me. So it was just a wish to see such a book one day.

 

[Dynoman]

A short list of books I'd like to see:

History of the Aerospace Research Pilots School...with the NF-104 and the T-27 Spaceflight Simulator, and also some 'ironbirds' reaction control trainers.
Manned Ramjet Aircraft...with ramjet modified tests on P-51, P-61, P-80, etc with systems descriptions and drawings.
Anything Dyna Soar...program history, notional pilots manual, etc.

 

[Antonio]

If there is a topic of special interest to you and you believe that there is a gap in the market, then why not write it yourself?

I have no access to primary sources and little time to write a book. I think it would be easier if I could cooperate with another one.

 

[Schneiderman]

Many years ago we did (regarding VTOL projects) - as article series for AHS conferences. It was a very interesting job, but there were differences in support by the archives. It's more complicated now to get access to them. On the other hand I don't speak/write English very well :-\ . Yes, it's a job for a profi, not for an amateur like me. So it was just a wish to see such a book one day.

Yes, some archives are less willing to help than others, but I disagree that access is more complicated now. In fact I think that it is improving rapidly with more material available in digital format and better catalogues. Almost all aviation books are written by amateurs, there are very few professionals.

 

[Schneiderman]

I have no access to primary sources and little time to write a book. I think it would be easier if I could cooperate with another one.

True, time can be an issue but that is so for any hobby. Luckily research and writing are flexible and can be made to fit into any spare time. Access to primary sources is not as difficult as you may imagine, you will be surprised what can be obtained with relative ease. Collaborative research is indeed an excellent way to go.

 

[airman]

Sincerely there are many books that i would like to see produced in ebook version !!! :-X

 

[Arjen]

There is also a noticeable gap on good English language sources for French and/or Austrian projects from WWI. Austrian projects were mainly ignored, while a lot of the French material is based on earlier English sources (from the 1920s) which were rife with poor research, and national rivalry/chauvinism.

Flying Machines Press published two books that cover just that gap.
- 'French Aircraft of the First World War' by James J. Davilla & Arthur M. Soltan
- 'Austro-Hungarian Army Aircraft of World War I' by Peter M. Grosz, George Haddow & Peter Schiemer

Both are excellent - out of print - expensive.

 

[Antonio]

Austro-Hungarian Army Aircraft of World War I' by Peter M. Grosz, George Haddow & Peter Schiemer


Excellent book, strongly recommended. I purchased this mega sized book more than 20 years ago

 

[gatoraptor]

I'd like to see a book, in the Hikoki style, detailing all of the last generation of piston-engine fighters, including those built in prototype form only, that were too late to see action in WW II. This would particularly apply to those that have seen little press, like the Commonwealth CA-15, Martin-Baker MB.5 and Republic P-72, as well as more well-known types like the Spiteful/Seafang, Sea Fury, Sea Hornet, F7F, F8F and La-9/11. I would omit contemporary mixed-power fighters like the Ryan Fireball, but would include postwar variants of wartime types, like the P-51H and Seafire 47. I would also like to see some coverage of reasonable concepts that never got built, provided that space was available.

Before anyone dare says "write it yourself", I should say that I am not a professional writer and have neither the time nor resources to do so. Just as with flying, where I have never desired to get a pilot's license, I'd rather leave this up to the professionals.

 

[Schneiderman]

I'd like to see a book, .......blah, blah, blah
Before anyone dare says "write it yourself", I should say that I am not a professional writer and have neither the time nor resources to do so. Just as with flying, where I have never desired to get a pilot's license, I'd rather leave this up to the professionals.

Why, exactly, do you and others keep posting these requests? No author is likely to take the slightest notice, most are amateurs and write on subjects that interest them. If there are any professionals they will have plenty of ideas of their own. The solution is really the one you do not want to hear, it truly is.

 

[gatoraptor]

Why, exactly, do you and others keep posting these requests? No author is likely to take the slightest notice, most are amateurs and write on subjects that interest them. If there are any professionals they will have plenty of ideas of their own. The solution is really the one you do not want to hear, it truly is.

Then why does this thread even exist in the first place? There are professional writers of aviation books, and a number of them post on this very forum.....

 

[Avimimus]

Why, exactly, do you and others keep posting these requests?

Well I posted here kindof in hopes of hearing back 'have you seen this?' or 'it is coming out in June'

 

[Schneiderman]

Then why does this thread even exist in the first place? There are professional writers of aviation books, and a number of them post on this very forum.....

A very good question, seven pages of wishful thinking.
There are indeed a few professional writers and, yes, some post here. But why would you believe that they will be inspired by the endless lists in this thread?

 

[Schneiderman]

Well I posted here kindof in hopes of hearing back 'have you seen this?' or 'it is coming out in June'

Good point. Perhaps it should be renamed as 'Does anyone know a book...........'

 

[riggerrob]

I do find this thread perplexing in that so many of you are listing books you like to have published when only a few weeks ago there was a thread "looking for authors".

Rather than go on writing wish lists and complaining about the lack of books you would buy why dont you have a go at putting together the information and submiting it to a publisher as a few esteemed members of this site have already done. I'm sure there would be advice on how to go about this within this forum as well as at appropriate educational institutions and there are plenty of topics to choose from. many of you are in the countries that hold the records that would be needed to put together many good books.

So instead of vainly hoping and expecting some-one will put together the books you keep listing as needing to be published contact the person who started the looking for authors thread have a go at it yourself. It is probably the only way the "books" listed above will ever come about.

I did that a few years ago, then handed my research to a ghost writer.
The subject was jump-planes full of skydivers crashing. The focus was on how seat-belts could reduce injuries. I was injured when a jump-plane crashed in 2008. We suffered a shortage of seat-belts. My goal was to create something positive out of all the negative energy in the aftermath of a painful plane crash. Specifically, I wanted to inform skydivers of how seat-belts can reduce injuries during jump-plane crashes. I researched the subject, but was far too emotionally upset to write an article, so handed off my research to free-lance journalist Annette O'Neil who published (autumn 2016) a 6-article series entitled "You don't know [profanity] about seat-belts." on www.dropzone.com. The website specializes on discussing civilian skydiving topics.

The following spring, another skydiving instructor complimented me on "good article dude." Hah! Hah!

Mysteriously, the judge's decision (published in 2017) never mentioned the more than 14 other jump-planes that crashed during a personal-injury trial that dragged out for 9 miserable years??????????
Why did the judge chose to ignore 14 similar airplane crashes??????????
Did a lazy lawyer - ignore my instructions - and neglect to share that evidence with the judge?

Which is why I am openly distrustful of history books that blame project cancellations on the whims of lawyers and politicians.
I would much prefer to see books written by people who understand the technical motivations that drive technical decisions.

 

[riggerrob]

As for challenging posters here to write their own books ... may I relate some personal experiences?

A few years back (post Cold War), I was designated the North American Technical Representative for SPEKON, a parachute manufacturer based in the former communist East Germany. It helped that I had previously worked in the West Germany skydiving industry and understood the basics of the German language. Since the original manual was written in German, I considered writing an English-language version. But by the time I had filled the margins of my (German language) manual with notes and arrows and hints I realized that they were only going to sell a handful of these pilot emergency parachutes in North America and B: I was too tired to care.
Did I want to devote dozens of hours to translating a manual that would only be useful to a handful of parachute riggers?

I had a similar experience a few years late when Frenchman Eric Fradet published a 600 page manual financed by the Federation Francais du Parachutisme. He asked me to proof-read a French-language draft before it was published on the internet. The manual was so well written that I could only "debate" one technical term. The manual is specifically aimed at sport parachute riggers who only understand French.
Eric gave me the opportunity to translate the manual into English. Back then I was far too busy to devote hundreds of hours to translation. Now that I have more free time, I am re-considering translating that 600 page manual. The question is whether it is worth my time to translate such a large manual???????????

I definitely prefer wikipedia style links to more detailed explanations (e.g. a specific manual published by the parachute manufacturer).

 

[GTX]

I would much prefer to see books written by people who understand the technical motivations that drive technical decisions.

 

[Orionblamblam]

The question is whether it is worth my time to translate such a large manual???????????

Feed the text through a translation program, then proofread. Pay particular attention to anything that could be especially problematic if the translation AI has a malicious sense of humor.

 

[edwest4]

Reading back through this thread, I'd like to point out that a book about the Dyna-Soar/X-20 was successfully crowdfunded over two years ago. I thought of contributing but was short on funds.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jhagerty/the-dyna-soar-x-20-book

 

[billybob]

Maybe I’ve missed it but I’d like to see a book on the F100 SuperSabre development and deployment. One that doesn’t only pay lip-service to the European USAF cold-war contributions in favour of the Vietnam War usage. (Kinda biased, Dad was a weapons loader for the 20TFW at Wethersfield back in the 60s)

 

[edwest4]

Maybe this?

https://www.amazon.com/F-100-Super-Sabre-Detail-Scale/dp/B08BW5Y3SR

 

[billybob]

Maybe this?

https://www.amazon.com/F-100-Super-Sabre-Detail-Scale/dp/B08BW5Y3SR

D‘oh! missed this one thanks for the heads-up

 

[hesham]

I suggest a good book, but who can do it;

USA Supersonic Transport Aircraft Programs 1955 to 2000

 

[Owens Z]

Let's see................" Putnam's 'Vought' ", " Putnam's 'Ryan' ", " Putnam's 'Cessna' ", " Putnam's 'Piper' ", 'Putnam's 'Sikorsky' ", " Putnam's 'Martin' "," Putnam's 'Dassault' ", " Putnam's 'Myasishchev' " (or translate the Avico Press books), " Putnam's 'Auster' ", (maybe in a combined book with Miles and Beagle)...

I think that a lot of us would like to see further such books in the Putnam style. Heck, I wish that Anova (who currently own rights to the Putnam books) would reissue the existing titles; even non-updated would be acceptable, at least at first.

...American Secret Projects: Hypersonics, Ramjets/Rockets and Missiles.

Reading back through this thread, I'd like to point out that a book about the Dyna-Soar/X-20 was successfully crowdfunded over two years ago. I thought of contributing but was short on funds.

I suggest a good book, but who can do it; USA Supersonic Transport Aircraft Programs 1955 to 2000

Several good ideas here in the thread. For what it's worth, I would have liked a Putnam covering Soviet astronautics, back in the brief 1990s time of Russian openness while Bill Gunston & Yefim Gordon were writing the Putnam volumes about Tupolev, MiG, and Yakovlev with the enthusiastic cooperation of those design bureaus. Perhaps authored by James Oberg, or Asif Azam Siddiqi, or Phillip S. Clark? And a Russian or Ukrainian co-author, with good contacts at Energia (Sergei Korolev's OKB-1), Krunichev, Lavochkin, and elsewhere. This rich, comprehensive book would have covered the R-7 family, other space launchers, the Vostok, Soyuz, and Progress spacecraft, Buran, the lunar program, Venus and Mars probes, the Salyuts and Mir, etc from an insider viewpoint, with plenty of detailed line drawings as well as black & white photos.

Because not much has developed subsequently (an R-7 derivative continues to launch a mildly updated Soyuz into orbit, and the Mars 96, Fobos-Grunt, and Luna-25 probes all failed, with Venera-D delayed indefinitely), this notional thirty-year-old Putnam reference would remain almost the last word on the subject today. A lost opportunity...

 

[Zizi6785]

 

[garand1937]

Hey guys. Going strictly back on topic.

I'd really love to see a mini-In Action or Ginter book on the P6M Seamaster. Seems to me like there's a real dearth on whole books regarding the Seamaster.

A REASONABLY PRICED reprint of Stan Piet's book would be nice too. Beats paying 43-something on Amazon for a used copy.

It's not about the Seamaster specifically, but you may like Attack From the Sea by William Tremble. I have a copy and while it's not about the Seamaster specifically, it does go into quite a bit of detail. But it does have a larger focus on the Seaplane Striking Force, the program that resulted in the Seamaster. So it goes into other considerations, program needs, basing, Sea Dart, etc.

 

[XP67_Moonbat]

Great book! It sits right next to my Seamaster book.

 

[Owens Z]

Why, exactly, do you and others keep posting these requests? No author is likely to take the slightest notice...

A very good question, seven pages of wishful thinking...

I suggest a good book, but who can do it; USA Supersonic Transport Aircraft Programs 1955 to 2000

Hesham, according to the new thread < https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/us-aviation-secret-projects-by-scott-lowther.51292/ >, the forthcoming bookazine US Aviation Secret Projects: America's Concorde by Scott Lowther (this Forum's Orionblamblam) appears to be the fulfillment of your suggestion. If it proves to be good, then I too will purchase a copy. Schneiderman's complaint may have been unduly pessimistic.

 

[Elan Vital]

One day when I get the time and stability to write something, I'd probably want to write on the following topics based on my ongoing archive digging in France:

- A history of the Char B tank family, including not only the iconic B1 and B1 Bis, but follow-ons and other vehicles sharing the Char B designation
- A book on the French fortification assault tanks from the initial 1936 45-tonne program to the 100+ ton behemoths of 1940, maybe even the other projects meant to operate in fortified areas
- A history of the Char de 20 tonnes and Char G1 programs
- A Secret French Projects series on other wider or narrower topics, say artillery, antitank weapons...

 

[hesham]

Also I suggest to make a book about,

Transatlantic Early Aviation Attempts,1919-1959

From pioneers of flight up to 1950s,that's must included projects
and dreams of designers.

 

[alberchico]

I for one would love to see a book about the history and development of modern post war subs other than those of the U.S. the UK and the USSR. I would love to read about the development of submarines in smaller countries such as France or Sweden.

 

[garand1937]

Great book! It sits right next to my Seamaster book.

Well in that case I'll go read my copy of Preaching To The Choir: A Journey Through What We Already Know by Captain O. Bvious.

Also I suggest to make a book about,

Transatlantic Early Aviation Attempts,1919-1959

From pioneers of flight up to 1950s,that's must included projects
and dreams of designers.

There are already some books that cover that you may be interested in. The Trans-Atlantic Pioneers is basically trans-Atlantic flight from 1900-1960. Empires Of The Sky is a much more general overview of the competition between lighter and heavier than air aircraft on a worldwide scale, but it does a show the German/lighter than air side of the of the competition.

 

[hesham]

There are already some books that cover that you may be interested in. The Trans-Atlantic Pioneers is basically trans-Atlantic flight from 1900-1960.

Thank you,but is that included a projects ?.

 

[garand1937]

Thank you,but is that included a projects ?.

Sorry for taking so long to get back with you, apparently the system didn't tell me that you had responded (?). I'm not sure what you mean by projects? It's mainly a political and technical history but it does go into the development of the Concord.

 

[Archdude]

I would like to see a comprehensive book or a listings of convoys in the Pacific theatre diring WW2. Specifically, a listing of ships convoyed in the time frame Dec 1941 to Feb 1943.

 

[robunos]

A good history of Brewster ; the aeroplanes , the company , and the people . . .

cheers ,
Robin .

 

[piginapoke]

An update to the X-Planes monograph, covering X-51 to present day. I printed it out as a A5 booklet and still love browsing through it.. I occasionally contemplate doing my own update in the same style to satisfy that itch.

While I'm at it, an update to the present day of his incredible X1-X45 book.

 

[BigD]

I've been re-reading Space Shuttle: Developing an Icon and it's left me wishing that Dennis R Jenkins had produced a set in the same vein that combined all of the material from Hypersonic, The X-15 Photo Scrapbook, and X-15: Extending the Frontiers of Flight, and material unearthed in the 20+ years since those books were published, into a single source. My "dream" set would be two 400 page hardcover books, similar format to Developing an Icon, with the first book dedicated to hypersonic aircraft research, the development and building of the X-15, and full technical descriptions of the X-15, the High Range, support aircraft, and follow-on experiments. The second volume would be an in-depth look at the flight campaign, detailing all of the important events, incidents, and aircraft modifications, with additional material like pilot biographies, a detailed flight log, details of aborted proposals like the X-15B and delta wing X-15-3, and the dispositions of the X-15-1 and -2 after the program ended.

Jenkins seems to be basically retired from writing and has his hands full with "other things" at the moment, but I've fantasized about this for a while now.