Download or read book Confessions of a Phantom Pilot written by Tug Wilson and published by Fonthill Media. This book was released on 2021-12-02 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ‘The Confessions of a Phantom Pilot’ is the true story of a young RAF pilot who gets his dream to fly the old dirty workhorse fighter of the Cold War. From the first flight where he thought the jet was trying to kill him, through to his final trip of leading eight aeroplanes on a front line fighter squadron, you will relive his thoughts, feelings and anxieties as he stumbles his way through each flight relying on a bit of skill and a lot of blind luck. In essence, it is a love letter to the Phantom from a star-struck boy who felt like he was way out of his depth at the beginning of their affair. You will share stories of the outrageous drinking culture that was a major part of Cold War front-line operations, and marvel at how he didn’t do himself some serious damage either in or out of the cockpit. This is how it feels to be a front-line fighter pilot – the triumphs and the disasters are all laid out here in a completely open and honest way as the author looks back with a certain sense of nostalgia and mild embarrassment. What a blast though!
Download or read book Confessions of a Flying Instructor written by Tug Wilson and published by Fonthill Media. This book was released on 2023-04-16 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: After surviving three years flying the RAF’s greatest and scariest fighter (the mighty Phantom), Tug Wilson tried his hand at teaching some of the flying skills he probably should have known when he was on the Cold War front-line. Despite being slightly more mature and having the responsibility of teaching, and looking after, trainee pilots and navigators in the cockpit of a Hawk fast-jet trainer, Wilson manages to almost kill himself (again) and at least one of his students. This book build on the insecurities, amazement, and pure unadulterated joy that the author felt while flying aircraft in his beloved RAF. It is an open and honest account of his professional and personal life, much in the style of his first book―'Confessions of a Phantom Pilot’ (which has been described as a “Cracking good read” by Tug, his family, and all his mates from the Phantom that were happy to be mentioned in it. Ever wondered what a fast-jet pilot goes through while learning the intricacies of air-defence and low-level flying? Or even how to cheat in air combat? ‘Confessions of a Flying Instructor’ is a personal examination of an often overlooked aspect of the RAF.
Download or read book Confessions and Memoirs of an Airline Pilot written by Enrique Captain Enrique "Blyhe" Horta and published by AuthorHouse. This book was released on 2009-05 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Captain Enrique (Henry) Horta was born the third child of the Horta Family in Ventura California. He lived in various places such as, Los Angeles, San Diego, Mexico, Germany, Mauritius, New Zealand, Japan and Jordan. While spending some of his teen years in Mexico he learned about survival and the importance of appreciating and doing the best of what resources he had. When he returned to California he was a skinny kid with dreams and plans to be a Pilot, traveler and adventurer. His wild dreams of becoming an Astronaut and going to the moon where replaced by more realistic dreams such as wanting to become an Airline Pilot. When he turned 18 years old he parted from his parents and had to join the working rat race starting out as a bag-boy at a local Safeway store. His plans to finish College were halted by his traveling bug so he took a break from school, sold his motorcycle, and went back-packing to Europe with only $1,000 Dollars in his pocket, a Euro-Pass train Ticket for a month, and a return airplane ticket home. Unexpected fatherhood in Germany at a young age made him become more responsible and serious about his dreams. When he returned to California he was now a young family man while working as a carpenter in construction and attending evening University and Flight School on weekends. His positive thinking methods, scholarships, grants, and student loans paid off and he graduated with an Airway Science Degree in addition to all his Pilot ratings and Certificates. Thereafter, his life became more of an adventure and he travelled around the world working for various Airlines as a Contract Pilot.
Download or read book Angels Three Six written by Chuck Lehman and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Thunderbolt to War written by John Anderson and published by Fonthill Media. This book was released on 2017-05-17 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Thunderbolt to War gives a remarkable personal insight into the structure and operations of a leading USAAF Fighter Squadron in Britain during the Second World War. This theme is explored through the recorded thoughts and feelings of Clint Sperry, a skilled fighter pilot who was seconded to England with the 353rd Fighter Group—the rarely celebrated workhorse of Eighth Fighter Command. Despite the relative anonymity of the Group, the names of its charismatic leaders still resonate today, including the eighteen-victory ace Walter Beckham and the aggressive Glenn E. Duncan. Clint and his colleagues suffered many frustrating and perilous experiences during the war; they encountered enemy fighters, flak, treacherous weather, and mechanical problems throughout the bloody battles over Europe. To survive was a lottery, but Clint’s experience and aptitude served him well. This account follows the soaring successes and devastating traumas that Clint experienced, culminating in a vivid picture of a fighter pilot’s war. He flew 106 missions in his favoured P47 Thunderbolt, and was credited with destroying or probably destroying five enemy aircraft—in addition to destroying many targets on the ground by strafing and bombing. Clint was awarded three DFCs for his courage, and gained the enduring respect of his son, Steve, and his friend, John Anderson. Their richly illustrated account of his life pays tribute to a true American hero. Illustrations: 118 black-and-white illustrations
Download or read book Fighters in the Blood written by Black' Robertson and published by Air World. This book was released on 2020-08-31 with total page 440 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A retired RAF air marshal looks back on his career and the career of his World War II pilot father in this military memoir. As this fascinating memoir unfolds, moving backwards and forwards through time, two parallel stories emerge: one of a Second World War Spitfire ace whose flying career comes to a premature end when he’s shot down and loses an eye, the other of his progeny, a second-generation fighter pilot who eventually reaches the rank of air marshal. The narrative is unique in its use of two separate and distinct voices. The author’s own reminiscences are interwoven with those his father recorded more than thirty years ago, embellished by extracts from some 300 of his wartime letters. Intensely personal and revealing, controversial too at times, this account is above all about people, not least those with whom the author flew while serving with the USAF—a tour marked by tragedy; that said, they proved altogether more friendly than the P-38 pilots who twice attacked his father in North Africa! A daughter with dual citizenship subsequently helped him sustain his links with the US, both while serving and afterwards in business. The irony is that the son spent a lifetime training for the ultimate examination—one that, despite strictly limited preparation, his father passed with flying colors. To “Black” Robertson’s eternal regret he was never able to put his own training to the test. His father, “Robbie,” was awarded the DFC and retired as a flight lieutenant after five years or so. He himself served for nearly thirty-six years, earned a Queen’s Commendation, an OBE and CBE and served as an ADC to HM The Queen. But after reaching almost the top of the RAF tree, in one important sense he retired unfulfilled; his mettle was never tested under fire. Anyone interested to know more about flying, about the RAF, about leadership, about character even, need look no further than this beautifully crafted, immensely readable account. Praise for Fighters in the Blood “Offers an insightful look into the professional development of an RAF airman from Cranwell cadet to Air Marshal, the evolution of the Royal Air Force itself from the early jet era of Hunters through the demanding days of NATO versus the Warsaw Pack and the defence of British interests (e.g. the Falklands) with the Phantom, and then on into the post-Cold War world where the need to strengthen RAF airpower is challenged by drawdowns, budgetary stringencies, and often misguided Mandarins driving questionable defence policy. I was struck by how beautifully the author integrated his father into the story . . . it is at once very moving and very effective, and, once again, works to integrate the RAF "then" with the RAF of the 1960s-1990s. The photographs are wonderful. This book is a real winner.”” —Dr. Richard P. Hallion, Aerospace Historian
Download or read book A Cold War Fighter Pilot in Peacetime and War written by Derek J. Sharp and published by Fonthill Media. This book was released on 2019-03-19 with total page 426 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: — Historically rich in detail with previously unpublished photographs — A must-have for military enthusiasts, historians, modellers and those interested in the complexities of aircraft design and manoeuvres during the Cold War — A fascinating and eye-opening memoir that will appeal to fliers and non-fliers alike on how to fly the fastest jets in the RAF This is the remarkable and true story of Squadron Leader Derek J. Sharp and his incredible adventures. Nothing perhaps was more astonishing than his survival after striking a mallard duck at 500 mph and his subsequent return to pilot in command. That he survived to the age of thirty was astonishing; that he continued unashamedly on to a ripe old age was nothing short of a miracle. Conceivably, he followed the advice written on a fridge magnet in his kitchen: ‘Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly’. This fascinating book follows the adventures of Sharp from schoolboy to highly respected aviator. He flew fighters and nuclear bombers, finally seeing action in the first Gulf War flying defenceless transport jets close to the Iraq border. Sharp consequently survived Saddam Hussein’s Scuds and American Patriot missiles – ‘friendly fire’ aimed directly at the author. He flew Her Majesty The Queen and lived in a time long before political correctness, the breathalyser and motorcar safety checks. He achieved all that he set out to do, and more. That would undoubtedly be his epitaph…
Download or read book Feeding on Dreams written by Ariel Dorfman and published by Melbourne Univ. Publishing. This book was released on 2012 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dorfman portrays, through visceral scenes and powerful intellect, the personal and political maelstroms underlying his migrations from Buenos Aires, on the run from Pinochet's death squads, to safe houses in Paris and Amsterdam, and eventually to America, his childhood home. The toll on Dorfman's wife and two sons, the 'earthquake of language' that is bilingualism, and his eventual questioning of his allegiance to past and party - all these crucibles of a life in exile are revealed with wry and startling honesty. Feeding on Dreams is a passionate reminder that 'we are all exiles', that we are all 'threatened with annihilation if we do not find and celebrate the refuge of common humanity', as Dorfman did during his 'decades of loss and resurrection'.
Download or read book Harrier How To Be a Fighter Pilot written by Paul Tremelling and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2023-05-30 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the exhilarating first-hand account of one man's white-knuckle life as a fighter pilot with the Royal Navy Sea Harriers 'A searingly honest, keenly observed, well written and extremely funny military memoir . . . A must read' RAF NEWS 'An outstanding first-hand account from inside the cockpit, told with flair and humour' JOHNNY MERCER MP, author of We Were Warriors 'Puts you in the cockpit for carrier landings, missile firings and some of the most intense close air support stories imaginable' MIKE SUTTON, author of Typhoon _________ Paul Tremelling spent nearly twenty years with the Royal Navy's Sea Harriers, charged with standing in the way of Her Majesty's enemies. In the cockpit or crew room, the pressure was relentless, the humour merciless. It's no place for the faint-hearted. Whether landing on a pitching aircraft carrier deck in the middle of the night or screaming in to save the lives of heroes under fire in Afghanistan, there was no room for self-doubt; only honesty, confidence and do-or-die hard truth. Combining visceral action with sharp intelligence, laced with acerbic humour, Harrier pulls no punches in bringing to life the hi-octane, unforgiving world of the fighter pilot, in the air and on the ground. Strap-in . . . _________ 'Mad, bad and dangerous to know . . . Tremelling lights the burners in an extraordinary memoir that leaves most military memoirs sitting behind in the hangar' JAMES BRABAZON, author of My Friend the Mercenary 'This isn't a book for the faint-hearted. It is a book for anyone who appreciates insight into how a fighter pilot trains, trains more, thinks (fast), handles the aircraft and onboard tech . . . then fights' FLYER 'Tremmers puts you in the cockpit for carrier landings, missile firings and some of the most intense close air support sorties imaginable. Insightful, laced with humour, and highly recommended' MIKE SUTTON, author of Typhoon 'An inspiring, enlightening and thrilling insight into how modern aviators earn their pay. The stories from Afghanistan alone are justification enough to read this brilliant book. A masterpiece' PAUL BEAVER, author of Spitfire People 'A memoir that reads like a fast-paced thriller. Harrier launches straight onto the classics shelf of aviation literature' JOHN TEMPLETON SMITH, author of White Lie
Download or read book Confessions of an Airline Pilot written by Clyde E. Roach and published by Venture Press. This book was released on 1998-06-01 with total page 189 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Rhapsody in Blue written by Graham Williams and published by Fonthill Media. This book was released on 2017-03-19 with total page 47 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Cockpit Confessions of an Airline Pilot written by Stephen G. Keshner and published by Pelican Press. This book was released on 2001-04 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book With Flying Colors written by R. L. Upchurch and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2000-02-20 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Barely escaping death in a light airplane when he was 10 years old, Tom Fitzgerald spends the next eight years avoiding all things challenging and adventurous. During his second year of college he is bored and out of money when he encounters a dashing US Navy pilot recruiting naval aviation cadets (NavCads). He listens to the debonair officer make his pitch and decides that if he is ever going have a life, this is his big chance. He signs on the dotted line, determined to prove his mettle by becoming the dauntless warrior he admires in all of the recruiting posters. The following summer he reports to the Naval Air Training Command in Pensacola, Florida and is greeted by Technical Sergeant Dempsey Flanagan, a Marine more frightening than any non-commissioned officer he has ever seen on the silver screen. From that moment he knows that his life will never be the same. The days of flight training are occasionally terrifying, often uproarious, and always turbulent. A timid college sophomore who has never succeeded at anything, Tom is increasingly anxious before each flight, and then depressed about his mediocre performance when it is over. On several occasions he barely escapes being washed out for lack of flying aptitude. Though tempted to quit, he decides to hang around and struggle through one disheartening day at a time, always hoping things will improve. Instead of getting better,however, the days get worse. He is hounded by his lack of self-confidence, the disturbing memories of his near-disastrous flying experience eight years earlier, the often expressed doubts of his parents and mentors, and the incessant pleas by his cousin and idol, a WWII fighter pilot, to give up his foolish idea and come home. As he progresses many of his classmates quit or wash out, and a few are killed in aircraft accidents. In the meantime, he must battle the ever-present harassment by an adversary from his youth who is now a fellow cadet. When Tom tries to boost his confidence by participating in reckless rites of passage, the results are usually comical and sometimes painful. He learns that what may seem a good idea over a few beers can prove to be a mistake with long-lasting consequences. Frustrated by the lack of encouragement from home, Tom joins a group of cadets who surrender their fate to guardian angels, accepting the premise held by many pilots that they are colleagues killed in combat or aircraft accidents. When he finally develops confidence in his flying, his childhood nemesis works hard to tear it down. Tired of dodging the daily attacks, Tom confronts the bigger and stronger cadet in impromptu wrestling and boxing matches and later, in a reckless, illegal dogfight over central Texas that nearly takes both their lives. It is after this frightening experience that their adversarial relationship takes a new and surprising twist. With graduation day approaching, Tom and his surviving classmates are given their assignments in the fleet. Although disappointed, they struggle to keep a positive attitude and vow to somehow be assigned together at their new duty station where they will strive to make their squadron the finest in the Marine Corps. Later that week, however, an unexplained tragedy torpedoes their renewed enthusiasm. But again, the NavCads' camaraderie binds them together. They bury their sadness and focus on the adventures awaiting them over the horizon. With Flying Colors is a must read for all young men and women about to make a major change in their lives. Journeying through Tom Fitzgerald's calamitous and humorous escapades while in quest of his Navy wings reminds us how people, culture, and events shape us--good or bad--into what we eventually become.
Download or read book Honor Denied written by Allen Cates and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2011-11-11 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Air America flight crews, hired as civilians, but castigated as mercenaries, malcontents, and psychopaths, operated military aircraft and performed yeoman service for twenty-five years until the war in Southeast Asia ended on a rooftop in downtown Saigon. They have never been recognized for their sacrifices. Author and former Air America pilot Allen Cates cuts through the myths and subterfuge surrounding this elite stealth Air Force used by the United States to fight a secret war in Honor Denied. The culmination of Catess years as a pilot and his in-depth research into Air Americas murky past, this intense study follows his escape from rural, small-town America to the US Marines, as well as his time as an officer and pilot flying combat operations in Vietnam and rescue missions for Air America. Peppering the narrative with vivid personal details, Cates describes the background and purpose of this unique organization and then discloses the startling casualtiesboth those killed in action and those wounded and injured with permanent disability. He shines the light on their cause, long hidden from the general public, and reveals how these brave men and women were denied recognition and benefits by those who knew the truth, including the US President, secretaries of state and defense, and even the director of the CIA. Proud, yet never boastful, Honor Denied tells a story that needs to be toldand heard.
Download or read book Paladins written by Thomas Shaw and published by . This book was released on 2021-06-06 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The story of Nate Carson, a young Marine Pilot and Naval Aviator just starting his Military Career in the early 1980s. Nate suffers a trauma during Flight Training that provides him the opportunity to find himself in the process of learning to fly and fight the F-4 Phantom. Gripping and realistic flying sequences. Immersion into the challenges, dangers, camaraderie and hilarity of Squadron life as it was nearly a half-century ago. Includes a section that exposes the reader to terminology, equipment and jargon that was used by the brave Pilots and RIOs who flew this historic aircraft. Former Phantom Pilots and RIOs will recognize and relive their own experiences and the places they worked and played. Those looking at this world from the outside in will learn what it was like for those who experienced it. Tragedy, Romance, Adventure, Adversity, Heartbreak and Redemption.
Download or read book Flying Freestyle written by Jerry Pook and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2009-06-25 with total page 487 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A British Royal Air Force pilot recounts his 25-year career in the cockpit during the Cold War in this military memoir. During a twenty-five-year flying career in the RAF, Jerry Pook has flown Hunter Fighter/Ground Attack aircraft in the Gulf, Harriers in West Germany, the supersonic Starfighter with the Dutch Air Force, the Harrier in Belize, Central America and the Tornado bomber at the Tri-national Tornado Training Establishment where he trained German and Italian pilots and navigators. Jerry had a long relationship with the Harrier Fighter/Ground Attack vertical take-off aircraft. This he flew in West Germany at the height of the Cold War operating from Wildenrath and off-base operations with Field Wing operations based in the fields and woods of the German countryside. Jerry saw action during the Falklands War when based on HMS Hermes and flying one of the few RAF Harriers in the Ground Attack role in support of the troops fighting ashore. He then enjoyed flying the American-built Starfighter RF 104G during a three-year exchange tour with the Dutch Air Force—he describes the Starfighter as “beautiful to fly, smooth and sophisticated, supremely fast and powerful—if you took liberties with it you knew it would kill you in an instant.” After three years with No 1 (Fighter) Squadron and again flying the Harrier, he moved to the then new Tornado, flying in its bomber role. This he continued to fly operationally and in the instructional role for thirteen years until grounded from military flying for medical reasons.
Download or read book Per Ardua written by David Gledhill and published by Fonthill Media. This book was released on 2019-09-17 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Flying the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom was a young man's dream but the path from "Civvy Street" to operational on a fighter squadron was long, arduous and beset with obstacles. To succeed meant the chance to fly one of the most iconic combat aircraft that ever took to the air but not every fledgling aviator who began the journey fulfilled their ambition to wear the coveted "Op. badge". "Per Ardua--Training an RAF Phantom Crew" describes how Cold War aircrew assimilated the skills needed to fly and fight the complex fighter jet. It follows the progress through every stage and explains why it cost millions to train each pilot and navigator. Philip Keeble and David Gledhill, both former Phantom aircrew, recount the challenges and the emotions encountered during the rigorous training process in a frank yet light hearted way that will leave you wondering how anyone achieved the goal.
