How many still use books?

[Archimedes]

17 hours ago, Christa said:

I use books.  

 

Good aircraft images, now available online, offer an amazing wealth of interesting and useful information for my modelling needs. However, the likes of Valiant Wings, Windsock Datafiles, Modelling Specials and recently Wingleader Photo Archives provide carefully selected, detailed information appropriately illustrated. I value KLP publications online too, but most of my aircraft stuff is in print.

 

The majority of my aircraft related book shelves hold story books - the stories of aircraft companies, engineers, designers and their magnificent flying machines; test pilots, delivery pilots, service pilots, aircrew and ground crew; squadrons, wings and entire airforces at war, campaign by campaign, battle by battle and even sortie by sortie sometimes; pioneers of flight and dedicated inventors like James Martin of MB's ejector seat fame; aircraft recoverers, restorers, rebuilders and operators; museum exhibits and their curators.

 

Good ol' Bill Johns. I never dreamt that The Camels Are Coming would lead me here, via so many fascinating chapters..

You make a hugely important point Chris about telling stories: Underlying all of our motivations when we build a model is the desire to tell a story. Well said!

 

Kind regards,

Paul

[Shoggz]

5 hours ago, mozart said:

Me too Chris, I have a large collection of both Bomber and Fighter Command biographies and I have just ordered Tom Neil’s “Gun Button to Fire” about his time with 249 Squadron in the BoB.
 

 I was privileged to hear Tom speak at the Chalke Valley History Festival in 2015. He was due to speak for half an hour, sharing the platform with Tony Iveson who flew both fighters and bombers, but Tony had double-booked himself! Tom stood and delivered a clear, hour long recount without notes, holding everybody’s attention throughout and receiving a standing ovation at the end. And of course, he was only too willing to answer numerous questions afterwards and this at the age of 95! Lovely man, sadly died in 2018.

 

I managed a few words with Mr Neil at a Duxford air show in the 90s when he was there signing copies of his book, and I concur. He was great and it was an absolute honour and privilege to speak to him.

[JeepsGunsTanks]

11 hours ago, thierry laurent said:

I'm in the same boat! I have the two prior editions and was ready to get the third one but the price plus the EU VAT and customs fee really put the cost in the bright red zone! I really hope they will reuse that information to release a more accessible version, possibly an electronic one even if I do not really like that format.

 

I had one of David Doyle's reserve copies in my cart, and they wanted more than 400 bucks. I think it was 450 plus shipping! I love books, and I love the Sherman, but I can't spend that kind of money on the two-book set. I hope they do a more affordable softcover edition. I just can't justify that much of my modeling budget on one purchase. 

 

11 hours ago, thierry laurent said:

I didn't have it. So I immediately repaired that major problem ...

 

 

I don't think you will regret it. Its sections on each fighter are better than most single books on the subject. 

 

11 hours ago, LSP_K2 said:

 

Some of the Schiffer books are quite worthwhile.

 

Yeah, they have put out some amazing books and relatively few stinkers. I may have a book problem. 

I clearly like their products, and I have more squirreled away around my desk I missed!  That three-book set on the 5th Fighter Command in the Pacific is simply amazing. The only down side is when you have to pack them up to move, the boxes get really heavy! 

[Christa]

Hey Paul, thank you.

 

How many of us gather or retain artefacts associated with important people in our lives? It is a way of affirming unions in our stories - sentimental, sure, but real. Those objects indicate respect, affection and folk being held in mind, probably many decades down the line. A number of my model subjects could be so described. A few of my books were picked for the same reason.

[LSP_K2]

3 hours ago, JeepsGunsTanks said:

I had one of David Doyle's reserve copies in my cart, and they wanted more than 400 bucks. I think it was 450 plus shipping! I love books, and I love the Sherman, but I can't spend that kind of money on the two-book set. I hope they do a more affordable softcover edition. I just can't justify that much of my modeling budget on one purchase.

 

Do you have both Tiger I volumes (Histoire & Collections)?

[thierry laurent]

58 minutes ago, LSP_K2 said:

 

Do you have both Tiger I volumes (Histoire & Collections)?

I do but the Tigers in Combat volumes from Fedorowicz are better to me.

[LSP_K2]

10 minutes ago, thierry laurent said:

I do but the Tigers in Combat volumes from Fedorowicz are better to me.

 

Probably, but I can't afford them. I do have the two volume Stackpole books though, and they're pretty cool as well.

[LSP_Mike]

I have 1 vol. of Tigers in combat. Interesting reading. Another good series are the Then and Now books.

[thierry laurent]

7 hours ago, LSP_K2 said:

 

Probably, but I can't afford them. I do have the two volume Stackpole books though, and they're pretty cool as well.

I think the Stackpole ones are a cheaper re-edition of the Fedorowicz ones! The H&C ones are quite good. I'm also recommending the Series by Volker Ruff (one book per unit; 3 released up to now). Another French editor just released new ones (caraktere) but I'm set!