I have a gap in my library shelves

[rickshaw]

I find I have some gaps in my library shelves.  I really need recommendations for a good book on the development and operational history of the following aircraft:

English Electric Canberra. 
Gloster Meteor
Republic F-84 series
Republic F-105 Thunderchief
North American F-100

[Howard of Effingham]

I find I have some gaps in my library shelves.  I really need recommendations for a good book on the development and operational history of the following aircraft:

English Electric Canberra. 
Gloster Meteor

for the former i'd recommend the crowood press book 'english electric canberra and martin B-57' by barry jones.

and for the latter i'd recommend the aerofax book 'gloster meteor' by phil butler and tony buttler.

both of these i have on my shelf.

[The Rat]

Fighter Test Pilot, by Wing Commander Roland Beamont, also gives some first hand accounts of testing the Canberra.

[Logan Hartke]

I'd agree with Howard's recommendations, but have a few more to offer on the Canberra, as well.  These two books are my library and they're both excellent.  The earlier one is a bit of an easier read, but the photographic treatment in the later book is excellent, as well as a much more in depth per-squadron coverage of the Canberra in RAF service.  For being the same size, length, and subject, they actually complement each other quite well.
English Electric Canberra by Roland Beamont & Arthur Reed
English Electric Canberra: The History and Development of a Classic Jet by Bruce Halpenny (2005)

Now if you're interested in the B-57, there's one stellar book on the subject: Martin B-57 Canberra: The Complete Record by Robert C. Mikesh.  The author also recently did an Osprey on it which is quite good, though covers some of the same ground, obviously.

The new Osprey Duel series on the Meteor vs V-1 is cheap and also covers the early development of the Meteor, as well, though obviously drops off after WWII.

As far as the US fighters, go, I really recommend that you pick up a single book for all three to at least supplement your study of them and that's the surprisingly cheap
Encyclopedia of U.S. Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems Volume I: Post-World War II Fighters, 1945-1973 by Marcelle Size Knaack.  There's a bunch of different printings, but none are too expensive.  It's great for giving dates, cost figures, and developmental issues for every variant.  I'd highly recommend it.  Osprey has Combat Aircraft books that cover the Korean and Vietnam service of each of the aircraft respectively.  On top of that, they have an excellent Duel book on the F-105 in the Wild Weasel role and they also devoted a new Air Vanguard to it that's really quite good, as well.

There's an older Schiffer on the F-84 which I can't personally vouch for, but Schiffer's not done me wrong in the past.  Finally, Squadron-Signal has older Detail & Scale books covering all three types which are ok if that's what you're looking for, but more importantly, they have a recent In Action title for each of the F-84, F-100, and F-105 that I own and highly recommend if you can get them at list price or cheaper (the F-100 is a bit rarer now, but hopefully they'll reprint it).

      

Let me know if you have any questions about any of them, since I own all of the books above except the Schiffer F-84 volume.

Cheers,

Logan

[rickshaw]

Thanks for the recommendations, Logan.   I have Mikesh's book on the B-57 already (had it for over 15 years, IIRC).  I'm after one on the Canberra which covers the British/Australian built versions, if possible.

I'll pick up that Encyclopaedia.  It is indeed damn cheap!

While the Squadron/Signal books are good, they're primarily picture books (nothing wrong with that but I'm after something more in depth).  Schiffer are good but tend to be rather expensive.

Anyway, with yours and Howard's recommendations, I'll hunt down some books!

[Logan Hartke]

I'll pick up that Encyclopaedia.  It is indeed damn cheap!

While the Squadron/Signal books are good, they're primarily picture books (nothing wrong with that but I'm after something more in depth).  Schiffer are good but tend to be rather expensive.

Yeah, it really depends on what question I'm trying to answer at the time.  I don't mind having multiple books since they're all so good.  If I want to know what date an F-105 variant entered service or what kind of delays it had an why, I go straight for the Size Knaack book, no question.  When I want to know how many hardpoints a certain F-105 variant had or what its fuel capacity was, I go to the Squadron book.  If I want to know how many were lost on April 3, 1965 over Thanh Hoa, I go straight to the Osprey books.  It's a multi-pronged approach, but it works and I like it.



Also, on the matter of the F-100, I can't recommend enough the two books on NAA.  The coverage of each particular aircraft is understandably brief, but of very high quality.  Again, I'd recommend picking both of them up just to have them on your shelves, but Volume 2 has good coverage on the F-100.

North American: Aircraft 1934-1999 (Volume 2) by Kevin Thompson

Cheers,

Logan

[jcf]

Don't overlook the classics.
The Gloster Meteor by Edward Shacklady was originally
published in 1962 as part of the MacDonald Aircraft Monographs series and remains an excellent
reference on the type. It covers development, service by all users, production history/lists, many
individual aircraft histories and proposals.

A search on used.addall.com returns 105 copies starting at $7.74 US:
http://used.addall.com/SuperRare/RefineRare.fcgi?id=130809074048344056

[rickshaw]

Thanks again, Logan.

Jon, interesting website.  I tend to use http://www.bookfinder.com when searching for books.