Aviation Books
This page contains some of the aviation books in my collection that you might want to consider. Some of these have gotten very hard to find and expensive, but if you keep an eye out for them you can most likely find them at a fair price (with a few exceptions). If you know of any books that I should add to the list let me know by clicking the email me link on my home page.
Black Magic
Blackbird Rising
Flying the SR-71 Blackbird
Haynes SR-71 Workshop Manual
Kelly - More Than My Share of It All
Lockheed - Images of America
Secret Missions Exposed
Mig Pilot
Skunk Works
SR-71 Blackbird, Stories, Tales and Legends
Yeager
History of Flight
SR-71 Blackbird - Lockheeds Mach 3 Hot Shot
The Untouchables
Sled Driver
Black Magic by Michael O'Leary & Eric Schulzinger
Description
This book would be classified as a coffee table book and has excellent pictures of the SR-71 and the U-2. It also has great information and is an excellent conversation piece for any aviation fan to display. Its also one of the few avaition books to cover just these two fantastic aircraft.
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Blackbird Rising - Birth of an Aviation Legend by Donn A. Byrnes & Kenneth D. Hurley
Description
This book is pretty much only for true SR-71 fans and aviation engineers. It goes into great depth about the development of individual components and systems of the Blackbird. It is very good, but if you are easily put off by technobabble, it will probably be boring to you. Although, the last time I checked the availability of this book, even in paperback, it is hard to come by, so if you find a copy and want it, don't wait on purchasing it.
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Flying the SR-71 Blackbird - In the Cockpit on a Secret Operational Mission by Col. Richard H. Graham, USAF
Description
This is great book by a retired Blackbird pilot. He goes into the details and impressions of flying this magnificent aircraft. Col. Graham has written a few books on the blackbird and if you buy the books from him directly he will autograph them for you.
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Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird Owner's Workshop Manual by Steve Davies and Paul Crickmore
Description
This is a fun book written in the style of a Haynes owners manual for a car. It has a great collection of drawings, pictures and descriptions of how each system on the SR-71 worked. Its the easier to understand and less nerdy version of the Blackbird Rising book listed above.
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Kelly - More Than My Share of It All by Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson with Maggie Smith
Description
This is Kelly Johnson's autobiography. It contains details of his life, education, his career and thoughts on things. This book really helps you understand who Kelly Johnson was and how he designed such memorable aircraft as the P-38, Hudson Bomber, U2, SR-71 and more. Its worth a read.
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Images of America - Lockheed compiled by Martin W. Bowman
Description
This is a collection of historical photos and their descriptions from the founding of Lockheed until the late 1990's. It covers their civilian and military aircraft. It is a great collection of pictures for this storied aviation company.
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Lockheed SR-71 - The Secret Missions Exposed by Paul F Crickmore
Description
This book has a great collection of drawings, details and stats on the Blackbird. It also relates information on some of the missions the pilots flew that really help you understand what this iconic aircraft achieved and why its so legendary. The back of this book contains an appendix with information on which pilots were paired together, a timeline of events and much more.
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Mig Pilot - The Final Escape of Lieutenant Belenko By John Barron
Description
This biography shows the life and events of Viktor Belenko who defected from the Soviet Union and took a Mig 25 with him for the rest of the world to learn more about that aircraft and its capabilities. It talks about his life in the Soviet Union, how he was raised and what it was like growing up in a communist country. It also talks about how shocked he was at the freedoms and opportunities that the average person has in the USA. The aviation aspect of this book is great, but it also tells a great human story about a man seeking a better life.
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Skunk Works by Ben R. Rich and Leo Janos
Description
This book is the story of how Lockheed Skunkworks did their work in secret and developed such amazing aircraft as the U-2, SR-71 and F-117. It contains unique insights on these aircraft as one of the authors replaced the legendary Kelly Johnson as the head of the Skunk Works (officially known as the Advanced Development Programs group or ADP). You can learn about the challenges that each program that the group tackled and how the overcame them. Is well worth the time to read about these amazing aicraft.
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SR-71 Blackbird Stories, Tales, and Legends by Richard H. Graham, Col. USAF (Ret)
Description
This book describes the different experiences and stories of the SR-71 pilots through the program. Its a collection of stories that are not found anywhere else. Its an entertaining and and fun book.
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Yeager, An Autobiography by General Chuck Yeager and Leo Janos
Description
This is an autobiography about the legendary pilot General Chuck Yeager. It has his account of breaking the sound barrier, his time in world war 2 and many other experiences. He truly lived a rich life and was an aviation pioneer.
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History of Flight by Harris Classics
Description
This is a special collectors edition magazine that has articles and pictures of the development of aviation. This includes the SR-71, Space Shuttle, V-22, the Concorde and more.
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SR-71 Blackbird - Lockheed's Mach 3 Hot Shot by Paul F. Crickmore
Description
This is a photo book for the SR-71 Blackbird. It has a great selection of pictures that have not been seen outside of this book.
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The Untoucables by Brian Shul and Walter Watson Jr.
Description
This is a book by SR-71 pilot Brian Shul and his RSO with stories and pictures about their missions together. The photos are by Brian Shul who is known for his skill as a photographer and guest speaker. This is an expensive book to purchase but is well worth it.
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Sled Driver - Flying the World's Fastest Jet by Brian Shul
Description
This was Brian Shul's first book about the SR-71. It has great pictures and tells the story of Brian Shul's experiences in the Blackbird program. The stories in this book are some of the stories that Brian has shared during his speeches. This is also an expensive book and has been printed in limited numbers. Saddly on 5/20/2023 Brian Shul died of cardiac arrest in Reno Nevada after giving a speech. This book is a great example of all that he has acheived in his life.
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