Register

A Nice Little Book

** The quirky and barely stable Sopwith Camel
had a 30 percent attrition rate in training but
was a formidable opponent in a dogfight.**
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The article highlights Robert J. Hing's book, Searching for the Epic of Flight, as a valuable guide to aviation literature, which led the reviewer to discover the novel Winged Victory.
  • The primary focus is a detailed review of V. M. Yeates' Winged Victory, a semi-autobiographical novel vividly depicting the monotonous yet dangerous daily life of a WWI Sopwith Camel pilot.
  • The novel explores the protagonist's fluctuating emotions, the futility of war, and offers rich descriptions of aerial combat, weather, and the challenging flight characteristics of the Sopwith Camel.
  • Yeates' own combat experience and early death underscore the novel's authentic and harrowing portrayal of WWI, leaving the reader with a profound sense of war-weariness.
See a mistake? Contact us.

From time to time I find myself in the study of some aviation aficionado — former Flying editor Stephan Wilkinson comes to mind — admiring the cargo of his bookshelves. Many a volume that I would like to sit down with on a rainy afternoon; many that I have never heard of. The lavishly illustrated large-format ones you find remaindered at Barnes & Noble aren’t likely to be the most interesting; it’s rather the old cloth-bound volumes, mostly now out of print, that will take you deeply into other worlds of flight.

It is seldom convenient to note down titles in those situations, but one pilot sent me a nice little book of his that might save one the trouble.

Peter Garrison

Peter Garrison taught himself to use a slide rule and tin snips, built an airplane in his backyard, and flew it to Japan. He began contributing to FLYING in 1968, and he continues to share his columns, ""Technicalities"" and ""Aftermath,"" with FLYING readers.

Ready to Sell Your Aircraft?

List your airplane on AircraftForSale.com and reach qualified buyers.

List Your Aircraft
AircraftForSale Logo | FLYING Logo
Pilot in aircraft
Sign-up for newsletters & special offers!

Get the latest stories & special offers delivered directly to your inbox.

SUBSCRIBE