Bill Gunston RIP (1927 - 2013) Memorial Topic

[Stargazer]

That really is awesome. What was the book? I wonder if his whole library has been sold off?

Yes, enquiring minds wish to know.

Sorry folks, the seller purposely didn't mention Gunston in the sale out of respect for his widow and wishes for me not to publicize the info.


Let me just say it was a Putnam book.

 

[Rickshaw]

That really is awesome. What was the book? I wonder if his whole library has been sold off?

Yes, enquiring minds wish to know.

Sorry folks, the seller purposely didn't mention Gunston in the sale out of respect for his widow and wishes for me not to publicize the info.


Let me just say it was a Putnam book.

I wonder, was it one of his own works?

 

[Stargazer]

I wonder, was it one of his own works?

Nope.

 

[CJGibson]

Certainly this is a matter of taste, but I'm a firm believer in "Jack of all trades, master of none".

What's your view on St Bill of Gunston?

Chris

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Well, he wasn't terribly big on research, but he had some good knowledge and contacts, and was pretty good at the writing stuff. While at Aerospace Publishing in the 90s I saw Gordon Swanborough making up captions for a commissioned work for a third party with about 2 seconds thought per picture and no fact checking. I guess that''s how they rolled back then.

 

[oluen]

Certainly this is a matter of taste, but I'm a firm believer in "Jack of all trades, master of none".

What's your view on St Bill of Gunston?

Chris

As I said, it is a matter of taste. Bill Gunston... my first aviation books were written by him (well, translated into Spanish) and at that time (40 years ago) I loved it. But at some point they lacked some more detail (again, my taste, for me) and his different books edited in Spain were like the same information with some different photos (this could be an issue with the Spanish publishers, limiting publication to the ones with more potential success, I don't know). In any case, to my knowledge, he was writting 'only' about military aviation (which is a quite wide theme, I know). David Baker is writting about aviation, rockets, spacecrafts, nuclear weapons...well, as I've said, a matter of taste.
Having said that, I will most likely buy this f-111 book... I'm too freak to resist temptation...

 

[Mark Nankivil]

Certainly this is a matter of taste, but I'm a firm believer in "Jack of all trades, master of none".

What's your view on St Bill of Gunston?

Chris

As a kid before really getting into the collecting/researching part of life, I loved reading Bill Gunston - his book on Western Fighters where he talks about the Russian reaction to the F8U Crusader (my Father flew them) had me hooked. A far better overview of aviation than the likes of Bill Yenne and others. I also liked Ray Bradbrook (if memory serves me correctly) in Air International - humor and an insight of British projects. Always enhanced with Chris Wren drawings....

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

Close - it was Roy Braybrook

 

[Tord55]

Thanks Bill

That book is one of my favorite ones!

 

[H_K]

Nice thread necromancy. But if there is one topic that will always deserve a bump, this is it. ;-)

I will belatedly add my name to the list of people forever impacted by Bill Gunston’s amazing work… with 2 of my favorite books.

 

[NMaude]

As I said, it is a matter of taste. Bill Gunston... my first aviation books were written by him

The first book I read by Bill Gunston was his excellent The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the World's Rockets and Missiles in 1984 (It was a birthday present from my Mum) and I have a copy lying around somewhere still.

 

[Antonio]

The first book I read by Bill Gunston was his excellent The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the World's Rockets and Missiles in 1984

Same here (French version). My copy is in my bookshelf

 

[zjz]

I grew up reading lots of books written by Bill Gunston, courtesy of a close friend of my elderest brother, who spend his savings on all defence and military related books ...... If not for his selfless personality, loaning the books to me with no conditions attached, allowing me to read as much as I could, I would not have had the amount of knowledge I have today ......