More books like Shadow Divers or Hunting Warbirds?

I really enjoy reading books about finding, identifying and/or salvaging wrecks of WWII ships, planes, etc.

Shadow Divers, about the discovery of U-869 off the New Jersey coast was a fantastic read. Hunting Warbirds was great too. Can anyone recommend other books along these lines? I like the combination of the history along with the research and Indiana Jones-like adventure involved in finding these relics.

Cheers!

 

You've heard of Clive Cussler i hope..?

 

I have in fact, yes. I've read a lot of his stuff, too. Raise the Titanic was a favorite of mine as a kid.

I was hoping for something non-fiction though. I know Cussler has written a handful of non-fiction accounts of shipwreck explorations but nothing that really documents the research involved like the books I gave as examples.

 

Adam I enjoy those topics too. I just moved to Germany and I'm thinking about buying a metal detector and walking around some of the areas. There are fascinating videos on youtube of what people have found.

 

Hi Yaldy! Welcome to the forum, btw...

Metal detectors are a lot of fun. I don't currently own one but I did have one a few years ago, and I used to hunt for stuff in my neighborhood, on building sites, etc. Found some nice old coins and little trinkets. Good times!

 

I missed this thread first time round - but I was doing other things on Christmas Eve !

Two excellent books which contain all the elements you mention ( ie the hunt for the wreckage, recovery, rebuilding and tracing the original history right down to re-uniting original airmen with their aircraft) are 'Spitfire Mk 1 P9374' by Andy Saunders ( Grub Street, London 2012 ISBN 13:9781908117069 ) and 'Hurricane R4118' by Peter Vacher ( Grub Street, London 2005 ISBN 1-904943075 ). And not forgetting 'Home Is The Halifax' by Ian Robinson MBE ( Grub Street, London 2010 ISBN 978-1-906502-77-5 ).

I only just realized when I got them together to reply to this thread that they're all published by the same people. Good old Grub Street !

 

Just remembered another one which is very different to the above, but a great 'read'. It's called 'Warbird Recovery : The Hunt For A Rare WWII Plane In Siberia,Russia' by Gordon R Page ( iUniverse.com, 2005 ). It's different because he never actually finds the plane ! But as a story of how to get ripped off by unscrupulous people and believing what you want to believe, it's a minor classic.......

 

Those sound great, Martin Bull, thanks. I'll check those out. I may be a bit hesitant to try Warbird Recovery, since I do like a somewhat-happy ending! ;o)

 

Two books, perhaps a little off the beaten path, but possibly in your ball park.

Back from the Deep, by Carl LaVO

This is about the sinking of the USS Squalus in 1939. She sank with part of her crew trapped alive. The book recounts the rescue and salvage of the sub, as well as her later war service.

Descent into Darkness, by Edward C. Raymer

This ia true account by a USN salvage diver who worked the Pearl Harbor wrecks shortly after Dec. 7th. His descrition of moving though the Arizona is haunting, especially encounters with her crew, forever on patrol.

They are in my personal library, and I recommend both.

 

And this is an oldie which got me started : 'Epics Of Aviation Archaeology' by Bruce Robertson ( PSL 1978 ). Secondhand copies can usually be found pretty cheaply ; it's a great collection of essays from the 'golden era' ( 1960s/1970s) when whole airframes could still be found around the World.

 

I enjoy these types of stories myself. And although the book I am going to recommend is not about planes or ships, I think you might find it as interesting as I did. The book is titled " The Dead of Winter" by Bill Warnock (2005). It is about the searching, recovery, and identifying the remains of 99th INF DIV soldiers missing from the Battle of the Bulge. The narrative describes the history behind these missing soldiers, the clues that were used to find them, and the process employed to identify their remains.Metal detectors are one of the main tools used to find the remains. After a successful match has been made, notifying the next of kin and proper burial follow. Great book, if you have not already read it, I recommend you check it out.

 

Thanks for all the great recommendations guys! I'll be busy for a while now--love it!