The best books on military aviation

Mike Guardia Author Of Tomcat Fury: A Combat History of the F-14
By Mike Guardia

Who am I?

Mike Guardia is an Amazon Top 100 Bestselling Author and military historian. A veteran of the United States Army, he served six years on active duty (2008-2014) as an Armor Officer. He has written and lectured on various topics of modern military history, including guerrilla warfare, air-to-air combat, and World War II in the Pacific. He holds a BA and MA in American History from the University of Houston.

I wrote...

Tomcat Fury: A Combat History of the F-14

By Mike Guardia

Book cover of Tomcat Fury: A Combat History of the F-14

What is my book about?

For more than three decades, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat was the US Navy’s premier carrier-based, multi-role fighter jet. From its harrowing combat missions over Libya to its appearance on the silver screen in movies like Top Gun and Executive Decision, the F-14 has become an icon of American airpower.

Now, for the first time in a single volume, Tomcat Fury explores the illustrious combat history of the F-14: from the Gulf of Sidra…to the Iran-Iraq War…to the skies over Afghanistan in the Global War on Terror.

When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.

The Books I Picked & Why

A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II

By Adam Makos, Larry Alexander

Book cover of A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II

Why this book?

Pound-for-pound, this is perhaps the best military aviation book on the market today.  During the darkest days of World War II, A Higher Call tells the story of a seemingly-improbable act of gallantry in the skies over Europe.  A wounded and hardly-airworthy B-17 limps through the sky near the conclusion of its first mission. It is soon tailed by a Bf-109, the Luftwaffe’s deadliest fighter. The Messerschmitt pilot could end the B-17 crewmen’s lives with the pull of a trigger.  But what happens next will shock the reader.  

When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.

Call-Sign Kluso: An American Fighter Pilot in Mr. Reagan's Air Force

By Rick Tollini

Book cover of Call-Sign Kluso: An American Fighter Pilot in Mr. Reagan's Air Force

Why this book?

Plenty of memoirs have been written by combat pilots, but Call Sign Kluso is truly one-of-a-kind. It weaves a captivating personal narrative within the context of America’s resurgence from the post-Vietnam era, while demonstrating the US Air Force’s transformation into the high-tech, cutting-edge organization that defeated Saddam Hussein during Operation Desert Storm. 

When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.

Unsung Eagles: True Stories of America's Citizen Airmen in the Skies of World War II

By Jay A. Stout

Book cover of Unsung Eagles: True Stories of America's Citizen Airmen in the Skies of World War II

Why this book?

Unsung Eagles is an intimate tour-de-force of air combat in World War II told, literally, from the perspective of the pilots themselves. The pilots who provided their stories for this book were all unassuming men from humble backgrounds. Yet, after Pearl Harbor, they gladly raised their right hands and swore an oath to defeat the Axis Powers. These brave young men flew various combat missions over the European and Pacific theaters. Yet, after the war, they came home to resume their normal lives and said nary a word about their wartime service, until now.

When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.

Red Eagles: America’s Secret MiGs

By Steve Davies

Book cover of Red Eagles: America’s Secret MiGs

Why this book?

Few Americans know that the US Air Force kept its own secret squadron of MiG aircraft. The secretly acquired Soviet MiGs were used as mock aggressors at Nellis Air Force Base so that American pilots could practice their dogfighting skills against the very planes they would see in the skies over Vietnam. 

When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.

Viper Pilot: A Memoir of Air Combat

By Dan Hampton

Book cover of Viper Pilot: A Memoir of Air Combat

Why this book?

Few histories have been written about the F-16, much less from the perspective of the pilots who flew it in combat.  Dan Hampton offers his unique insights into the world of American airpower. From Desert Storm to Operation Iraqi Freedom, Hampton logged 608 flight hours across 151 combat missions. From this deftly written account, we relive the days of “Shock and Awe” from the pilot’s seat.  

When you buy a book we may earn a small commission.

Closely Related Book Lists

The best books about the Pacific Theater in WW2

Shouhua Qi Author Of Purple Mountain: A Story of the Rape of Nanking Shouhua Qi

The best books that weave fascinating stories about real people and events from WWII history

Kara Martinelli Author Of My Very Dearest Anna Kara Martinelli

The best books about military history and true stories of survival

Colin D. Heaton Author Of The Star of Africa: The Story of Hans Marseille, the Rogue Luftwaffe Ace Who Dominated the WWII Skies Colin D. Heaton

The best books about PTSD and overcoming oppression of the human spirit

J. Conrad Guest Author Of A World Without Music J. Conrad Guest

Distantly Related Book Lists

The best true stories that read like police procedurals

Margalit Fox Author Of The Confidence Men: How Two Prisoners of War Engineered the Most Remarkable Escape in History Margalit Fox

The best books on World War 2 from several different perspectives

Peter Grose Author Of A Good Place to Hide: How One French Community Saved Thousands of Lives in World War II Peter Grose

The best books on World War I and America's role in it

Stephen L. Harris Author Of Duty, Honor, Privilege: New York City's Silk Stocking Regiment and the Breaking of the Hindenburg Line Stephen L. Harris

The best books on the war in the Pacific 1941-1945

Daniel Hammel Author Of Two Flags Over Iwo Jima: Solving the Mystery of the U.S. Marine Corps' Proudest Moment Daniel Hammel