Here's some ideas for books. None of these books are "about modeling," but I have found since I was a child that reading history books that involve airplanes and the people around them generally will inspire me to build a model of one of the airplanes mentioned in the book (it also became the "back door" to my study of history - "What did that airplane do in the war?" "Why did that war happen?" - that led to my current occupation).
In no particular order, here are books I have read I think others would find interesting, that will do that.
For NavAir fans, pretty much any book that has "By Barrett Tillman" on the cover (but you all knew that).
James Holland's books "Dambusters" (the best book on the dams raid) and "Big Week" are good for all kinds of airplane inspiration.
Masatake Okimiya and Jiro Horikoshi's classic "Zero!" (which I hadn't read in 30 years until recently when I picked up a new reprint for research on the current book project) is excellent inspiration for all kinds of Japanese airplanes.
Jay A. Stout's new "Air Apaches" will get you looking at B-25s for sure. His books "The Men Who Killed The Luftwaffe," "Fortress Ploesti," "Fighter Group" and "Bomber Group" are also good inspirations.
Roger Freeman's "Zemke's Wolfpack" will get you going on P-47s.
Those are just some starters. You can get edumacated and inspired at the same time.
