This was an excellent book a must read for every aviation buff. It tells a story about the difficulties americans and canadiens had to join the RAF before the US got involved in the world war. Also an insight to the hardships the RAF faced during the battle of Britain.
Excellent read for all you history buffs. A true story that inspired the Saving Private Ryan movie.Fast moving and will hold your interest.
The next step up from the "Boy's Life" adventure stories. Follows the lives of 5 or 6 Americans during their careers in the RAF.
Exceptional story of eight young American pilots who made their way to England in the summer of 1940 -- just in time for the Jul-Sep 1940 bombing blitz of England (specifically airfields and London)!
Their willingness to fight for a cause-- stop the Nazi's relentless drive to gain control of all of Europe...England was the last piece -- while America was taking a "hands off approach to the war (let Europe fight its own battles)!! Previous books have covered the Battle of Britain from a more documentary aspect, but this book follows the Battle from a compelling narrative perspective, and gives an up close and personal view of the young men who valiantly fought for a cause!
Their willingness to fight for a cause-- stop the Nazi's relentless drive to gain control of all of Europe...England was the last piece -- while America was taking a "hands off approach to the war (let Europe fight its own battles)!! Previous books have covered the Battle of Britain from a more documentary aspect, but this book follows the Battle from a compelling narrative perspective, and gives an up close and personal view of the young men who valiantly fought for a cause!
This is very readable book about the Battle of Britain and the Americans who flew for the RAF during that time. The description states only one of "The Few" was still alive at war's end, but this applies only to the eight Americans who fought during the Battle of Britain. Over two hundred others fought with the RAF before the United States entered the war.
The books also provides interesting commentary about their German adversaries, as well as some of the RAF pilots, commanders and British politicians.
I especially enjoyed the notes at the end of the book, I find it a hassle to read these notes while reading books, as most are just citations. But in many books additional information is given, which is not included in the text. So I usually skim the notes after reading the book.
The notes in this book were very interesting. I discovered the RAF wasn't anywhere as good about recovering pilots who bailed out over the English Channel as the German air force was.
Plus I learned one-fifth of the RAF wasn't British. Most of the others were from British Commonwealth countries, such as New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Canada, with even one from Jamaica. But others were Americans, Poles, Czecks and French.
The notes told me some French pilots were among the highest aces during the Battle of Britain, and there were complete Polish squadrons in the RAF. Plus, one American pilot became the only American to ever command a entirely British squadron.
In addition to this book, I read "A Question of Honor: The Kosciuszko Squadron" which states the Polish squadrons shot down more German planes during the Battle of Britain than any other squadrons.
Two interesting typos, I hope they were typos, I noticed the author claiming one American left the U.S. on 1 September, 1940, the same day the Germans invaded Poland. Actually, the Germans invaded in 1939. Also, the author refers to German General Hans Guderian, the famous developer of lighting armored assaults; whereas Guderian's actual first name is Heinz.
The books also provides interesting commentary about their German adversaries, as well as some of the RAF pilots, commanders and British politicians.
I especially enjoyed the notes at the end of the book, I find it a hassle to read these notes while reading books, as most are just citations. But in many books additional information is given, which is not included in the text. So I usually skim the notes after reading the book.
The notes in this book were very interesting. I discovered the RAF wasn't anywhere as good about recovering pilots who bailed out over the English Channel as the German air force was.
Plus I learned one-fifth of the RAF wasn't British. Most of the others were from British Commonwealth countries, such as New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Canada, with even one from Jamaica. But others were Americans, Poles, Czecks and French.
The notes told me some French pilots were among the highest aces during the Battle of Britain, and there were complete Polish squadrons in the RAF. Plus, one American pilot became the only American to ever command a entirely British squadron.
In addition to this book, I read "A Question of Honor: The Kosciuszko Squadron" which states the Polish squadrons shot down more German planes during the Battle of Britain than any other squadrons.
Two interesting typos, I hope they were typos, I noticed the author claiming one American left the U.S. on 1 September, 1940, the same day the Germans invaded Poland. Actually, the Germans invaded in 1939. Also, the author refers to German General Hans Guderian, the famous developer of lighting armored assaults; whereas Guderian's actual first name is Heinz.
