****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
I have read a lot of books about the air war in WWII. This one ranks with the best. It does an excellent job of describing all aspects of the lives of the airmen who fought in the war. There is some deserved mention of fighter pilots and those who flew medium bombers, but it is predominantly about the air crews of the heavy bombers. There were details not commonly found, everything from toilet practices in the air to love life on the ground and everything in between. What being captured was like. How civilians could be more dangerous than the German military if shot down over Europe. Kicking loose armed bombs that were hung up in the bomb bay. Try doing some of the things described in an open, unpressurized aluminum tube at 20,000 ft or above with temperatures way below zero! A large section is devoted to the psychological challenges for the men - almost too much on this subject. The book gives great insight about what these very young men endured and experienced, physically and mentally. There is also a section describing some of the main planes flown in the war. It is a bit lacking in describing some of the earlier models that pilots flew early in the war, such as the F4F Wildcat or P-40. Guess there was only so much room for this subject. Overall a great read - one I will pull out again some time down the road.
