by Derek Robinson (Author), Derek Robinson (Author)
They had joined an organisation that advertised itself as 'the best flying club in the world'. Now the young pilots of 409 Squadron are flung into battle over Germany where their training, tactics and aircraft are all found sadly wanting. The spirit of the gentleman amateur flickers and dies in the harsh glare of searchlights over the Ruhr. We see the reality of war: chaos, cock-up and comradeship in equal measure. Derek Robinson reinforces his reputation as the best aviation fiction writer in the business with this tragicomic story.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 320
Edition: New
Publisher: Phoenix
Published: 11 Sep 2003
ISBN 10: 0304363111
ISBN 13: 9780304363117
Book Overview: 'A masterpiece.' DAILY EXPRESS Reviews for his previous RAF novel Piece of Cake (1993) were excellent, e.g. 'I defy a reader to put the book down once Robinson has got him into the air' Paul Fussell, New Republic Does for Bomber Command what Piece of Cake did for Fighter Command: Robinson gets beyond the cliched characters of the wartime RAF to paint a vivid picture of real people at war