They Spread Their Wings: Six Courageous Airmen in Combat in the Second World WarWhat turns an ordinary man into an extraordinary one? The answer lies in the stories of six teenage volunteers for Second World War aircrew who exchanged school uniform for Air Force Blue and took a giant step into the unknown. Based on original research from flying log books, diaries and family archives, this collection of true tales describes the men’s training for those coveted ‘Wings’; the nervous excitement of that first sortie over enemy territory; and flying into the hell of an enemy flak barrage and fighters. From the skies over Europe to jungles and deserts, all endured hardship, adventure and danger. They experienced action under enemy fire, wounds, burns and crash-landings, escape and evasion in occupied territory, and the privations of life as a POW. Seventy years on and these brushes with death are by any measure hair-raising encounters that turned adolescents into men – some of whom survived the war, while others paid the ultimate price. |
Contents
TrainBusting Over the Reich | |
Bomber Boys | |
Jumping the Wooden Horse | |
Blitzed Burned but Unbroken | |
Guest of the Gestapo | |
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They Spread Their Wings: Six Courageous Airmen in Combat in the Second World War Alastair Goodrum No preview available - 2013 |
Common terms and phrases
183 Squadron 214 Squadron aerodrome aeroplane air gunner airborne aircrew airfield airmen Airspeed Oxford Alan Summerson Alan’s April Army arrived Arthur Edgley August began bombers Bombphoons bombs camp cannon Church Fenton cloud coast command convoy crew dive divebombing enemy aircraft escort Fairey Battle February fighter fire Firedog flak flew flight flown Flt Lt Flying Training force formation four German ground attack guns Hibaldstow Howard Clark Hurricane IID Iwakuni Jack Cheney Jim Crampton Jim’s July June later logbook Luftwaffe March miles minutes Mosquito moved navigator night nightfighter operations patrol Predannack radar RAF Church Fenton RAF Wittering rear recco School September Shandur shot Snailwell solo sorties Spalding Spitfires Sqn Ldr Stalag Stalag Luft III Sunderland Takeoff tanks target area took Tsushima Strait Turbinlite turned turret Walter Dring weather Wellington Wg Cdr wing Wittering