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Books > Fiction > True stories > War / combat / elite forces
In terms of enemy aircraft shot down or destroyed, Squadron Leader
Thomas 'Pat' Pattle was the greatest fighter pilot of the Second
World War.A South African who flew with the RAF, Pattle was an
airman of outstanding skills and leadership who became the Allies'
top-scoring fighter pilot after winning scores of stunning
victories in deadly aerial combat. But for years after the war
ended, Pattle was virtually an unsung hero because the records of
his extraordinary achievements were destroyed amid the turmoil of
war. Compiled with the help of surviving pilots and members of the
squadrons with which Pattle fought in the air over Greece, ACE OF
ACES is a gripping and authoritative account of his amazing flying
career, and the book which finally brought Pattle the recognition
he so richly deserved.
'A COMPELLING, FAST-PACED NARRATIVE THAT THRUSTS US INTO THE
COCKPIT. A MUST-READ!' Dan Hampton April 1982. Argentina invades
the Falkland Islands. In response, Britain dispatches a naval Task
Force. Eight thousand miles from home, its fate hinges on just
twenty Sea Harrier fighters against the two hundred-strong might of
the Argentine Air Force. The odds against them are overwhelming.
British Defense Chiefs' own estimates suggest that half the
Harriers will be lost within a week. Against this background, 809
Naval Air Squadron is reformed, trained and sent south to fight.
Not since WWII had so much been expected of such a small band of
pilots... Combining groundbreaking research with the pace of a
thriller, Rowland White reveals the full story of the fleet's
knife-edge fight for survival for the first time, and shows how the
little jump jet went from airshow novelty to writing its name in
aviation legend. And of how a small band of heroes won victory
against impossible odds. 'A military adventure, written with
expertise...a tale of initiative, skill and courage, of pushing
beyond the rules.' THE SPECTATOR 'Harrier 809 reads like a
fast-paced military adventure novel only better because every word
is true. White has brought us an up-close, inside-the-cockpit saga
of a band of heroes. Riveting.' ROBERT GANDT, author of Skygods
'Utterly thrilling and totally absorbing. White conveys brilliantly
the spirit of a great aircraft - and the men who flew it.' PATRICK
BISHOP 'Utterly brilliant. The very best kind of narrative history,
Harrier 809 is a fantastically exciting book. It reads like a
thriller and has some of the best aerial action sequences I've ever
read. A page-turner from start to finish.' JAMES HOLLAND, author of
Normandy '44 'Set against the broader context of the Falklands War,
Harrier 809 brings the squadron's story to life in fine and highly
readable detail.' GARTH ENNIS, author of The Boys, Preacher and
Hellblazer
British Commando George Thomsen's action-filled account of combat
during the Falklands War. Seen through the eyes of Section
Commander George Thomsen, this inspiring first-hand account, tells
of the tension-packed lead up, and the heroic stand, by a tiny band
of brothers on one of the most inhospitable islands on the planet -
South Georgia. They fought alone - besieged, isolated, and against
an overwhelming invasion force - and yet had the enemy reeling on
the ropes. This is the story of true British grit, sheer
bloody-mindedness, professionalism and ingenuity. The Royal
Marines' courageous action on that extraordinary day changed the
balance of the South Atlantic war. This was a modern-day Rorke's
Drift when world events literally took too few too far. Twenty-five
years after these events took place, this is George Thomsen's true
story, as told to Malcolm Angel.
Following the success of Nice One Centurion the second volume in
the Centurion series, 'Are You Tittering Centurion?' chronicles the
true, personal and hilarious antics of an RAF Regiment Gunner and
his fellow Penguin counterparts. Featuring more illustrations from
Tim Parker, this volume continues the tales of the nitty-gritty
life of training, exercises, deployment, war, and the general
mayhem that followed the RAF Regiment wherever it went.Born out of
an idea to help fellow service members who suffer with PTSD, a
percentage of proceeds is going to Help 4 Heroes, the RAF Regiment
Museum and the RAF Benevolent Fund.
In this sequel to the hugely-popular This Man's Wee Boy, young Tony
Doherty struggles to come to terms with the murder of his father,
Paddy, on Bloody Sunday and the impact it has on his mother,
Eileen, and his brothers and sisters. At nine years old, he knows a
terrible wrong has been committed against his family but lacks the
understanding or the means to do anything about it - yet. For his
fractured family, life goes on, with Tony determined to preserve
the memory of his father and the bond they shared, even as he
becomes increasingly immersed in the violent conflict raging on
Derry's streets. As the 1970s unfold his father's absence remains
the backdrop to the teenage Tony's newfound friendships and
relationships, an ever-present ache amidst the craic and excitement
of Sunday dances, first kisses and a trip to Butlins. Then, at
seventeen, Tony decides it's time to join the fight.
Most of us never get to test ourselves in combat. As a UH-1
Helicopter pilot flying in the jungle highlands of South Vietnam,
Warrant Officer Jim Crigler and the men he flew with were tested
daily. Coming of age in the late 1960s and early 1970s was
challenging for most young men of that era. Throw in drugs, free
love, draft notices, the Vietnam War and a country deeply divided,
and you have one of the most important books of this genre. This
true story is a raw, bold, introspective autobiography where the
author openly wrestles with his personal moral dilemma to find
meaning and purpose in his life. He calls it his "Mission of
Honor."
Untold secrets of a post-war childhood. A true story of a child
born in war-torn London soon after the Second World War whose early
memories are of the care and security given to him by his
grandmother and a guardian angel who watches over him. At six he
finds out a devastating secret that changes his life. He withdraws
into his own world, searching for understanding and meaning.
Isolated from his family and children of his own age he turns to
his angel for love and guidance but even she cannot save him from
what is to come. Unable to read and write he joins a gang and at
fourteen finds himself before the courts for the first time.
'Bomb doors open!'It was the call that haunted airmen's dreams.This
is the story of an ordinary young Australian whose ambition to fly
took him halfway round the globe during World War II - and the
fateful mission when his plane was hit three times.'Battle Order
204 is about the quality of courage.Christobel Mattingley has
written this book with compassion and insight, its presentation is
gripping and moving.' Max Fatchen AM'Brilliant.At once uplifting
yet thought-provoking; enlightening yet, of necessity, sad. There
is a commendable balance of hard fact and human emotion elements,
and I found it almost impossible to put down.' Mike Garbett, author
of The Lancaster at War
Following his first three successful books, describing his long
career as a military pilot, Mike Brooke completes the story with
more tales of test flying during the 1980s and '90s. During this
period his career changed to see him take control of flying at
Farnborough and then at Boscombe Down, as well as off-the-cuff
delivery missions to Saudi Arabia, 'bombing' in the name of science
in the Arctic and the chance to fulfil a long-standing dream and
fly the vintage SE.5a. This often hilarious memoir gives a
revealing insight into military and civilian test flying of a wide
range of aircraft, weapons and systems. As in his previous books,
Brooke continues to use his personal experiences to give the reader
a unique view of flight trials of the times, successes and
failures. More Testing Times and its earlier volumes make for
fascinating reading for any aviation enthusiast.
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