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.
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