Air Gunner: The Men Who Manned the Turrets - WWII Aviation History Book for Military Enthusiasts & History Buffs - Perfect for Research, Collectors, and WWII Memorabilia
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SKU:41834667
Product Description
There have been several books published about the wartime experiences of individual air gunners but there is no general history of Air Gunners, their equipment, training or service in the various RAF Commands in which they served. This book explains in great detail how and why the trade of air gunner was developed at the outset of World War II. Chapters include the history of the guns and turrets, the famous gunners, outstanding bravery during major raids, flying with Coastal Command, Bomber Command and overseas operations. It also includes the history of Air Gunners who became prisoners of war, outstanding bravery awards and American air gunners such as Clark Gable, John Huston and Charlton Heston. It includes many first-hand accounts of wartime combat as seen from the gun turret in the heat of battle. Air Gunners, ‘tail-end Charleys’ in particular, have always been popular wartime heroes as they flew in their isolated positions protecting their aircraft from enemy fighter attack in the skies over war torn Europe.
Customer Reviews
Air Gunners served globally, manning turrets/gun positions in Blenheims, Wellingtons, Lancs, Stirlings, Halifaxes, B-24s and various other bombers. Alan Copper chronicles the combat life and times of dozens of those gunners in this 2009 release from Pen & Sword Books.Given their widespread service, Cooper groups his tales into chapters entitled 'Early Combats,' 'Bomber Command,' 'Coastal Command,' 'Far East' and 'Middle East' along with chapters on 'Celebrity Air Gunners,' 'Outstanding Operations,' 'Lack of Moral Fibre,' 'POWs/Evasion/Casualties,' 'Telegraphist Air Gunners,' etc. Though there is a chapter on 8th Air Force gunners, AIR GUNNERS really is the story of British gunners. The narrative is well illustrated with vintage photographs, drawings, cartoons and diagrams.You have to give Cooper credit for the research he did on the topic. His acknowledgements list over 100 gunners and other aircrew. And the gunners themselves certainly deserve all the credit due them.I wish I could rate Cooper's book higher than three stars but AIR GUNNERS really is a poorly written book. It's filled with run-on sentences, poorly phrased sentences, typos, etc. Likewise the book is disorganized; it doesn't have a narrative flow. You bounce from one chapter on turrets to early RAF bomber ops to Very Old/Very Young gunners to Outstanding ops to Bomber Command, etc. Pen & Sword dropped the ball with this one; an editor's services were clearly needed.Royal Air Force enthusiasts or 'heavy metal' bomber buffs should enjoy AIR GUNNERS. In reading it though, they may find the book is a diamond in the rough. Recommended with reservations.
