Half a Wing, Three Engines and a Prayer

[B-17engineer]

This is probably my favorite WWII book about the airwar. They take personal accounts from B-17 crews....


Here's the beggining of Chapter one:

Introduction to Combat​

Amiens, August 15, 1943

" I was a mite uncertain about the outcome for this one. The target was in the center of a valley and there was no way around anything. We flew straight through up to the Ruhr defenses, where all hell broke loose. Talk about 'intense and accurate flak'! They made us know it. Flak rattled off the plane's nose like hail. The target area was obscured and our bombs went wild. Focke-Wulf's attacked outside the Ruhr defenses and hit the high and lead groups. They didn't bother us thanks to good formation flying."

 

[Airframes]

Good start to the book, B17. Have you read 'Combat Crewman' by John Comer ? It's the story of his tour on B17's with the 91st B.G.out of Ridgewell, U.K. in 1943-44. Got a lot of detail of individual aircraft that you will probably have seen photos of, and amazing detail accounts of missions and technical stuff.rIf you've not tead it, and can't get it, let me know, and I'll send it to you, as long as I get it back sometime.
Terry.

 

[B-17engineer]

Alright thanks airframes If I can't find it thats good to know. Plus my dad being a cop....he's on top of that kind of stuff

 

[Gnomey]

Sounds like a good start to the book, I guess I'll have to look out for it.

Another one you might want to look out for is "Wild Blue" by Steven Ambrose (you should be able to find it). And another is "Flyboys" by James Bradley.

 

[B-17engineer]

Alright thanks Gnomey

 

[Njaco]

"Half A Wing, Three Engines and a Prayer" by Brian D. O'Neill is a great book. I have it along with several others. Two that are good about the raids are "The Bomber War" by Robin Neillands and "The Munster Raid: Bloody Skies Over Germany" by Ian Hawkins. Really enjoyable books. "Munster..." really goes into how the crews lived and prepared. There are also several other books from Cassell Military Press by Martin Middlebrook.

 

[B-17engineer]

Very cool I will have to check them out!

 

[RabidAlien]

Somewhat along the same lines is Jimmy Doolittle's "I Could Never Be So Lucky Again". EXCELLENT read. Gets down and dirty with the crews, as well as into the broader tactical aspect of the war...including his infamous "interview" with Gen. Eisenhower and his very bad first impression.