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Aces, Warriors & Wingmen
Wayne Ralph, author of the award-winning biography that resulted in two television documentaries, BARKER VC - The Life, Death and Legend of Canada's Most Decorated War Hero, will publish his new book in 2005 with John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Based on his tape-recorded interviews over the past four years with more than 100 Second World War fighter pilots, Ralph has written an evocative, emotional memoir about the world of aerial combat. Unlike the typical military history, the author is one of the characters in the book and his journey to find and interview these war veterans is part of the narrative. His story is woven around their firsthand accounts of war and peace.
Aces, Warriors and Wingmen: Firsthand Accounts of Canada's Fighter Pilots in the Second World War is not intended as an operational history. Though many exciting operational stories are told, the book is an exploration of the sociology and emotional world of the fighter pilot, and his evolution from novice to expert. In tone and theme the book is similar to The Greatest Generation by American author Tom Brokaw.
More than 40 life stories are told in detail. Each includes not only the drama of combat but also anecdotes of childhood, family history, and post-war readjustment. All theatres of the war are featured, including the Western Desert, Malta, India, Burma, Japan, and northwest Europe. The author has tracked down a broad range of fighter pilots and some of the aces and their recollections are candid and sometimes surprising. In addition to famous figures, well known in aviation history, there are stories of many average men who simply wanted to serve. Included are Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm carrier pilots; Coastal Command anti-shipping pilots; night fighter and intruder pilots and navigators on the Mosquito and Beaufighter; fighter bomber pilots on the Typhoon and, the most visible and famous in public memory, the day fighter pilots flying Spitfires, Hurricanes, Kittyhawks, and Mustangs.
Aces, Warriors and Wingmen will be a hard-covered book, about 9"; by 8";, illustrated with more than 100 original photographs. Many of the photos have never before been published, and will include images of fighter pilots in the war and also as they appear today. Given their average age, the mortality rate of these veterans is high. More than 20 of those interviewed have died in the past two years. More veterans die every day than at the height of the Second World War.
Based on his tape-recorded interviews over the past four years with more than 100 Second World War fighter pilots, Ralph has written an evocative, emotional memoir about the world of aerial combat. Unlike the typical military history, the author is one of the characters in the book and his journey to find and interview these war veterans is part of the narrative. His story is woven around their firsthand accounts of war and peace.
Aces, Warriors and Wingmen: Firsthand Accounts of Canada's Fighter Pilots in the Second World War is not intended as an operational history. Though many exciting operational stories are told, the book is an exploration of the sociology and emotional world of the fighter pilot, and his evolution from novice to expert. In tone and theme the book is similar to The Greatest Generation by American author Tom Brokaw.
More than 40 life stories are told in detail. Each includes not only the drama of combat but also anecdotes of childhood, family history, and post-war readjustment. All theatres of the war are featured, including the Western Desert, Malta, India, Burma, Japan, and northwest Europe. The author has tracked down a broad range of fighter pilots and some of the aces and their recollections are candid and sometimes surprising. In addition to famous figures, well known in aviation history, there are stories of many average men who simply wanted to serve. Included are Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm carrier pilots; Coastal Command anti-shipping pilots; night fighter and intruder pilots and navigators on the Mosquito and Beaufighter; fighter bomber pilots on the Typhoon and, the most visible and famous in public memory, the day fighter pilots flying Spitfires, Hurricanes, Kittyhawks, and Mustangs.
Aces, Warriors and Wingmen will be a hard-covered book, about 9"; by 8";, illustrated with more than 100 original photographs. Many of the photos have never before been published, and will include images of fighter pilots in the war and also as they appear today. Given their average age, the mortality rate of these veterans is high. More than 20 of those interviewed have died in the past two years. More veterans die every day than at the height of the Second World War.
Submitted on December 17, 2004 in By David.
