Air Bridge

by Hammond Innes

Neil Fraser, former WW II hero, is a top notch mercenary pilot. But now he is on the run, and in need of a plane. Bill Saeton has risen from the flames of war with the dream of an air freight fleet.

Fraser needs a plane. Saeton needs Fraser. One would murder his best friend to get what he wants, but this is where the other draws the line.

"Authentic and excellent...his plot, characters and suspense live up to the setting." (San Francisco Chronicle)

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Aviation, Adventure, World War II, War

280 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1951

About the author

Ralph Hammond Innes was an English novelist who wrote over 30 novels, as well as children's and travel books.He was awarded a C.B.E. (Commander, Order of the British Empire) in 1978. The World Mystery Convention honoured Innes with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Bouchercon XXIV awards in Omaha, Nebraska, Oct, 1993.

Innes was born in Horsham, Sussex, and educated at the Cranbrook School in Kent. He left in 1931 to work as a journalist, initially with the Financial Times (at the time called the Financial News). The Doppelganger, his first novel, was published in 1937. In WWII he served in the Royal Artillery, eventually rising to the rank of Major. During the war, a number of his books were published, including Wreckers Must Breathe (1940), The Trojan Horse (1941) and Attack Alarm (1941); the last of which was based on his experiences as an anti-aircraft gunner during the Battle of Britain at RAF Kenley. After being discharged in 1946, he worked full-time as a writer, achieving a number of early successes.

His novels are notable for a fine attention to accurate detail in descriptions of places, such as in Air Bridge (1951), set partially at RAF Gatow, RAF Membury after its closure and RAF Wunstorf during the Berlin Airlift.

Innes went on to produce books in a regular sequence, with six months of travel and research followed by six months of writing. Many of his works featured events at sea. His output decreased in the 1960s, but was still substantial. He became interested in ecological themes. He continued writing until just before his death. His last novel was Delta Connection (1996).

Unusually for the thriller genre, Innes' protagonists were often not "heroes" in the typical sense, but ordinary men suddenly thrust into extreme situations by circumstance. Often, this involved being placed in a hostile environment (the Arctic, the open sea, deserts), or unwittingly becoming involved in a larger conflict or conspiracy. The protagonist generally is forced to rely on his own wits and making best use of limited resources, rather than the weapons and gadgetry commonly used by thriller writers.

Four of his early novels were made into films: Snowbound (1948)from The Lonely Skier (1947), Hell Below Zero (1954) from The White South (1949), Campbell's Kingdom (1957), and The Wreck of the Mary Deare (1959). His 1973 novel Golden Soak was adapted into a six-part television series in 1979.

Reviews

[W]

My first Hammond Innes book,good enough to whet my appetite for more.

[Gu Kun · Rating 2 out of 5]

+ Innes can write: straightforward, never embellished, some very poignant descriptions - dialogue and action well-packed in swift stories blessedly devoid of lengthy mundane portraitures. He is good at evoking the feel of a place - the threatening whiffs of moist in an undersea mine; the gloomy metal smell of a ship hold; (in this book) the utter desolation of a (seemingly - aha - thriller begins!) defunct aerodrome at night somewhere in dreary midwinter Britain - I could almost feel those slippery half-frozen weeds on the tarmac trying to ensnare my boots - "a fine 1950s black-and-white adventure movie" I believe is what some other member wrote. But ...

- Innes' protagonists' immense stupidity beggars belief - in each of his damn novels. I always subtract a full star for that - at least - two for this book. Always starts with a gripping, original setup - and then pretty soon occur the grim contractions of the eyebrows and pursing of the mouth in disbelief. And they keep coming back - at some point you want to scream at the stage or the screen: "Noooo man! Dón't do that,man! Dón't ... ah ... just leave him lying there, unconscious but untrussed, that bloke who a minute ago tried to shoot you and vice versa - you shot at him with, intent to kill undoubtedly, for with a double-barrelled shotgun, remember! Now you got him. Now shoot the bastard! End of story (plus end of novel - there's the rub: novella not as good a sella). Don't ... ah ... let a physically much stronger fanatic who has repeatedly announced to you that he will walk over the dead bodies, including yours, of all those who would venture to thwart his plans, get too close to you once you are engaged in ... thwarting his plans! - and definitely do not tell him straight in his face that you are thus engaged, you silly - especially when you're alone with him and he is the much stronger chap ánd far more ruthless and thus far deadlier than thou, thou ...SUKKEL! "SUKKEL!","O, súkkel!", " O nee, stomme sukkel!!" I found myself muttering continually. ("Sukkel" = goof, dunce, dope, dolt, nincompoop´etc; stom(me) = dumb, stupid; "nee" = no - Dutch - funny this tendency to revert to one's mother tongue when perturbed. (And when doing arithmetic.) Hammond has these deathwishy-washy Goody Two-shoes: they are invariably sturdy and courageous young and not-so-old men of high moral standing - in existential matters , so when and where it counts (as in an adventure novel!) - not necessarily in money matters - picture the gentleman rogue with the heart of gold - British officer type - picture David Niven -but a David Niven in one of his comic, bungling roles: beset with an inconceivable and inconceivably persistent naivité in the face of danger and a ludicrously caricaturesque British fair-play forbearance, Hammond's protagonists most often seem to do everything in their power to give their mortal opponents yet one more chance - to stay alive and free and kicking hard - till the very end, where the villain(s) usually come to grief through some twist of fate or outside force - nót by the spotless hands of our hero, naturally - let's say: a walrus attack (we're in Antarctica - The Blue Ice is the novel) seems to finally end the fight in disfavor of the ruthless villain who is now incapacitated (ÍS HE? IS HE REALLY? We know better, for we read Hammond innes before ...) and slowly bleeding to death - what does our hero do? - tucks him in snugly - untrammelled, naturally - and lays himself down beside the bugger and goes to sleep - only to be awakened in the middle of the night by a flaming tent set alight with walrus blubber by you-know-who ... and the novel has yet again gained a few more pages - there's Hammond Innes for you.
As for Air Bridge, I found the mulish refusal of the protagonist to recognize the mortal threat so clearly and repeatedly posed particularly hard to stomach - especially in the finale, where the villain "most unexpectedly" (quotation marks for whodunit puzzlers) comes down the stairs in the farm where they
(hero and thé girl - there's always thé girl in Hammond's stories, who then turns out to be SÓME! woman - brainy, tough, gutsy ... loyal even - and hé is always the perfect gentleman waiting for some serious life threats to be removed at the end of the book ere he pounces - or she - anyway, they get each other in the end and the how and and-now? are swiftly told in a few sentences on the last pages)
have strived so hard all through the second half of the novel to get to - denouement at hand - but no, it takes many many precious minutes and talk and queries to and fro (there are other people present - I won't give too much away) before they realize that the wolf, who has been a true big bad wolf all through the story, has come to do ... some truly big-bad-wolfy naughtiness ... Yeah, and then it takes some many long minutes again before someone (thé girl - yeah! - she's also thé brains in the book) suggests they might want to arm themselves ... and so it goes, and on it goes - and you the reader feel like the greatest sucker of them all because you yet again have let yourself get sucked into another most dissatisfying adventure novel that nonetheless you cannot bring yourself to discard because there is this overwhelming need to know how the bad guys perish and the good guy bumbles and bungles his way to victory. And so on you read*. Grmpf, Hammond
Innes.
*I actually listened to the audio version on Youtube - read by stephen Thorne - adequate, but his German accent is way off - and there are quite a few German voices, so it gets to be irritating - Thorne tries to imitate some ridiculous post-war Hollywood German ("Jawoll!" - no one here says it, unless in jest - and no Zherman zounds like ziz - and conversely I haven't as yet come across an actor from the English-speaking world who has cottoned on to the obvious problems most Ch'ommans have with dings like "manach'uh" (manager) and "tahun"(town). Zstrange.

[Elisabeth]

I can't quite give this a star rating. The plot, the suspense, the aviation and action scenes are good, as one would expect from Innes; but on the flip side, nearly all the characters are very hard to like, and a lack of judgment/near-sympathy toward a particularly horrible individual at the very end of the book rather mars the climax. There's also more sexual content than any other Innes book I've read—nothing explicit, but suggestive; generally speaking none of the characters seem to have a very strong moral compass. While a woman's near-infidelity is treated as tragic and painful for her husband, there's an odd lack of moral judgment on her actions, a sort of fatalism to her infatuation for another man. I'd been keen to read this one for a while because the blurb sounded interesting, but it didn't quite live up to expectations.

[Paul Cornelius · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice, imaginative adventure story that is a product of the immediate postwar years. Innes writes in a punchy style, but he is no Hemingway. Nonetheless, his story has a certain drive to it. And his shift in settings, from an abandoned American airstrip in England to Germany and the Berlin Airlift makes for almost two novels. The first half, in England, is a sort of set melodrama. The second half is pure espionage and action. Innes seems to know his aircraft, except for the fact that his beloved Avro Tudor apparently was a bit of a dud, far behind the US in advanced aeronautics. But that doesn't matter. Not only a good adventure, by the way, but some fairly interesting characters. The protagonist, Neil Fraser, is pretty well fleshed out, as is the villain of the piece, Saeton.

[Dan Panke · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new engine design for airplanes is at the heart of this Hammond Innes adventure. An aptly named character, "Saeton", is the driving figure of all lawless doings.

[Vikas Datta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wrenching story of the costs of ambition..

[Stephen Hayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Neil Fraser is on the run from the police when he crashes the car is driving and walks up the hill to find a disused airfield, where Bill Saeton and Tubby Carter are refitting a plane in the hope that they can use it to take part in the Berlin Airlift to break the Russian blockade of the city. Fraser is recruited to help them but it isd a shoestring operation, threatening to collapse at any moment.

It soon becomes apparent that Bill Saeton is quite unscrupulous and is prepared to sacrifice anyone or anything to achieve his goals, and to break the law if he thinks it necessary.

[Paul Lloyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cool story I must read it again!!

[Vincent Button · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hammond Innes is unparalleled in crafting rip-roaring, unputdownable novels that capture the essence of human endeavor and the complexities of moral dilemmas.

“Air Bridge” is no exception, offering a thrilling narrative that intertwines the patriotic fervor of British entrepreneurs with the shadowy actions of those who would stop at nothing to be rewarded for their efforts, even at the expense of human lives.

Set against the backdrop of the Berlin Airlift, the novel captures the fervent patriotism of British entrepreneurs who are determined to aid West Berlin during its blockade by the Soviets. The protagonist, Neil Fraser, a former WWII hero and skilled pilot, finds himself entangled with Bill Saeton, an ambitious businessman with dreams of building an air freight empire.

Innes masterfully portrays the dichotomy of human nature through his characters—those who are driven by a noble cause to save lives and those who are motivated by greed, willing to exploit the situation for personal gain. The narrative delves into the moral complexities of such endeavors, questioning the price of innovation and the value of human life. As the story unfolds, we witness the lengths to which individuals will go to ensure their efforts are recognized and rewarded, often at a high human cost.

The author's attention to detail and authentic descriptions of aviation technology reflect his profound knowledge of the subject, adding a layer of realism to the thrilling plot. The novel is not just an adventure; it's a commentary on the moral dilemmas faced by those who stand on the precipice of great achievements. It's a reminder that progress often comes with a price, and sometimes that price is the ultimate sacrifice.

In "Air Bridge," Innes has crafted a narrative that is as much about the human spirit as it is about the machines that enable it to soar. It's a story that resonates with the reader, challenging us to consider the true cost of victory and the shadows that linger behind the bright facade of success.

[Stephen Pearson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The hook for me was that this was a thriller set during the Berlin Airlift, from a pilots perspective, and while the second half was exciting it ultimately failed to meet my expectations.

The biggest issue is the plot points, the first half had me thinking ‘so what?’ as the pressure of engineering building and drawing up contracts for the engines was too removed from any real tension. It was only my interest in the Cold War, thinking it was going to heavily feature a first person perspective of taking part in the airlift and the promise of (based on Innes’ own experience) some accurate descriptions of flying. There are some good descriptions of the air bases involved and the geography, thanks to Innes’ research visiting the airfields. However, all the characters in this are unlikable and couldn’t find myself sympathising with any of them.

The second half of the book became more exciting, with feuds, action and adventure fused with Cold War tensions, with the final couple of chapters being a fun read, although the heavy handed way the characters and parts from earlier in the came together were a bit hard to swallow.

[Andy Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it - a nice, short, slightly old-fashioned thriller but with at least one very obvious flaw - at least I didn't pick up on it. First person narrator falls in with a megalomaniac aircraft designer who blackmailed him into helping him put a new aircraft engine design into the Berlin Airlift operations for commercial gain. The basis for the blackmail was really unclear. There is a romantic liaison (no sex) with the daughter of the true designer, somewhat oddly again just hanging about. Good aircraft sequences and denouement at a farm in occupies East Berlin.

[Raime · Rating 2 out of 5]

A pretty typical adventure story for Hammond Innes. Not his best one by far, not even one of his better ones, but certainly readable.

[Alexander Molnar · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the best books i have read

[Derek Nudd · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine piece of writing, if occasionally dated to modern eyes. Falling into the genre, 'throw everything at your protagonist and see how he gets out', it works pretty well. It also provides an interesting insight into the challenges of the Berlin Airlift, and indeed trying to run any kind of business, in the aftermath of WW2.

[Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Good action and suspense; a pretty tense thriller ruined (for me) by sexism and a rather awful protagonist (his abusive initial behavior towards Else, the way they end up together, his terrible decisions during the fight on the plane, his sympathy at the end for the villain).

[David Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having a met a pilot who flew a Halifax on the Berlin Airlift I was intrigued to read about it. Hammond Innes discussed the Lift at the time with the personnel at Gatcow and the incredible operation to save West Berlin from the USSR blockade rightly goes down in the annals of history as a tremendous feat.
This wholly fictional thriller involves a man (Saeton) obsessed to join the air lift (and make lots of money, as well as enhancing British air freight prestige and capability) with a revolutionary aero-engine, a plan of which he has come by not entirely legally. He’s building this in a disused hangar at Membury with an engineer called Carter; they’ve got one working and are about to start on the second when they are interrupted by a pilot on the run from his own nefarious activities. Saeton agrees to hide him from the police if he’ll help them with the engineering. Fraser has little option and soon becomes totally immersed in the project and is uncomfortably aware of the tension between Saeton, Carter, Carter’s wife and a young (Displaced Person) German woman who seems to have a hold over Saeton.
Well it all bubbles along nicely. No character is particularly sympathetic but are all only too believably human - we all have our flaws after all - and the action switches to Berlin where the tension really cranks up and loyalties are strained to breaking point until the satisfyingly cataclysmic denouement.

[Pamela Harridine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard to put down once into it. Not sure what the point of the engines was?