Douglas Bader

by Robert Jackson

Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader, whose dazzling success as a fighter pilot with artificial legs made him a national hero, was a British national treasure. His courage was remarkable, as was the way he defied his handicap. The film Reach for the Sky brought Bader’s life into cinemas, and Robert Jackson's classic biography was the first to document his life. After a lonely childhood Bader’s early reputation as a sportsman and a daredevil made him popular with his contemporaries. But he was also an irritation to his superiors, a pattern which continued throughout his life, and hid an academic ability which won him a scholarship to St Edward’s School and a cadetship at the elite RAF College in Cranwell. After his accident, Bader was determined to rejoin the RAF. As a pilot, he was an tactical innovator, a man who confronted the methods of other pilots. When he was a Prisoner of War, Bader’s antagonism toward his guards, and his political pronouncements in later life, sometimes provoked his colleagues, but never lost him their lasting respect and admiration. After retiring from the RAF he combined a full-time job with Shell with all the demands of being a celebrity; his inspiration to the disabled gained him many accolades and finally a knighthood. Both aggressive and charming, Bader’s outward personality was famous. Robert Jackson describes the evolution of that forceful character, and the motivation behind his remarkable achievements. ‘Its style and structure make it readily accessible and, like your favourite armchair, it is easy to relax into at the end of a busy day.’ Frank Burns Robert Jackson has been a full-time author since 1969, specializing in aviation and military history. A retired member of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, he has flown a wide variety of aircraft, ranging from jets to gliders. A prolific author, he has written both fiction and non-fiction

Genres: Biography

209 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 22, 2015

About the author

Robert Jackson was born in 1941 in the North Yorkshire village of Melsonby. A former pilot and navigation instructor, his active involvement with aviation lasted many years. Following his retirement from the RAFVR in 1977 as a squadron leader, he became a full-time aviation writer and aerospace correspondent and lectured extensively on strategic issues. He speaks five languages, including Russian, and has written more than forty nonfiction works on military affairs. He is also the author of the popular Yeoman and SAS fiction series.

Reviews

[Eric GREEN · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read “Reach for the Sky “ both as a boy in school in the early 70’s and a couple of times since I found this book adds more detail and background to Douglas Bader. I remember thinking, before reading this book that if Bader was at school these days he would probably be diagnosed with ADHD! But I found his background and actions described in the book helped to tone down his character and personality. It actually helps to form a more accurate impression of an irrepressible personality and highlights other wonderful qualities of the man. I’d thoroughly recommend this to anyone with an interest in Bader.

[David Highton · Rating 3 out of 5]

this second biography of Bader which I have read, published 60 years after Paul Brickhill’s Reach For The Sky s shorter and less comprehensive although to does cover the last 30 years of his life. The author’s experience as a pilot seems to lead to a more comprehensive technical approach to the aircraft and the flying technique.

[derek arthur howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

very very excellent book highly recommendgood details about flying life on base not negative about other people thank you