What do you think?
Rate this book
First Kills: The Illustrated Biography of Fighter Pilot Wladyslaw Gnys
"Remarkably detailed . . . It is a tribute to Wladyslaw Gnys, the decorated ace pilot, but also to the charming and humble man himself." --Hamilton Magazine
Polish pilot Wladyslaw (Wladek) Gnys was credited with shooting down the first two German aircraft of World War II on September 1, 1939. On this day, as Gnys' squadron took off near Krak�w to intercept the German invaders, German Stuka pilot Frank Neubert attacked, killing the captain. Wladek, who barely survived himself, evaded the pursuing Stukas and went on to make the first Allied kills, while Neubert was credited with the first aerial kill of the war.
Fifty years after the invasion of Poland, in the summer of 1989, Gnys and Neubert met and shook hands, making news around the world. They reconciled their differences and remained friends until their deaths. This event symbolized the prevailing friendly coexistence between Poland and Germany.
Written by his son Stefan and drawing from his logbooks, this highly illustrated biography of Wladek Gnys is the most in-depth account of the Polish hero's life. It tells Wladek's story from his childhood in rural Poland, through his time flying in three Allied air forces during World War II, his capture and escape during Operation Overlord, and his reconciliation with Neubert and his commemoration as a national war hero in Poland.
"Tells the story of one man's ride through the history of most of the 20th century . . . This is far from a run-of-the-mill wartime story, being more of a touching and revealing look into an extraordinary life." --Aircrew Remembered
Polish pilot Wladyslaw (Wladek) Gnys was credited with shooting down the first two German aircraft of World War II on September 1, 1939. On this day, as Gnys' squadron took off near Krak�w to intercept the German invaders, German Stuka pilot Frank Neubert attacked, killing the captain. Wladek, who barely survived himself, evaded the pursuing Stukas and went on to make the first Allied kills, while Neubert was credited with the first aerial kill of the war.
Fifty years after the invasion of Poland, in the summer of 1989, Gnys and Neubert met and shook hands, making news around the world. They reconciled their differences and remained friends until their deaths. This event symbolized the prevailing friendly coexistence between Poland and Germany.
Written by his son Stefan and drawing from his logbooks, this highly illustrated biography of Wladek Gnys is the most in-depth account of the Polish hero's life. It tells Wladek's story from his childhood in rural Poland, through his time flying in three Allied air forces during World War II, his capture and escape during Operation Overlord, and his reconciliation with Neubert and his commemoration as a national war hero in Poland.
"Tells the story of one man's ride through the history of most of the 20th century . . . This is far from a run-of-the-mill wartime story, being more of a touching and revealing look into an extraordinary life." --Aircrew Remembered
521 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 10, 2020
50 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 24, 2019
First kills
Good read.Very brave men,pity they were treated so badly after the war by the countries they risked their lives for.
Good read.Very brave men,pity they were treated so badly after the war by the countries they risked their lives for.
March 1, 2020
An excellent book about an unsung hero of WWII. Gnys is the first Allied pilot that shot down a German plane in WWII. He also fought in the Battle of France, Battle of Britain and went on till he was shot down.
The books is beautifully illustrated with drawings made especially for the book, many B+W and colours pictures. This makes it stand out among many other comparable books.
Written by his son who shows his admiration for his father it is an excellent read.
Highly recommended.
The books is beautifully illustrated with drawings made especially for the book, many B+W and colours pictures. This makes it stand out among many other comparable books.
Written by his son who shows his admiration for his father it is an excellent read.
Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews