Eighth Air Force Bomber Stories: Eye-Witness Accounts from American Airmen and British Civilians of the Perils of War

by Ian McLachlan, Russell J. Zorn

This is a collection of stories about the American 8th Air Force based in East Anglia during World War II. The stories are full of human interest and illustrated with period photographs.

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Chasquis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is about a series of catastrophes and serious accidents that occurred between 1942 and 1945. East Anglia is littered with the remains of Eighth Air Force aircraft that came down here, not always due to enemy action. Their style of bombing normally involved forming up into large box shaped formations, often co-ordinated by 'assembly ships' that were works of graphic art in themselves, war weary 'crates' with coloured lights all over them, this phase of the mission could sometimes be marred by collisions. On board fires were also known to occur. The thread that binds these stories together is the resourcefulness, bravery and stubborn determination of the young men who flew these aircraft. My sympathy is for the ventral or belly gunner who had to be very nimble and lucky to escape in any sort of emergency. Morphine was carried but not alcohol. The 88mm anti aircraft guns were devastating in the main while fighters, jet and piston engined, hurled cannon shells, rockets and machine gun bullets at the 'kriegfleugers' on most raids over Europe.
Photographer Zorn was there to record the aftermath of these terrible events and his blck and white pictures and Ian McLachlans text make for a poignant and interesting memorial for us to read and ponder over.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically a collection of stories of bomber crashes caused by weather, mechanical failure, and enemy action, as told in official reports, as well as from the point of view of survivors both in the planes and on the ground.

[Leo Mccarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

good read.