Beaufighter Over the Balkans: from the Balkans Air Force to the Berlin Airlift by Steve Stevens

Beaufighter Over the Balkans: from the Balkans Air Force to the Berlin Airlift by Steve Stevens

This is the wartime autobiography of one of South Africa s most famous pilots. Steve joined the SAF at the outset of World War I with the desire to become a fighter pilot and to fly in Europe to destroy the Nazi s ambitions of power. However, he was too good a pilot and having gained his wings was posted to become a flying instructor in his native country. After two years he finally arrived in Europe and joined the RAF s Balkan Air Force flying rocket-firing Beaufighters in support of the partisans who were endeavoring to evict the Germans from their homelands. He joined No 19 Squadron under the command of the legendary Don Tilley and flew many missions against enemy shipping, gun emplacements and tactical targets in low-level, surprise rocket attacks. After the war he returned to Africa, flying light aircraft in a variety of roles, but when Berlin was blockaded by the USR he returned to fly DC-3 Dakotas throughout the Berlin Airlift.This is a story told with a compassion that belies the author s bravery and piloting skills. Throughout the story, his strong Christian belief, as with Leonard Cheshire VC, occasionally surfaces from the heat of battle and narrow escapes from death.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781844156108
ISBN 10	1844156109
Title	Beaufighter Over the Balkans: from the Balkans Air Force to the Berlin Airlift
Author	Steve Stevens
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Pen & Sword Books Ltd
Year published	2007-04-10
Number of pages	192
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.