Customer Reviews

2nd Air Division - 2nd Ed

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The 2nd AD was the 8th AF's B-24 component, consisting of 14 Consolidated Liberator Bomb Groups and associated Fighter Groups. Though the Liberator was viewed by some as inferior to the Boeing B-17, the B-24 units of the 2nd AD flew their share of hard missions and endured their portion of heavy losses. The 2nd AD story is told in this marvelous volume from Turner Publishing published in 1998.

SECOND AIR DIVISION tops out at 464 pages, this second edition featuring 100 pages more than the original, 1994 release. The book opens with a short history of the 2nd AD and the 2nd AD Association, which wrote and compiled the book, followed by a brief history of the Liberator.

The first major section of the book is a 42-page history of the Division's Bomb and Fighter Groups, arranged by the date each was assigned to 2nd AD. Among the Division's famous B-24 units were the "Flying Eightballs" (44th BG), "Traveling Circus" (93rd BG), the "Crusaders" of the 392nd BG, the "Rackheath Aggies" (467th BG), the "Ringmasters" of the 491st BG and the hard-luck 492nd BG out of North Pickenham. Each BG history consists of a two-six page account of the Group followed by individual reminscences from Group members.

Next is an almost 70-page collection of "Special Stories" written by aircrew of their adventures over Europe, in England, reminiscenes of squadronmates and commanders, etc. This is probably the most fascinating part of SECOND AIR DIVISION as it puts the reader "in the cockpit" as all those brave, young men battle flak and Luftwaffe fighters over Berlin, Kassel, Hamm, Polesti, Ludwigshaven and other targets. As if to underscore those stories, the next section is a 22-page listing of all 2nd AD fatalities.

The final major section of the book is a 264-page "mini-biography" listing of 2nd AD veterans, featuring a capsule summary of each vet's life and then-and-now photos. Lord, those guys looked so young back then!

In short, SECOND AIR DIVISION is one of Turner Publishing's best efforts. The combination of Group histories, individual veterans' stories and hundreds of b&w and color photographs, maps and diagrams bring the Division to life. The 2nd AD Association and Turner have reason to be proud for producing such a fine tribute to those long-ago Liberator warriors. Recommended.