In 1943 the Nazis war machine had subdued most of Western Europe. A very young Ted Norman joins the 448th Bomb Group based in Seething, England, as part of the Allies effort to win the war. Casualties are high with 1 in 20 aircraft missing every mission. As the bombing raids push ever further into enemy territory, Ted is forced to reach the very limit of his own endurance in order to become the Captain his men depend on. This is a work of fiction. But the 448th Bomb Group, Very Heavy, was real. The 448th lost 137 planes to all causes in its eighteen months in the Europe, with a maximum of 48 B-24s assigned at any one time. The author, Nolan Lewis, has used his experiences of World War II to create a vividly realistic story of a young B24 bomber pilot. Since the war he has pursued many different occupations including writer and reporter for various companies including Portland Oregonian, KGW-TV News, Portland Public Schools Public Information Office, Gold Prospector Magazine, Cruising World, and several minor magazines. He currently lives in Ione, WA, USA.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Spellbinding Read,
By J. Chippindale (England) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Clouds are always White on Top - Flying the Box the B-17 Flying Fortress Came In (Hardcover)
August 1, 2006
Clouds are Always White on Top (Nolan Lewis) First Rate Novel This book is written by a man who experienced World War II first hand. The novel itself is about the experiences of a young B-24 bomber pilot flying what was at the time one of the largest and most well armed bomber aircraft of the time and at the age of barely 20 years old, little more than a boy. The young pilots and their crews had to fly across the channel into Germany with very little fighter protection and then withstand prolonged periods of anti aircraft fire from which there was no protection. Evasive action could not be taken particularly as they were flying in tight formation. It was just pot luck whether you got through it or got shot down. They then had to drop their bombs at the target and face the flak all over again. The pilots were told, do 25 missions and then you can go home for a while. Some of them never even made it back from the first mission. The same horrendous conditions also applied of course to the British crews as well as the Americans. Because of his experiences in the War the author brings a strong feeling of reality to the book and makes you almost feel part of the crew, sitting in the base bar, waiting to see if it close early, which means there will be a mission next morning. Being stood down again because the weather, either at the target or around the home base precludes the planes taking off. The elation of being spared the mission only to find that the aircraft will leave as soon as the weather clears. The heartache of losing a close friend, knowing that as a pilot you are ferry these men to possible death. It is a book that makes you think, and realise how lucky you were to be spared the almost barbaric conditions of fighting a war in which comradeship is the only thing that kept a lot of men from going insane. The hero of the book Ted Norman has his own demons, recurring nightmares of a particular mission on which he is co-pilot and his captain is killed in the seat beside him, leaving Ted to get the aircraft and the surviving crew back home, although he has several wounds himself.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Men Who Fought The War In Europe From The Sky.,
By W. H. McDonald Jr. "The American Author Assoc... (Elk Grove, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Clouds are always White on Top - Flying the Box the B-17 Flying Fortress Came In (Hardcover)
What a great story, it has it all; courage, fear, love, war, pain, nightmares, action, death and killing and compelling characters. Author Nolan Lewis has created a moving, and at times, even a tender account of a young bomber pilot and his crew. It is really so much more than just a war story--it is a coming of age tale set in war times.
Nolan Lewis gives the reader a multidimensional look at the life of the bomber crews who flew mission over Europe in WWII. The narrative is well written and the dialog adds more layers of emotion to the story. You can tell that the author has had experiences with what he writes about. The action comes across as realistic. The book is an easy reading experience but it is not the normal simple formula plot. The emotional complexity of the leading characters gives the book a much greater depth than most books of this genre. I recommend this book to those interested in flying, WWII stories or just good insightful reading entertainment.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
AN AMAZING STORY! You won't be disappointed.,
By K. Trout "Kaye" (Pagosa Springs, CO USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Clouds are always White on Top - Flying the Box the B-17 Flying Fortress Came In (Hardcover)
Clouds Are Always White on Top -
Flying the Box the B-17 Flying Fortress Came In by Nolan Lewis To let you know what this book is about, I will quote from the back cover: "This gripping story begins in 1943 when the Nazi war machine had subdued most of Western Europe. A very young Ted Norman pilots an American B-24 bomber of the 448th Bomb Group as part of the Allied effort to win the war in Europe. Casualties are high with 1 in 20 aircraft missing-in-action every mission. As the bombing raids push ever further into enemy territory, Ted is forced to reach the very limit of his own endurance in order to become the Captain his men are depending on. This is a work of fiction, but the 448th Bomb Group, Very Heavy, was real. The 448th was based for eighteen months in Seething, England, during which time they lost 137 planes to all causes, with a maximum of 48 B-24s assigned at any one time." Nolan Lewis has created from his own experiences of World War II this fictional novel about a B-24 bomber pilot, Lieutenant Theodore Norman. Ted certainly comes to life for us right from page one as he sits next to Captain Hansen waiting to take off for his first bombing run over Germany. By page 22 Ted has a problem: "Suddenly all hell breaks loose. The bombardier, who was down under and forward of Ted's feet is gone, along with the whole front of the plane. The temperature is somewhere around thirty degrees below zero and he has about a two-hundred-mile-an-hour wind blowing up between his feet. The ship begins to fall off on the left wing so he looks over at the Captain. For the first time he realizes that the left windscreen is also gone, along with most of the Captain's head. Next, he gets a panicky feeling. He's going blind! Everything is going dark. He wipes his hand across his face and realizes that it's blood running down into his eyes from a scalp wound, but he doesn't have enough hands to keep it and the ship both under control. By this time the huge bomber is practically upside down. They are picking up speed real fast. He chops the throttles, hauls back on the wheel, and wracks it to the right, but realizes he's fighting the weight of the Captain's body that is slumped over the left wheel. He calls the navigator and says, `Jesus Christ, Glen, get up here and give me a hand.' The spin has progressed to the point where Shannon has to fight his way forward. It seems like hours, but is probably less than half a minute before he reaches the cabin. Shannon takes one look and says, `Holy shit!' He stands frozen for a couple of seconds before he can digest the mess he has found and begin to move." Besides describing the dangers of flying B-24s over Germany, the author writes about Ted's luck with the English ladies, his regular nightmares, his feelings about the men lost to war, and his feelings about flying-the only thing he was really good at. After 42 flights over Germany and shortly after returning to the US, Ted requests a discharge. He thinks he'll get a job as a pilot and applies at United Airlines. The interviewer says, "`Plenty of hours. B-24, B-29. Mostly four-engine. That's good.' As he continues to read he suddenly says, `Jesus. Is this right?' When Ted leans forward to check what he's referring to, the finger is on his date of birth. At Ted's nod he says, `But that makes you only twenty years old?'" April 1, 1951 Ted is recalled to active duty and assigned to 403rd Troop Carrier Wing to fight in Korea. His response is `Korea . . . What the hell's a Korea?' And in conclusion: "Suddenly he's gripped by a heady exhilaration. He's going back where he belongs. Back to his world. Where he knows what he's doing. Back to where he's the best. Where he doesn't have to make excuses. Maybe this time he will qualify for the order of the wooden cross and be done with it." If you like well-written, realistic war stories, you won't be disappointed by this author. There's a lot to be learned in subtle ways through another person's experiences. The book includes a photo of Nolan Lewis at age16 in his Air Force cadet uniform. Nolan currently lives in Ione, WA. Forty-two flights over Germany and home by age 20. Unbelievable! Reviewed by Kaye Trout - June 20, 2006 - Copyright
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