The Eight Ballers: Eyes of the Fifth Air Force: The 8th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron in World War II (X Planes of the Third Reich Series) [Hardcover]

John Stanaway (Author), Bob Rocker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1999 | Series: X Planes of the Third Reich Series

Beginning operations in April 1942 with a shoestring flight of four Lockheed F-4 Lightnings (the photo-recon version of the famed P-38), the 8th Photo Squadron gave the American Army Air Forces its only aerial reconnaissance coverage of the Southwest Paci

Product Details

• Hardcover: 184 pages
• Publisher: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764309102
• ISBN-13: 978-0764309106
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,182,150 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Up-close Look at Life in the Pacific Theater During WWII, March 3, 2002

By 

jmoney "jms63" (San Antonio, TX United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Eight Ballers: Eyes of the Fifth Air Force: The 8th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron in World War II (X Planes of the Third Reich Series) (Hardcover)

First let me say that recon pilots have to have more guts than any fighter pilot! The bad guys are trying just as hard to kill you, but since all you're armed with is a camera, about the only thing you can do is take their picture and try to outfly 'em.

My dad was a P-38 pilot in the 8th Photo Squadron during WWII and I grew up hearing stories about his experiences. This excellent book takes the pages from squadron's daily journal and combines them with rare photographs supplied by the pilots themselves. It gives you a feel for the sometimes tedious, often terrifying conditions these men lived with day in and day out. They never knew if their next mission would be their last.

This squadron's efforts were vital to the success of the Pacific war, and their pride in what they were doing comes through in the pages of this book. Despite the sacrifices they had to make, these men knew they had an important job to do, and in the face of incredible hardships, they went out and did it.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in WWII, the Pacific theater, and in the courageousness of what has rightly been called "the greatest generation." Way to go, Pop!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome book!!, January 21, 2010

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star2000 - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Eight Ballers: Eyes of the Fifth Air Force: The 8th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron in World War II (X Planes of the Third Reich Series) (Hardcover)

Goes along with all the stories I have ever heard from my dad growing up. Great for anyone interested in WWII.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Happy with Fifth AF book, September 24, 2007

By 

F. Smyth - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Eight Ballers: Eyes of the Fifth Air Force: The 8th Photo Reconnaissance Squadron in World War II (X Planes of the Third Reich Series) (Hardcover)

The book has alot of pictures and the histroy of the 8th Photo Recon Squadron. It is very detailed about the bases and locations from where they flew out of in the South Pacific. There is also numerous lists and pictures of the pilots and enlisted personal attached to the squadron from 1942 to 1946. For the historical value I rate this book very highly.