Customer Reviews

Fly West

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Southall is to the writing of WWII, what Tom Wolf is to the journalism of the sixites. He delivers a very subjective history, full of atmosphere, impressions and emotions. But unlike Wolf, Ivan Southall experienced the dangers of operational flying first hand (as a Sunderland pilot during WWII).

For those not in the know, the Sunderland was a converted airliner -- a seaplane used for long distance and long duration patrols over the Bay of Biscay. While no where near as fast (or sexy) as the fighters and bombers that poulate most period literature, it gained a formidable reputation among German aircrew as "the flying porcupine". The pilots and crew of this beast (one of the largest aircraft of it's era) were a unique and highly skilled breed.

"Fly West" is a collection of anecdotes about 416 Squadron (Costal Command) during WWII. Sometimes Southall is part of these missions, more often he is merely recording the stories. Either way "Fly West" (the slang for running away) is an exceptional book, suitable for everyone 12 and up (I was 12 when I read it the first time, 38 the second). While Southall spares us the graphic and more visceral horrors, he doesn't let up on the terror and tension of long (twelve hours or more) operational flights. This is a page turner, with plenty of white knuckled moments.

In short, a must read for any fan of WWII litterature, or flying.