Customer Reviews

Wing Leader

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
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Johnnie Johnson's autobiography is a superb document. Few "war stories" can rival its simple, straightfoward presentation and honesty. I take strong issue with other reviewers who view the book's writing style as lackluster--i believe that this is a ridiculous criticism given the fact that Mr. Johnson never claims to be a Tolstoy of literature, only a pilot who did his job and wrote about it afterwards. Where Mr. Johnson's words were sparse, my imagination had no trouble completing the pictures being sketched by his concise words. I would much prefer this kind of honest account of war to the false drama created by authors who are more interested in demonstrating their craft than relating a story. Thank you Mr. Johnson for your beautiful book and for the significant role you played in history during the 1940's.

Johnnie Johnson flew fighters and fought throughout WWII, taking part in the Battle of Britain, the invasion of Normandy and the campaign in Europe.

This is an easy-to-read book, written shortly after the war and the writing is fresh, undiluted by time.

One of the classic books of WWII, it should be required-reading for anyone wishing to understand what it was like for a young pilot to fly, fight and survive for five long years.

Johnnie Johnson's Wing Leader give us a unique view of one of the few pilots who flew during almost the entire WW II. From his start as an inexperienced rookie to the end as one of the best leaders, Johnson takes us together on his tour of duty over Europe always flying his beloved Spitfires. This book offers a true account of R.A.F.'s organization, tactics and aircrafts along with the pilots Johnnie had the pleasure to meet. While reading, one can learn how British aerial tactics evolved during the war, and at the same time, how dear each man's life was regarded.

This book gives you a pretty good idea of what it was like to live and fight in the air in WWII. It also introduces you to a lot of historical caracters. Johnson was, after all a contemporary of such flyers as Douglas Bader, Sailor Malan and Guy Gibson. The shortcomings are probably that Johnson is to modest, and sort of "British". His presentation is laconic, rather than exiting. I mean, this was the top scoring allied ace of the war, with 38 kills. It was said of another fighter pilot that he wrote almost as well as he flew. Well, Johnson flew better that he writes. He would have benefited from an association with writers such as Larry Forrester, who did a really splendid book with Robert Stanford Tuck: "Fly for your life." Still, Johnsons book oozes with authority on the subject, and should definetly be read by afficionados of air combat.

I can understand on reflection the criticisms of the flat tone of the book, perhaps vaguely justified, but look, you know who the man is,is credentialied and one of the most decorated men of the WW2 RAF, a genuine hero, and he relates his story and memories with a no-frills stark truth, and, you enjoy it. You know its all true, you know who the man is, leading surviving RAF ace, whos 38 kills were unusual and unique in all being on Luftwaffe single-engined fighters, from memory, the most dangerous and skilled aggressive opponents: learning to fly from sometimes jaded bloody-minded or incompetent instructors, first hair-raising night-solo, from Battle of France, where he has some sad reflections of pilots killed, through the summer-autumn glory of the Battle of Britain, through the difficult tactical times of the 1941-42 Fighter and Light bomber offensive over occupied France, when the appearance of the FW190 only further emphasised the defensive superiority of the few in number veteran Luftwaffe fighter groups, through the outright defeat on land and sea of Dieppe, as Johnsons admits, 'they outfought us and got more of us then we did them, end of story' , no excuses cop-outs or consolation-prizes offered,as in some RAF and American memoirs, through the period of attainment of real victory of 1944, and the fascinating and too brief description perhaps of the last violent lashouts of the dying Luftwaffe, of New Years 1945 Bodenplatte, and later, the token but sometimes bloody raids by fighter-bomber Luftwaffe 262 jets on allied airfields.
An encounter with the strange Malta Lone-wolf Canadian 'Screwball' Beurling is described, pity there was no background or follow-up info on this prospective ALlied WW2 Richtofen-like eccentric Canadian.

Johnson was in it start to finish.
Its not my outright fave WW2 RAF memoir, which i admit I generally enjoy more than more popular Luftwaffe memoirs,( to me, they are still Jerries, still the then-enemy, fascinating curiosities,especially their equipment, but not anti-heroes as some make them, just Jerries, just the enemy)ie but 'Wing Leader' is a must-have. My outright fave is the lesser-known but lively-atmospheric and language writing real 'get some in' RAF 'type' Sir Hugh Dundas 'Flying Start', Dundas was a comrade of both Johnson and Bader, and is mentioned more than once in this Johnson Book.
'FLYING START'
THAT is a cracker, i have it, each person I lend it to returns it with rave-reviews how come its so good, but relatively unknown.You cant put 'Flying Start' down, once you start, and there is a lot in it, perhaps find an amazon dealer with both, to split freight, as well as perhaps 'Eagle Day' Battle of Britain collage, another beauty, and you'll have bought well and be reading well.

Johnson was the perfect RAF Wing LEader: inspiring to his pilots, skilfull, concise. The book has its flaws in regarding to writing style. It was written in 1956. It gives a great general portrait of RAF operations in Europe in WW II ( Johnson lived through it all ). He served in 616 Squadron, then led 610 Squadron then became Wing Leader of a Canadian wing. Sometimes he chose to not reveal the names of a lot of people he describes in the book. I don't know why he did it. In general, a great work for the afficionados.

When you go into a book written by RAF`s top scoring fighter pilot in WW II (until someone clarify the case fo Squadron LEader St.John Pattle, who maybe shot down 41 or more enemy aircraft, but who died in 1941 and was a South-AFrican) and this writes expends almos all the time saying that his dones in air combat meant nothing to him, that he was just a fligh leader, it's dissapointing. Anyway, JOhnson was the typical RAF pilot, and reading his book one understand very well the working of this fighter force.

Johnson is too dry in his writing style. The result is that you couldn't care lessa bout his exploits or the exploits of the men under his command. No doubt this book is a classic and Johnsonw as the supreme British RAF man. But the book is badly written.