Customer Reviews

Winged escort

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

 

 

This is the story of pilots who served in Royal Navy escort carriers in World War II. These ships were not the head-line attracting fleet carriers; rather these were the "Woolworth Carriers" turned out by the dozens by Henry Kaiser's shipyards on both coasts. A number of these ships were sent to the Royal Navy and this is the story of one of them.

The charecters of the pilots and ship's officers are well developed and complex, like all of us. It is a mix of old professionals and young amateurs who rapidly gain the skills and instincts of their long serving shipmates. There is conflict along the way, from the lowest pilot to the admiral commanding the operations. There is the added mix of several Dutch aircrew into the mix that adds both to the tension and humor of the story. There is the added distraction, for the men, of having to fit domestic problems into their already full plate of matters to be dealt with, and it isn't always easy for some of them. Finally, there is the sense of loss you will discover when after an operation, the returning pilots are celdbrating on the flight deck and someone notices the support crew of one aircraft that didn't return, just standing on the flight deck looking into the distance on the off chance that "their" aircraft would return.

The scope of operations is vast, ranging from the North Atlantic to the North Sea, the Southwest Pacific and finally home in the UK.

This story is a fine rendition of the trials and tribulations of a little known type of ship in the Royal Navy. It rings with authenticity on every page. This should be in every person library who has an interest in Naval operations during World War II.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. Reeman's ability to get into the head of Tim Rowan, the Fleet Air Arm fighter pilot, was amazing. I felt that he had gotten completely into Rowan's mind and gave the reader a full appreciation of the perils a naval aviator faces on the high seas in wartime. The secondary characters (e.g. Tim's closest friend, the arrogant admiral, and some members of the carrier's crew) stood up well on their own and rounded out the story very nicely.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. Reeman's ability to get into the head of Tim Rowan, the Fleet Air Arm fighter pilot, was amazing. I felt that he had gotten completely into Rowan's mind and gave the reader a full appreciation of the perils a naval aviator faces on the high seas in wartime. The secondary characters (e.g. Tim's closest friend, the arrogant admiral, and some members of the carrier's crew) stood up well on their own and rounded out the story very nicely.

Follow the young RN pilot's rise thru the ranks of the fleet air arm during WW-II. This is a great story about a Royal Navy escort carrier and the men who sail in her and the missions assigned to it; from Norway into the south west Pacific.

This book is not what it purported to be: Winged Escorted! It is an adaption for junior readers by Maurice Holt!!! It explains naval terms, etc. as to a child which is who it was written for; stripped from the tale is what makes a good Douglas Reeman book: conflict with superiors, bravery, and the love affair between the young flier and his superior's wife. It is less than half the tale indeed. The ad for the book described it as a Bulls-Eye edition, no where was it mentioned that it was an adaption, which might have given me a clue. Although ordered about Nov. 22, I just received it yesterday (Dec. 20)- I am going to contact the bookseller and demand my money back or the real edition of the book.