Customer Reviews

Wind in the Wires (Flight, its first seventy-five years)

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This is a classic memoir of WWI flying from the early days until the end of the war, with a short gap in between. It is on a par with, or as I believe, better than the classic _Sagittarius Rising_ by Cecil Lewis. The author has an eye for detail, and an excellent self-deprecating sense of humor. He survived some truly amazing experiences. This is my favorite WWI flying book, and I highly recommend it!

Wind in the Wires paints a vivid picture of World War I aviation, especially in the war's early years. The author's account of flying the Maurice Farman "Shorthorn" and the BE 2 in 1915 is fascinating and more than a little frightening. Forced down and captured after his aircraft suffered engine failure, Grinnell-Milne returned to the front in 1918 as a member of 56 Squadron, flying the SE5a. His experiences with the famous squadron late in the war provide a fitting "bookend" to his wartime career. This ranks among the best aviation books I have ever read, and the quality of writing places it among my favorite books of any genre.

When I first read this book as a thirteen year old, back in 1972, it inspired me to learn to fly. Co-incidentally, I actually still fly from Shoreham Airport, where the Author learnt to fly almost 100 years ago.

This book is charming, well written, and in places, humourous. It describes the early days of aerial combat, and the even more dangerous aspects of learning to fly.

A rivetting read, and easily ranks with Sagitarius Rising by Cecil Lewis, or Wind, Sand and Stars by Antoine De Saint-Exupery.
For those interested in WWI aviation, then I also recommend Against the Odds by W. Alister-Williams. This is a biography of Gp Capt Lionel Rees VC.

I was disappointed when this book was over. Amazing WWI aviation stories. Sometimes funny. It will never be like that again. Plenty of narrow escapes, aviation combat stories, german prisoner of war, and real back to basics flying in ancient machines.

The author was a First World War pilot who successfully escaped from a German POW camp (after 2 years in captivity) and went on to serve in a Royal Air Force fighter squadron on the Western Front, finishing the war with 6 confirmed victories. This is his story, which comes HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

This wonderful little book differs from those by McCudden, Fonck, Udet, and von Richtoffen. It is not a series of air combat narratives with a dash of "ground stories". The author had (depending on your sources)only six or seven air victories. He was downed by engine trouble and spent a considerable amount of time in a POW camp, then escaped to fly again. What makes this book fascinating is the long record of learning to fly in the very early machines. The author did his training in Farman Longhorns, soloing after only a handful of dual flights. The inherently stable B.E.2a was considered "to hot to handle" for the fledglings. Everyone was terrified of "the spin", which at the time, no one had survived. Descriptions of flights, dangers, repairs and bad landings abound to the joy of aviation buffs.

The book also deals with the leadership and structure of the squadrons to which the author belonged. The contrast between his excellent commander at 56 Squadron, and his less than motivational leader at the start of his service is striking.

This is a most enjoyable read, not only for the great stories of early aviation, but also the author's fine writing style and dry sense of humor. highly recommended.