Product Description

The first heroes of the air. Rewriting the rules of military engagement and changing the course of modern history as a result, the pioneering airmen of the First World War took incredible risks to perform their vital contribution to the war effort. Fighter Heroes of WWI is a narrative history that conveys the perils of early flight, the thrills of being airborne, and the horrors of war in the air at a time when pilots carried little defensive armament and no parachutes. The men who joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1914 were the original heroes of flying, treading into unknown territory, and paving the way for later aerial combat. They became icons for the soldiers in the trenches, and a stark contrast to the thousands on the ground fighting faceless thousands as men fought aircraft to aircraft and man to man - for the first time the air became a battlefield of its own. The war changed flying forever. In 1914 aircraft were a questionable technology, used for only basic reconnaissance. But by 1918, hastened by the terrible war, aircraft were understood to be the future of modern warfare. The Wright brothers' achievements of a mere ten years earlier and Bleriot's crossing of the Channel just a few years before the war seemed a distant memory as aircraft became killing machines - the war becoming the ancestor of the fearsome air wars of later years. The stories reveal the feelings of those who defended the trenches from above and witnessed the war from a completely different perspective -the men who were the first fighter heroes of the air.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #79523 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Review
'A vivid, moving story of the men who fought the Great War in the Air. Quite superb.' Max Arthur 'Those magnificent men in their flying machines recount in their own words just how mad and magnificent it was to be an air-ace in World War One. Joshua Levine's compilation is enthralling and breathtaking'. Chris Powling, Classic FM Guestlist 'This is a superior example of the genre from a writer at the top of his game.' Air Marshal Stuart Peach

About the Author
Joshua Levine is a playwright, writer for television and producer, and the author of Forgotten Voices of the Blitz and the Battle for Britain, Forgotten Voices of the Somme, and the forthcoming A Terrible Beauty, to be published by Collins in autumn 2009. He was previously a researcher for Max Arthur on the Forgotten Voices series -- Great War and Second World War, Lost Voices of the Edwardians, and Last Post.

Customer Reviews

Background to a history still vaguely recorded
Having been moved, each time, reading Saggitarius Rising, I moved on to other fictional accounts of WW1 aviation. Discovering On a Wing and a Prayer at last was a pleasure.

Wary at first that the author did not have a background in aviation, I was soon persuaded that his credentials were not questionable.

Mr Levine puts those other books into some sensible context. How the RAF evolved from naval orgins is just a part of the history. What we have here is a readable history with the personal testimonies of those involved, which maybe these days is how we prefer our education. I cannot share the concerns of another reviewer who finds this too simplified for a serious reader. This is a well-researched book, assembled with care. The detail is sufficient for all but the most dedicated anorak; the contemporary accounts are well-chosen and selectively placed and there are enough illustrations to give the reader a little more to aid the imagination of that most dreadful war.

If the book contained only the diaries of the 'pioneering aviation heroes', it would be valuable but inadequate. The author adds enough political and historical background to give those words additional impact. If like me your knowledge of The Great War has vast gaps, this might just help. I'm not an avid reader of histories, but an avid private pilot. Knowing the background to ones current privileges makes them all the more precious.

Brilliant book, a must for anyone interested on any level.
If you are newcomer to Britain's flying services during the First World War, this book is a must. If you know your way around the subject already, then it will still surprise, inform and entertain you nonetheless.

Mr Levine does to the flying services in the Great War what Patrick Bishop did to Fighter and Bomber Commands in the Second World War. Superbly structured, very well written, and obviously intricately researched, the book guides you around the subject of air fighting over the Western Front and the Home Front with ease. The history of the flying services is intertwined with the history of the men who flew and serviced the aircraft. I have never seen training covered in anywhere near such detail before (an entire chapter), and the same treatment is given to the often overlooked work of reconnaissance.

Wherever possible Mr Levine lets those who were there tell the story in their own words. This is a major asset of the book, as these (sometimes lengthy) quotes let you into the minds and the world of these men. Most are from obscure or little used sources, and provide fresh and unusual insights into the war. You will find no great revelations, no 'now it can be told' hype or claims to change how we think about Great War air fighting, but you will find countless nudges away from preconceptions, opening new ways of looking at things or angles that are usually ignored. Between these quotes, Mr Levine's easy style draws you along some thought-provoking avenues.

Only two criticisms come to mind. Firstly, there is little information on the role of observation balloons, a large and very important part of the aviation work carried out on the Western Front. Secondly, the quotes are not referenced, making it hard to track down the source if you want to know more.

Overall, though, my advice is: buy this book.

Brilliant
On a Wing and a Prayer: The Untold Story of the Pioneering Aviation Heroes of WW1, in Their Own Words
This is a particularly good read for anyone with an interest or involvement in aerial warfare. As a retired RAF fighter pilot I found myself continually engaged with the recollections which Mr Levine has brought together in such an accessible way. The range and diversity of the contributions offer many surprises and considerable interest. This book is no substitute for a plodding reference tome on the birth of the RFC and RAF if that is what the reader seeks. It offers insight into the ingenuity, resourcefulness and bravery which men and women may rise to under pressure.
You will not be disappointed by this inspirational book.