Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #921211 in Books
• Published on: 2006-11-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 192 pages

Synopsis
A wartime autobiography of one of South Africa's most famous pilots. He joined RAF's Balkan Air Force flying rocket-firing Beaufighters in support of the partisans. Serving under the command of the legendary Don Tilley, he flew missions against enemy shipping, gun emplacements and tactical targets in low-level, surprise rocket attacks.

Customer Reviews

Those who dwell in the Shadow of the Almighty...
Steve Stevens took a avery long time to get round to writing this book. He talks about being in his 80's and yet he memory is strong because of the many photos taht tell most of the stories in the book. The book finds immediate fame because of the cover photo which is so clear that it became famous shot, thrusting the Beaufighter into the limelight.
Actually the story is centred around the fact that Steve should heve died many times, and he is pains to impress this upon the reader. It is actually only by the grace of God that he is still alive, and that 3 family members prayed for him claiming the promises of Psalm 91 for him everyday during the war.
His story actually begins and ends with Christian service, as he left a Bible school to become a pilot in South Africa, which turned out to be full of death defying episodes. The man was reckless in his youth! What is also unique is that for almost all his reckless flying there is a photographic record, in cluding the beat up at the Bible school summer camp (6 photos of his Tiger Moth flying at zero feet) and the mock dogfight taht resulted in his college breaking his back and Stevens getting grounded.
Then, almost miraculously , he was chosen as a flying instructor(!) and spent most of the war years in South Africa training would be combat flyers, rather that flying a Spitfire in Europe. Yet more amazing stories ensue, before his being sent into combat on Beaufighters flying from Italy against German positions in the Balkans. This is matter-of-factly written with sketchy details about this forgotten corner of defeating the Nazi's. Once again the photos steal the show, and Stevens always made sure his camera was running during an attack. The SS Kuckuck was sunk with Rockets from his Beaufighter, and many gun positions from Croatia down to Albania. Many of his friends were killed, causing the Author to ask faith related questions about claiming and believing the promises of Almighty God.
The book ends with Steven completing his tour, and resuming Air force activities in the young SAAF, before giving up this lucrative career to become 5the firstmissionary pilot with MAF (actually the subject of his second book). His personal life is also included throughout in refreshing honesty, how he felt shame many time for the way he was tempted to seduce women, sometimes already married. Steve Stevens life proves the promises of Psalm 91, that he who trusts in the Almighty will experience a long and fulfilled life.