THE BADER WING by Turner, John Frayn

Shrewsbury, 1990, Airlife, 2nd UK edition, hard bound in dust jacket, 5 1/2 x 8 1/2, FINE/FINE CONDITION, 156 pages, illus, index....................................... Douglas Bader, the indomitable legless air ace, became a legend in his own lifetime, and is today remembered as one of the greatest combatants to emerge during World War II. But less is known about the Bader Wing and its crucial contribution to the Battle of Britain. For the first time, this book reveals the fascinating story of the charismatic Wing Commander and the five squadrons which he led: the Bader Wing, consisting of some sixty pilots in all.The book highlights the dramatic aerial actions of the Canadian aces in Bader's own 242 Squadron — Stan Turner, Willis McKnight and G E Ball. It describes in absorbing detail their many successes, and also the inevitable moments of disaster and death. ..............................................Moreover, the story is set against the broader canvas and controversy of the Big Wing. The tactics and strategy favouring the Wing are forcibly argued by the author, who comes down heavily on the side of Douglas Bader, the man whose outspoken views and forceful personality made the Wing possible. In The Bader Wing, some of the greatest names of World War II testify to Bader's leadership qualities, including Johnnie Johnson, Laddie Lucas, Sholto Douglas, Hugh Dundas and Alan Deere. Their opinions lend great weight to a book which blends the best of aviation action with a cool reappraisal of the Battle of Britain.