Apache [Hardcover]

‘Puts you right in the cockpit with your finger on the trigger. A truly awesome read; and a climax that Hollywood couldn’t invent…’ Andy McNab

'Macy is the real deal. Nobody could write that powerfully about combat, or emotionally about the men fighting with him, unless he has been at the gunship's controls. A fantastic, totally exhilarating rollercoaster read. Forget his Hellfire missiles, the book itself is enough to blow you away' Sergeant Major Dan Mills, author of number one bestseller Sniper One

'An honest account of exceptional bravery' Ross Kemp

‘Macy … does for the Apache helicopter’s gunships what Dan Mills did for the infantry in ‘Sniper One’. He puts readers in the cockpit of an aircraft that requires great skill and attention to keep in the air’ Publishers Weekly

‘’Apache’ is at its heart a ground-busting infantry tale told from an entirely new perspective. By the time these gutsy Uglies land in an occupied Taliban fort to join the ground fight, there is no doubt that attack helicopter pilots are flying grunts. What happens next is extraordinary’ Owen West, author of ‘Sharkman Six’

‘A truly amazing portrayal of the technical, the emotional, and the courageous. Macy puts the reader in the cockpit of our most lethal attack platform’ Dick Couch, author of ‘The Sheriff of Ramadi’ and ‘Chosen Soldier’

'Puts you right in the cockpit with your finger on the trigger. A truly awesome read; and a climax that Hollywood couldn't invent!' Andy McNab 'You do not need to ask them about their contribution, you need to ask those on the ground who depended on them, day after day, to provide the crucial military edge over the enemy. They will leave you in no doubt about what the Apache achieved, and the praise of the praiseworthy is beyond measure' Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, Chief of Defence Staff

An astonishing first book, Apache is a story of courage, comradeship, technology and tragedy, during the ongoing war in Afghanistan. 'Apache' is the first book to come from the cockpit of the most sophisticated fighting helicopter the world has ever known. Designed in the mid 1980s to take on the Soviets, these machines have proven themselves as the perfect tool for combat in Afghanistan. Ed Macy's account of the incredibly hard Apache selection process, tougher than that of the SAS, combined with his description of the sheer difficulty of flying one of these helicopters provides a fascinating insight into the relationship between man and machine fighting in the toughest conditions imaginable. The climactic build-up to the rescue mission at Jugroom Fort is both dramatic and deeply moving. The rescue of Lance Corporal Mathew Ford has been hailed as one of the most remarkable and daring rescues of modern wartime and Ed's bravery on the ground at Jugroom Fort led to him being awarded the Military Cross - one of the first in the Army Air Corps' history. Taking the reader right to the heart of the war in Afghanistan, 'Apache' offers an unprecedented degree of proximity to the action and horror that troops in the region are faced with on a daily basis. Gripping from the first page to the last, it is utterly compelling and impossible to put down.

The Man: Ed Macy. The Machine: Apache AH MK1. The Mission: Afghanistan 2007

From the cockpit of the world's deadliest helicopter comes the true story of a rescue mission so dangerous they said it couldn't be done - and the man who dared to make it happen. Apache is an adrenaline-fuelled account of one of the most daring actions of modern wartime, and a tale of courage, danger and comradeship you won't be able to put down.

The Westland Apache AH Mk 1 is the deadliest, most technically advanced helicopter in the world - and the toughest to fly. Only the top two per cent of pilots make it through the gruelling 18-month training. In the cockpit of an Apache, hands, feet and even eyes need to operate independently. It's not enough to stay one step ahead of the enemy - you've got to stay one step ahead of the machine, too.

In 2007, Ed's Apache squadron was dispatched to Afghanistan's notorious Helmand Province. Their mission: to fight alongside and protect the men on the ground, by any means necessary. And when a marine goes missing in action, Ed and his team know they are the Army's only hope of bring him back alive.

With a soldier strapped to each side of two gunships, they must land in the heart of Jugroom Fort, a Taliban stronghold, and come face to face with hordes of their unrelenting enemy. What follows is a breathtaking rescue, unlike anything the world has ever seen.

Taking the reader right to the heart of the war in Afghanistan, Apache offers an unprecedented degree of proximity to the action and horror that troops in the region are faced with on a daily basis. Gripping from the first page to the last, it is utterly compelling and one of the finest books about modern warfare you are likely to read.

`Puts you right in the cockpit with your finger on the trigger. A truly awesome read; and a climax that Hollywood couldn't invent...' Andy McNab

APACHE is the culmination of a year's preparation and two years writing. To get to the level of detail required without baffling you I have studied, flown, fired and fought in combat on the Apache AH Mk1 helicopter for six years. It is a unique insight into what I can only describe as an unbelievable profession.

It was my intention to allow you to feel as if you had stepped into the Apache helicopter yourself, to take off and fight the battles as if you were me. It will allow you to follow through the missions and routine reaching the critical decisions with me; do you fire or don't you, are you justified in killing the man running or not. If I have done my job correctly, by the time you are just over half way through the book you will understand the incredibly complex world-leading weapons-platform that is the Apache. You will know how to fire its cannon, rockets and Hellfire missiles with deadly accuracy. In a nutshell you will have the beast at your fingertips ready for two of the most amazing groundbreaking attacks in modern warfare as you fly on Operation Glacier 1 and 2.

Apache should rush through all of you emotions leaving you in no doubt that the war in Afghanistan is fast, fierce, cruel and extremely dangerous. It turns boys to men and bonds those comrades together in eternal friendships.

I sincerely hope you enjoy reading the book Apache as much as I had writing it.

Ed Macy

Attack Pilot and Author

From the cockpit of the world's deadliest helicopter comes the true story of a rescue mission so dangerous they said it couldn't be done - and the man who dared to make it happen.

Ed Macy spent his childhood picking fights and sleeping rough. After a career in the Paras was cut short by a brutal accident, he thought he'd never fight again. So when a friend suggested the Army Air Corps, Ed jumped at the chance to return to the front line. When the army launched its attack helicopter programme, Ed bent every rule in the book to make sure he was the first to sign up.

The Westland Apache AH Mk 1 is the deadliest, most technically advanced helicopter in the world - and the toughest to fly. Only the top two per cent of pilots make it through the gruelling 18 month training. In the cockpit of an Apache, hands, feet and even eyes need to operate independently. It's not enough to stay one step ahead of the enemy - you've got to stay one step ahead of the machine too.

In 2007 Ed's Apache squadron was despatched to Afghanistan's notorious Helmand Province. Their mission: to fight alongside and protect the men on the ground, by any means necessary. And when a marine goes missing in action, Ed and his team know they are the Army's only hope of bringing him back alive.

With a soldier strapped to each side of two gunships, they must land in the heart of Jugroom Fort, a Taliban stronghold, and come face to face with hordes of their unrelenting enemy. What follows is a breathtaking rescue, unlike any the world has ever seen.

Apache is Ed's story - an adrenalin fuelled account of one of the most daring actions of modern wartime, and a tale of courage, danger and comradeship you won't be able to put down.

THE MAN. THE MACHINE. THE MISSION. The blazing true story from the heart of Afghanistan

From the cockpit of the world’s deadliest helicopter comes the true story of a rescue mission so dangerous they said it couldn’t be done – and the man who dared to make it happen.

Ed Macy spent his childhood picking fights and sleeping rough. After a career in the Paras was cut short by a brutal accident, he thought he’d never fight again. So when a friend suggested the Army Air Corps, Ed jumped at the chance to return to the front line. When the army launched its attack helicopter programme, Ed bent every rule in the book to make sure he was the first to sign up.

The Westland Apache AH Mk 1 is the deadliest, most technically advanced helicopter in the world – and the toughest to fly. Only the top two per cent of pilots make it through the gruelling 18-month training. In the cockpit of an Apache, hands, feet and even eyes need to operate independently. It’s not enough to stay one step ahead of the enemy – you’ve got to stay one step ahead of the machine, too.

In 2007, Ed’s Apache squadron was dispatched to Afghanistan’s notorious Helmand Province. Their mission: to fight alongside and protect the men on the ground, by any means necessary. And when a marine goes missing in action, Ed and his team know they are the Army’s only hope of bringing him back alive.

With a soldier strapped to each side of two gunships, they must land in the heart of Jugroom Fort, a Taliban stronghold, and come face to face with hordes of their unrelenting enemy. What follows is a breathtaking rescue unlike any the world has ever seen.

‘Apache’ is Ed’s story – an adrenalin-fuelled account of one of the most daring actions of modern wartime, and a tale of courage, danger and comradeship you won’t be able to put down.

Ed Macy left the British Army in January 2008, after twenty-three years’ service. He amassed a total of 3,930 helicopter flying hours, 645 of which were inside an Apache.