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Down to Earth: A Fighter Pilot Recounts His Experiences of Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain, Dieppe, D-Day and Beyond
 
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Down to Earth: A Fighter Pilot Recounts His Experiences of Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain, Dieppe, D-Day and Beyond [Illustrated] (Hardcover)

by Owen Zupp (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
RRP: £18.00
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Down to Earth: A Fighter Pilot Recounts His Experiences of Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain, Dieppe, D-Day and Beyond + Last of the Ten Fighter Boys + Spitfire Pilot
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Product details

  • Hardcover: 192 pages
  • Publisher: Grub Street Publishing; illustrated edition edition (15 May 2007)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1904943845
  • ISBN-13: 978-1904943846
  • Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 16 x 2.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 56,938 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #25 in  Books > Biography > War & Espionage > Air Force
    #57 in  Books > History > Military History > Military Life & Institutions

Product Description

Review
No punches are pulled. Indeed, the good is recorded along with the bad throughout, providing not just an intriguing insight into one man's war in the air, but an excellent record of life in England and the RAF in those times. Written in an easy style ... Down to Earth has much to offer to all who enjoy reding about wartime aviation and about the life and times of 'average pilots' like Mac during WWII and its aftermath. All in all, it's a gread read and highly recommended. --RAAF Association

Product Description
In Down to Earth Squadron Leader McGlashan reflects honestly on his enthralling and diverse RAF career, one that began with the rag and tube of Hawker biplanes in 1939 and closed in the jet era of the late 1950s. Shot down over the beaches of Dunkirk in heated aerial combat, we follow the footsteps of the nineteen year old along the debris-littered sands and beyond. From the protection of vulnerable convoys to the pioneering days of night-fighting and airborne radar, McGlashan is in the midst of the action. Flying in support of the ill-fated landing at Dieppe and on clandestine night operations before D-Day, he takes an active role in some of the RAF s most significant operations of World War Two. Interspersed throughout are tales of camaraderie and humour. Away from the front line, McGlashan was seconded to BOAC to fly airliners out of Cairo, tasked to ferry all manner of aircraft at the war s end and serve Cyprus at the height of a very nasty campaign. It is a journey of tremendous diversity, punctuated by a series of close calls and inevitable losses. Half a century later, retired and living in Australia, Kenneth McGlashan is drawn back to 1940 with the discovery of his crashed Hurricane surfacing through the sands of Dunkirk. In an emotional pilgrimage, he is reunited with the steed of his youth and its bullet-ridden cockpit. In spite of the many dangers he faced and despite evidence to the contrary, McGlashan regarded himself as nothing more than just another pilot; an ordinary man in extraordinary times. Of the 3,000 allied airmen who flew in the Battle of Britain, only three percent could lay claim to the title of ace , Squadron Leader Kenneth McGlashan AFC always felt great honour in being counted amongst the 97 percent.

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Down to Earth: A Fighter Pilot Recounts His Experiences of Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain, Dieppe, D-Day and Beyond
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Customer Reviews

2 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Excitement ,nostalgia and enthusiasm for life, 18 Jan 2008
By Mr. John M. Grimsley (UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Down to Earth is among the very best Scond World War stories. It is one of the few books that gives you an exact feel for the period, what it was really like as a very young man in danger and more than anything Kenneth Butterworths desire to live and enjoy the rest of his life shines through.

Owen Zupp has done a tremendous job in coaxing from Kenneth a remarkable story that needed to be told and his post war experiences leading him to be reconciled with his crashed hurricane add to the interest and quality of the read. I for one are happy that before his death Kenneth was able to relate his story to someone with great knowledge of his subject and the enthusiasm to really make the story work for the reader. I thoroughly recommend it
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful read, 14 Mar 2008
By Andy Wright (Melbourne, Victoria) - See all my reviews
I usually rave and rave about wartime aviation memoirs because, to me, they are such a privilege to read. However, Down To Earth is more than that. Sure, it's great that the author has shared this story with us but, at the end, you come away feeling like you know Mac and wishing you could shake his hand.

Kenneth McGlashan flew over Dunkirk and, through self-admitted inexperience, walked its beaches after his Hurricane was shot down. He is young, 19, but mature. Further trips over Dunkirk follow and he evolves into an effective single-engined fighter pilot. The Battle of Britain follows during which Mac's squadron is posted for an intriguing interlude in Ireland chasing German Condor long-range maritime patrol bombers. Here, his desire to pass on his knowledge surfaces and his commitment and drive to better himself as a leader and pilot is evident. He returns to England and flies cats' eye night fighter ops where he has to rely on his skill, eyesight and a lot of luck. Over time, Mac finds himself working with searchlight-equipped Boston/Havocs, the next great idea in night fighting to prove unsuccessful but nevertheless exciting when flying close formation with a bomber at night. Finally, though, he finds himself posted to a Mosquito night fighter unit and, at last, an effective way to hunt at night. What follows is a love affair with the Mossie, a harsh lesson on single-engined flying that sees him in hospital and determined to learn and teach what he can about "assymetric" flight, continuing anecdotes of the great men he flew with, an amazing sojourn with BOAC in the Middle East, flying during the invasion of Europe, training, raising a family, the end of the war, successful command of a Mossie squadron, award of the Air Force Cross, transfers, time in Cyprus and living around the world. What a life!

The writing is relaxed and so easy to follow. It is casual but evocative, regularly amusing but equally poignant. Mac certainly made the most of his scrapes over Dunkirk, his lucky escape over Dieppe and his serious crash in the Mossie. He learns from his mistakes and adventures as indicated by the fact he flew operationally for more than four years, more or less. His revisting the scene of his Dunkirk incident brought a lump to my throat as he relived the events of that day surprised he could remember such minute details. Mac's stories are supported by excellent memories from his wife, Doreen, adding a very personal aspect to the reading.

The author comments that the restoration of Mac's Hurri, R-for-Robert, is a fitting tribute to the man. I think it is fair to say, so is this book.
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