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Review
'Beautifully written with a poet's eye as well as a pilot's eye.' --Southern Evening Echo<br /><br />'The only book about flying that isn't flannel.' --Anonymous Fighter Pilot, 1941<br /><br />'Not only one of the best war books...but as a transcription of reality, faithful and sustained in its author's purpose of re-creating the past life he knew, it is unique.' --Henry Williamson, author of Tarka the Otter, written in 1935
'The greatest novel of war in the air.' --The Daily Mail
'Not only one of the best war books...but as a transcription of reality, faithful and sustained in its author's purpose of re-creating the past life he knew, it is unique.' --Henry Williamson, author of Tarka the Otter, written in 1935
'The greatest novel of war in the air.' --The Daily Mail
'Not only one of the best war books...but as a transcription of reality, faithful and sustained in its author's purpose of re-creating the past life he knew, it is unique.' --Henry Williamson, author of Tarka the Otter, written in 1935
Product Description
There is no bitter snarl nor self-pity in this classic novel about the air war of 1914-1918, based very largely on the author's experiences. Combat, loneliness, fatigue, fear, comradeship, women, excitement--all are built into a vigorous and authentic structure by one of the most valiant pilots of the then Royal Flying Corps.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
27 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Anyone reading Winged Victory will be quickly aware of the stark difference between this and any war fiction written by one who was not there. Yeates served in 46 Squadron - his flight leader, "Mac" in the book, was the Canadian Donald MacLaren who was credited with 48 aircraft and 6 balloons shot down. The book has completely authentic slang, and many topical references to music hall shows, songs and comedians of the era, some of which would require a glossary for those not familiar with the period (how many will know why an RE8 was known as a 'Harry Tate' or what 'flaming onions' were?) It captures the misery of life in the RFC during the Big Push of April 1918, while still allowing its protagonists to be grateful that they had escaped the trenches. The book stands successfully also as a novel, even outside the genre of historical and military fiction, because of Yeates' great ability to observe and his clear, and at times, beautiful prose. Read this book!
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is one of the most moving and tragic accounts of an RFC pilot's life during the First World War that has ever been written. The book portrays with a vividness and savagery the horror and fear that swallowed Tom Cundall (the main character) during aerial combat.
It stands today as a testimony to the bravery and humanity of the pilots who fought eighty years ago and a stark warning of the horrors of war. That it is out of print is a great tragedy.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
By chance, I came across this book a few years ago, read it, and now treasure it among my favorites.
The author gives an unvarnished account of a young RFC/RAF fighter pilot's experiences on the Western Front during the spring and summer of 1918.
Despite the glamor often associated with the public image of the "dashing airman" of the First World War, he faced a variety of hazards, from anti-aircraft fire, collision in a dogfight, to the prospect of a fiery death from "the Hun in the sun".
In "WINGED VICTORY", the reader is given access to the all the perils, fears, and frustrations faced by the young pilot Tom Cundall, who, each day he went off on patrol, gambled with his life and fought to keep his sanity, never knowing which friends wouldn't return to the aerodrome. Or whether he would survive or be maimed or crippled.
Unlike their German counterparts (who had the "Hennecke" harness in the later stages of the war), the Allied airman was issued no parachute.
"WINGED VICTORY" brings back the immediacy of what it was like to be a British fighter pilot on the Western Front in the last year of the First World War. Highly recommended.
P.S. One minor note: Cundall flew a Sopwith Camel, not an S.E.5A as featured on the cover.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The grim reality
This is a wonderful war book and is one of the only books that I have read more than once in a fifty plus years of reading. Read more
Published 4 months ago by kindletime
Nike Apteros
The finest of the Great War memoirs, and yet written in novel form. Its also very probably the most technically accurate account, given that this quality is rarely to be found... Read more
Published 6 months ago by aforandy
Winged Victory feels authentic
Having read the Hornet books by Derek Robinson I wanted to find more books that give the counter point to Biggles style adventures (fun though they are). Read more
Published 11 months ago by D. Hare
Winged Victory
This is a good book with only one minor flaw as far as far as I am concerned - the writer spends too much time in his character's mental meanderings. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Mr. David Hopwood
Best Book Ever
Yes, I think it is...
I have had this book for 30 odd years, bought it as a teenager and I still read it every other year. Read more
I have had this book for 30 odd years, bought it as a teenager and I still read it every other year. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Colin Harper
Excellent book
A very moving and excellent account. Apparently the author was dying when he wrote it, which makes it all the more poignant.
Published 24 months ago by D. Spencer
Everything that's missing from other books
When I bought this book I was looking for something about SE5a's that's full of action. Well, the cover is wrong, Tom is a Camel pilot, and there's not much action in it, but I was... Read more
Published on 13 April 2010 by Gregory Gael
Well written, well observed with unfashionably accurate political...
This has long been considered one of the best war novels, and deservedly so for Yeates is highly readable as well as a writer who has plenty to say. Read more
Published on 10 Jan 2010 by Al summers
Winged Victory by V. M. Yeates
I bought this copy to replace a rather tired paperback copy which I've had since I bought it new over 40 years ago. Read more
Published on 3 Dec 2009 by Mr. D. J. Stallard
Required reading
I purchased this as my mother briefly mentioned that my grandfather was in the rfc (but didn't fly much I think) and I wanted some idea about the force before I read the text... Read more
Published on 24 Sep 2009 by Mrs. Liz Wright
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- Books > History > World History > World War I 1914-1918
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