The USAAF Airman

For the US airman in World War Two, flying was not just a test of skill, but it was also a feat of stamina, endurance and often a matter of sheer survival.  And it was not just the weapons of the enemy that presented a threat to life, it was the conditions in which crew had to operate - at high altitude where the air is thin and the temperature is extremely low. Martin Brayley has written a book that looks at how aircrew survived missions during the War, with the help of training and highly specialized equipment.  The first book to concentrate on this aspect of warfare, this fascinating study benefits from the recollections of a number of veterans and a superb collection of photographs, both archive images and specially taken photographs of surviving uniforms and equipment.