Description
| Product ID: | 9781848845442 |
| Product Form: | Hardback |
| Country of Manufacture: | GB |
| Title: | Luck of the Devil: Flying Swordfish in Wwii |
| Authors: | Author: Robert le Page, Jonathan Falla |
| Page Count: | 256 |
| Subjects: | Memoirs, Memoirs, European history, Second World War, Air forces and warfare, British & Irish history, Second World War, Air forces & warfare, United Kingdom, Great Britain, c 1939 to c 1945 (including WW2) |
| Description: | Select Guide Rating Robert le Page flew with the Fleet Air Arm from 1940 to 1945, mostly in 816 Squadron flying carrier-based Fairey Swordfish. He saw action mine-laying off Cherbourg, hunting U-boats, escorting convoys in North Atlantic and in the Arctic seas and covering D-Day. Much of his early war years were aboard HMS Dasher and he was lucky to be ashore when the carrier mysteriously blew and sank in the Clyde. This decimated 816 Squadron which was eventually re-equipped and then worked up to operational readiness to fly from HMS Tracker. His story is full of insights into wartime naval flying. When they were tasked with finding and attacking German E Boats they found that in a headwind these powerful boats could outdistance the 'Stringbag'. They devised a plan which was to glide as quietly as possible on their approach to the quarry and power up the engine only seconds before they attacked - however they never managed to sink one. Once when landing in rough weather his aircraft was waved to go round again. With throttle wide open the Swordfish struggled back into the air, but alas the tailhook snagged the top wire of the barrier protecting other parked aircraft. The author remembered staring down from the stalling aircraft to see a terror stricken fitter gazing up at him. Fortunately all survived. |
| Imprint Name: | Pen & Sword Aviation |
| Publisher Name: | Pen & Sword Books Ltd |
| Country of Publication: | GB |
| Publishing Date: | 2011-12-01 |
