Pen & Sword Military Books

The Men Who Flew the Mosquito

by  Martin W. Bowman

Reviewed By  Paul M Hayward, IPMS# 44017

MSRP: $25.99 ISBN: 184415891-8 Review sample provided by Casemate Publishing: www.casematepublishing.com Sometimes we forget as modelers that there are men behind the machines we craft. This is just not an ordinary look at the De Havilland Mosquito; this is a book of the extraordinary men who flew the wooden wonder across the skies in their own words. Author Martin W. Bowman has collected a fine series of first hand accounts from the actual pilots who flew on such daring missions as the Oslo Gestapo Raid of 1943; night intruder missions; U-boat hunting and the danger of diver interception (V-1 Buzz Bombs). This book deals with the pilots and what they went through during the largest conflict in human history. Mr. Bowman brings to life the courage and will that RAF pilots -and certainly all pilots during WWII- displayed during every mission knowing that no matter who bad today's sorties was; tomorrow is another day and another brilliant sortie awaits. The Men Who Flew the Mosquito is 224-pages filled with stories from France; Norway; night skies over Berlin and the Far East against the Imperial Japanese Army/Navy. Thirty-four black/white photos put faces to some of the names mentioned. Also included is a glossary of terms used by RAF crews that to us Yanks are still a mystery. This is a book that is a must have, for this may very well be one of the last books to have first hand stories from the actual men who flew this magnificent plane. So next time you decide to model a Mosquito, there was an extraordinary crew who strapped in and rode the wooden wonder into the valley of death; and most came home…but many never did. I would like to thank Casemate Publishing for the providing IPMS this exceptional book for review.