American Eagles Us Fighter Pilots In The Raf 1939 1945 Images Of War Rare Photographs From Wartime Archives Reissue Tony Holmes by Tony Holmes 9781473866539, 9781473835665, 1473866537, 1473835666 instant download after payment.

This First Pen & Sword Books release by Australian Aviation Historian Tony Holmes examines the American Volunteer Pilots serving nominally with usually either the RCAF or RAF, and who operated under RAF Control upto the Entry into the European War of America. After the arrival of the first of the USAAF Squadrons in England, during early 1942, these Airmen were usually most unwillingly transferred out of their respective services and into the USAAF in almost all cases - while it must be said that a handful refused all efforts to get them to leave as they considered themselves to be British or Canadian now; this was especially prevalent in both Bomber and Coastal Commands, but less so in Fighter. Uniquely these Aircrew in recognition of their earlier service were allowed to wear both their USAAF decorations and metal 'Wings' alongside their often more highly treasured cloth RAF-RCAF 'Wings', British Decorations and Uniform. Almost all of these Airmen and the handful of Airwomen who joined them (who delivered aircraft with the ATA) were united by their feelings of rage and disgust at Fascism and all it stood for. Some were already qualified Pilots, others had combat experience in the skies over Spain or China, but the majority needed training first. However the first step for many of these Trainee Pilots was to defy their own Isolationist Government and effectively break the law by either sneaking across the border into Canada, or by crossing over legally with no intent of returning. After volunteering for service with the RCAF or RAF depending on the situation they found themselves in, often lying about where they were born in order to do so, they learned how to fly and were posted to operational RAF or RCAF Squadrons in England. Later in an effort to bring these Airmen together, much as they did with other Nationalities like Poland, the RAF formed Eagle Squadrons.