Twoman Air Force Don Gentile John Godfrey World War Two Flying Aces Reissue Philip Kaplan by Philip Kaplan 9781473819979, 9781844151776 instant download after payment.

In 1941 two young RCAF Fighter Pilots newly arrived in England after completing their flight training in Canada made the decision to fly together as each others wingman shortly after meeting one another. It was to be a very fortuitous relationship for both the Airmen concerned, their squadron, and eventually both the RCAF and the USAAF. Dominic Salvatore 'Don' Gentile (1920-1951) was an Ohio born American who 'illegally' sneaked across the boarder into Canada in order to join the RCAF, while his future wingman and friend John Trevor Godfrey (1922-1958) who had been born in Montreal Canada had no issues with getting across the boarder after leaving his home in Rhode Island in order to do so. Both Airmen had grown progressively sickened at what they saw taking place in Europe over 1939, and angered at the insistence of most Americans to stay out of it, made the decision in 1940 to cross the border and volunteer for service in the RCAF. After completing their training in Canada they both sailed across the Atlantic with the rest of their draft and after completing further training over 1941 in the UK were eventually posted to RAF Fighter Command's 133 (Eagle) Squadron in 1942, and not long afterwards destroyed their first aircraft. After the arrival of the USAAF in the UK later that year, the pair were transferred in 1943 - unwillingly at first - out of the RCAF and into the USAAF's 4 Fighter Group based at Debden. Both survived the war, crashing their aircraft, and in John's case a lengthy period as a POW while destroying between them over 50 Luftwaffe aircraft. After the war both had their lives cut tragically short, one due to ill health and the other when his aircraft crashed and he failed to survive its loss. This informative illustrated history by Philip Kaplan describes their life long friendship and service together with both the RCAF and the USAAF flying Spitfires, Thunderbolts and Mustangs.