Hurricane squadron ace : the story of Battle of Britain ace, Air Commodore Peter "Pete" Brothers, CBE, DSO, DFC and Bar

Air Commodore Peter Malam ‘Pete’ Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC, and Bar (1917-2008) was one of the most heroic and highly praised pilots of the Second World War. Decorated extensively, he secured a total of 16 'kills' over the course of the conflict, with 10 of these occurring during the Battle of Britain. Pivotal moments in his career include the time, in August 1940, when his flight encountered around a hundred enemy aircraft, including Messerschmitt 110's; he led the flight in attack against them, and soon found himself in a stalled position, out of which he spun, only to be confronted by a Dornier 215, which he shot down, before later destroying a Messerschmitt 109. Scores of these kind of risky maneuvers and winning victories punctuated a career defined by great courage, leadership and initiative in the face of fierce opposition. This new and engaging biography profiles a pilot who, until now, hasn't been the subject of such a thorough book-length study. The story of his career is incredibly entertaining, featuring a number of hair-raising episodes, and is sure to appeal to fans of aviation history as well as the more general reader seeking out an action-packed biography offering fresh insights into one of the most pivotal conflicts of the twentieth century. “The story of one of the most heroic fighter aces of the Second World War... has been brought to life in this gripping new book.” —Lancashire Living MagazineAir Commodore Peter Malam “Pete” Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC, and Bar (1917-2008) was one of the most highly praised pilots of the Second World War. Decorated extensively, he secured a total of 16 “kills” over the course of the conflict, with 10 of these occurring during the Battle of Britain. Pivotal moments in his career include the time, in August 1940, when his flight encountered around a hundred enemy aircraft, including Messerschmitt 110s; he led the flight in attack against them, and soon found himself in a stalled position, out of which he spun, only to be confronted by a Dornier 215, which he shot down, before later destroying a Messerschmitt 109. Scores of these kind of risky maneuvers and winning victories punctuated a career defined by great courage, leadership and initiative in the face of fierce opposition. This new and engaging biography profiles a pilot who, until now, hasn't been the subject of such a thorough book-length study. The story of his career is incredibly entertaining, featuring a number of hair-raising episodes, and is sure to appeal to fans of aviation history as well as the more general reader seeking out an action-packed biography offering fresh insights into one of the most pivotal conflicts of the twentieth century.“An engaging story of one of The Few... This is a book that entertains, inspires, moves, amuses, surprises—what more could any reader ask for.” —FIRE Project "Air Commodore Peter Malam 'Pete' Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC, and Bar (1917-2008) was one of the most heroic and highly praised pilots of the Second World War. Decorated extensively, he secured a total of 16 'kills' over the course of the conflict, with 10 of these occurring during the Battle of Britain. Pivotal moments in his career include the time, in August 1940, when his flight encountered around a hundred enemy aircraft, including Messerschmitt 110's; he led the flight in attack against them, and soon found himself in a stalled position, out of which he spun, only to be confronted by a Dornier 215, which he shot down, before later destroying a Messerschmitt 109. Scores of these kind of risky manoeuvres and winning victories punctuated a career defined by great courage, leadership and initiative in the face of fierce opposition. This new and engaging biography profiles a pilot who, until now, hasn't been the subject of such a thorough book-length study. The story of his career is incredibly entertaining, featuring a number of hair-raising episodes, and is sure to appeal to fans of aviation history as well as the more general reader seeking out an action-packed biography offering fresh insights into one of the most pivotal conflicts of the twentieth century"--Publisher description Introduction......Page 7 Acknowledgements......Page 10 Chapter 1 Born to Fly......Page 12 Chapter 2 The Road to War......Page 17 Chapter 3 The So-Called Phoney War......Page 32 Chapter 4 Blitzkrieg to Dunkirk......Page 40 Chapter 5 The Fight Goes On......Page 63 Chapter 6 Target Britain......Page 74 Chapter 7 The Battle Heightens......Page 96 Chapter 8 One Day’s Battle: 18 August......Page 131 Chapter 9 No. 32 Squadron Keeping the Upper Hand......Page 141 Chapter 10 No. 257 Squadron......Page 160 Chapter 11 Leading the Aussies of No. 457 Squadron......Page 191 Chapter 12 A New Command: No. 602 Squadron......Page 215 Chapter 13 Wing Commander (Flying) Tangmere Wing......Page 233 Chapter 14 Wing Commander (Flying) Culmhead Wing......Page 245 Chapter 15 Post War Service and Honours......Page 261 Bibliography......Page 275 Index......Page 277 A thrilling new biography of Air Commodore Pete Brothers, CBE, DSO, DFC, and Bar - one of the most heroic fighter aces of the Second World War.