The Sky Suspended by Jim Bailey

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The Sky Suspended by Jim Bailey

Postby dieg777 on Mon May 09, 2005 8:54 pm

Book: The Sky Suspended

Author : Jim Bailey
Pages : 184
Photos: 9
Published 1964 paperback 2005

This biography is different from anything else I have read. For a start it is mainly about night fighting, while flying a variety of unusual aircraft but what sets it apart is the authors style.
This is the story of a British fighter pilot during the last war, mainly involved with night fighter operations. It begins with his training and posting to a Defiant squadron, continues to describe flying these against bombers during the Battle of Britain, then follows this with his conversion to night fighting and ends with describing his night flying career.
He operated in Britain, Western France, Northern Scotland and the Mediterranean, flying a variety of aircraft from Defients, Hurricanes, to “the flying searchlight” Bostons and Beaufighters.
His chapters are many, 32 and therefore very short and the writing alternates between descriptive and almost poetic. Although there are descriptions of aircraft and combat, there are also sections containing philosophy and almost poetry. Due to the many losses of his comrades and perhaps due to the nighttime flying you sometimes feel that he is describing some Mid Summers Night Dream land.
I would add that if English is not your first language, it might prove to be a difficult read due to his style and use of language but if you are looking for something a bit different from the sometimes standard tales from pilots of this area then this book is worth seeking out and persevering with.
dieg777
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