Fuel Fire And Fear: RAF Flight Engineers at War

During World War II, the demand for on-board technical experts to join Bomber Crews led to the development of Flight Engineers. This book explores the origin, training, and complexity of keeping large bombers in the air, including the gallantry medals won by Flight Engineers. Direct entries into the RAF by civilians were undertaken to satisfy the demand, with flying training time being sparse.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 22 March 2018
Publisher: Fonthill Media

During the Second World War, the demand for an on-board technical expert to join the Bomber Crews emerged. The various systems on the latest 4-engined Heavy Bombers, such as the Handley Page Halifax, Shorts Stirling, and Avro Lancaster, witnessed the development of Flight Engineers. This captivating book delves into the origin of Flight Engineers, their rigorous training, and the intricate challenges of maintaining large bombers in flight. Flight Engineers exhibited remarkable bravery, earning numerous gallantry medals, including the Victoria Cross. They shared their accounts of dangerous operational flying in various aircraft, including those of Coastal Command. To meet the surging demand for Flight Engineers, direct entries into the RAF by civilians were undertaken. These entrants underwent courses of varying lengths, but their flying training time was limited. Remarkably, some of these men qualified for their flying badges without ever having flown in an aircraft. This book presents true accounts, many based on personal flying logbooks and unique material originating from the pilots and aircrew themselves. It sheds light on the remarkable contributions of Flight Engineers during World War II and their pivotal role in ensuring the success of bomber missions.

Weight: 556g
Dimension: 240 x 163 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781781556757