249 At War: The Authorised History of the RAF's Top-Scoring Fighter Squadron of WWII

United Kingdom: Grub Street the Basement, 1997. New book, some shelf wear to cover, 292 pages. With many, many illustrious names amongst its roll of honour, this exciting history of what is arguably the RAF's foremost fighting squadron is long overdue. Formed in May 1940, its pilots - including Ginger Neil and J.B. Nicolson who won Fighter Command's only VC of the war - saw distinguished action in the Battle of Britain. Next to Malta, where many nationalities - American, Australian, New Zealand and Canadian especially - participated in the tremendous struggle for the island, initially on Hurricanes and later on Spitfires. Men like Buzz Buerling and Buck McNair, Laddie, Lucas and Stan Grant fought here with courage. The Squadron then moved to Italy where it participated in fighter-bomber attacks with Spitfires and Mustangs over the Balkans until the end of the war. This book then covers the Squadron's essential post WWII activities from its base in the Middle East on Tempests, Vampires and Venoms - flying with distinction from Cypress in the Suez conflict in 1956 and from Adem over Oman in 1957, before converting to Canberra Bombers as part of the Middle East Strike Wing. Disbanded in 1969, its memory lives on brightly in the annals of the RAF.. Hard Cover. As New/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.