Gun Button to Fire
A Hurricane Pilot's Dramatic Story of the Battle of Britain
Published on 15. August 2011
Book
Paperback/Softback
320 pages
978-1-4456-0510-4 (ISBN)
Description
The amazing story of one of the 'Few', fighter ace Tom Neil who shot down 13 enemy aircraft during the Battle of Britain. This is a fighter pilot's story of eight memorable months from May to December 1940. When the Germans were blitzing their way across France, Pilot Officer Tom Neil had just received his first posting - to 249 Squadron. Nineteen years old, fresh from training at Montrose on Hawker Audax biplanes he was soon to be pitch forked into the maelstrom of air fighting on which the survival of Britain was to depend. By the end of the year he had shot down 13 enemy aircraft, seen many of his friends killed, injured or burned, and was himself a wary and accomplished fighter pilot.
Reviews / Votes
A thrilling new book... Tom Neil is one of the last surviving heroes who fought the Luftwaffe' * THE DAILY EXPRESS * The best book on the Battle of Britain' -- SIR JOHN GRANDY, Marshal of the RAF An icon of the battle as well as one of the most successful pilots, he is uniquely qualified to tell a story that is both the ultimate military epic, and also distinctly personal' * MILITARY TIMES * Tom Neil is one of the last of the Few' * BEST OF BRITISH *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Chalford
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Illustrations
114 Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 201 mm
Width: 126 mm
Thickness: 27 mm
Weight
321 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4456-0510-4 (9781445605104)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Tom Neil joined 249 Squadron flying Hurricanes just before the start of the Battle of Britain. His first victory was an Me 109, followed in quick succession by twelve others. Tom was awarded a Bar to his DFC in November 1940. After the Battle of Britain, he was soon in action again in the skies over Malta where he gained another victory. His other books include The Silver Spitfire and Gun Button To Fire. He is the Chairman of the Battle of Britain Fighter Pilot Association. Now ninety-five, he lives in Norfolk and has three sons, two of whom carry on the tradition of flying. His wife of over seventy years, Eileen, herself an RAF Flight Officer during the war, sadly died last year.
Content
Foreword, Author's Note, 1. Early Days, 2. 249 Squadron: May 1940, 3. Spitfire Interlude: 1 - 11 June 1940, 4. Operational in a Hurricane: 12 June-14 August 1940, 5. Into Battle From Boscombe Down: 15-31 August 1940, 6. September 1940 at North Weald, 7. An October of 109s, 8. Winter Sets In: November 1940, 9. The Last of the Year: December 1940, Epilogue: What Happened After the Battle of Britain?, Appendix - Log Book, Publisher's Acknowledgements