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  • Masters of the Air

  • How the Bomber Boys Broke Down the Nazi War Machine
  • By: Donald L. Miller
  • Narrated by: Robertson Dean
  • Length: 25 hrs and 16 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (184 ratings)
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Masters of the Air

By: Donald L. Miller
Narrated by: Robertson Dean
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

‘Seconds after Brady’s plane was hit, the Hundredth’s entire formation was broken up and scattered by swarms of single-engine planes, and by rockets launched by twin-engine planes that flew parallel.'

Meet the Flying Fortresses of the American Eighth Air Force, Britain’s Lancaster comrades, who helped to bring down the Nazis.

Historian and World War II expert Donald Miller brings us the story of the bomber boys who brought the war to Hitler's doorstep. Unlike ground soldiers, they slept on clean beds, drank beer in local pubs and danced to the swing music of the travelling Air Force bands. But they were also an elite group of fighters who put their lives on the line in the most dangerous role of all.

Miller takes listeners from the adrenaline-filled battles in the sky, to the airbases across England, the German prison camps and onto the ground to understand the devastation faced by civilians.

Drawn from interviews, oral histories and American, British and German archives, Masters of the Air is the authoritative, deeply moving and important account of the world's first and only bomber war.

©2020 Donald L. Miller (P)2020 Penguin Audio

What listeners say about Masters of the Air

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Excellent

Dinitively the best coverage of the Americans european bombing war, well balanced and fair. The author has gone to great lengths to include bona fide inclusion from the highest rank to the lowest, first hand experiences in just about every circumstances during the war. The narrator reads flawlessly and in a highly listenable tone. From a British perspective I found this an excellent and informative audio book in high lighting the crucial contributions both countries played in defeating Germany from the air.

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Excellent book

Great story, highly recommended book which gives a good account of the American bomber boys.

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Great informative book

Decided to read this before the Apple TV series of the same name is released.
While, being British, I have a few issues around the characterisation of Bomber Commands war, it’s a really good informative book.

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Excellent coverage and great narration

This book covers all aspects of the USAAF air war in WW2. It has a huge amount of detail and many personal stories to enliven the statistics and historical timeline. Well balanced in its discussion of the moral and political aspects of strategic bombing, Excellent narration.

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Best book ever. Heard it 3 times.

Never have I listen to such a detailed and great book full of intriguing stories form heroes of the world war 2.

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Heartbreaking

Amazing detail and very well read. But be prepared for an extremely heartbreaking story, made all the worse by being real. I thought I understood the air war over Europe, but this book is crammed full of things I never understood and many that I wish I could forget.

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A comprehensive guide

A comprehensive guide to the incredible story that is the American air war in Europe between 1942 and 45. Well researched and comprehensive. I enjoyed the work on the downed airmen and their particular story. I would thoroughly recommend this major work.

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Scope and balance

Thought the book for the most part avoided heinous jingoism, and sees with brutal honesty a 360 degree picture of the bomber campaign. Some of the best chapters are actually more sociology than history. The recent television series really is only the tip of an iceberg of a book. Fabulous, sobering and moving

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Powerful History lesson

25 hours long and still too short. Good narration too, I loved this book.

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Really good

Excellent listen. A very, very good book. Only issue I have is with the narrator not knowing how to pronounce some names. 'Willem Shaven' for 'Wilhemshaven' for example.

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