{"product_id":"the-few-the-american-knights-of-the-air-who-risked-everything-to-fight-in-the-battle-of-britain-9780306815720","title":"The Few: The American Knights of the Air Who Risked Everything to Fight in the Battle of Britain","description":"\u003cb\u003eFrom the author of national bestsellers \u003ci\u003eThe Bedford Boys\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Longest Winter\u003c\/i\u003e comes \"a rousing tale of little-known heroes\" (\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e).\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Few\u003c\/i\u003e tells the dramatic and unforgettable story of eight young Americans who joined Britain's Royal Air Force, defying their country's neutrality laws and risking their U.S. citizenship to fight side-by-side with England's finest pilots in the summer of 1940-over a year before America entered the war. Flying the lethal and elegant Spitfire, they became \"knights of the air\" and with minimal training but plenty of guts, they dueled the skilled and fearsome pilots of Germany's Luftwaffe. By October 1940, they had helped England win the greatest air battle in the history of aviation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ch2\u003eThe Story Behind the Heroes\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWinston Churchill once said of all those who fought in the Battle of Britain, \"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.\" These daring Americans were the few among the \"few.\" This historical account brings to life the courage and sacrifice of pilots who volunteered before Pearl Harbor, when America remained officially neutral. These aviators left behind their homes, families, and citizenship rights to defend Britain against the Luftwaffe during one of World War II's most critical moments.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAward-Winning Military History\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlex Kershaw delivers the narrative drive and human drama that made \u003ci\u003eThe Bedford Boys\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Longest Winter\u003c\/i\u003e national bestsellers. This paperback edition from Da Capo Press presents meticulous research combined with compelling storytelling, documenting the air combat, personal struggles, and ultimate triumph of these American volunteers in the Royal Air Force during the summer and fall of 1940.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ch2\u003eKey Historical Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe book covers the pivotal period of 1940 when the Battle of Britain determined whether Nazi Germany would achieve air superiority over England. Readers discover authentic accounts of Spitfire combat missions, the training these Americans received, and their integration into RAF squadrons. The narrative captures both the technical aspects of aerial warfare and the personal dimensions of these pilots' experiences fighting alongside British aviators against the German Luftwaffe.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlex Kershaw\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of the widely acclaimed bestsellers \u003ci\u003eThe Bedford Boys, The Longest Winter, The Few\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eEscape from the Deep\u003c\/i\u003e, among others. He lives in Massachusetts.","brand":"Da Capo Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50680538169618,"sku":"9780306815720","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-few-the-american-knights-of-the-air-who-risked-everything-to-fight-in-the-battle-of-britain-9780306815720","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}