Its more familiar name was the de Havilland Mosquito, and it used lightning speed and agility to inflict mayhem on the German war machine. Novel in construction and exceptionally fast, the new plane was soon outpacing the Spitfire, and went on to contribute to the RAF's offensive against Nazi Germany as bomber, pathfinder and night fighter. The Founder of the Pathfinders [Donald Bennett] lacks sufficient coverage, but the politics with Cochrane are well articulated. From the summer of 1943, as Bomber Command intensified its saturation bombing of German cities, Mosquitos were used by the Pathfinder Force, which marked targets for night-time bombing, to devastating effect.

I have learnt a great deal about the operations undertaken by Mosquito Squadrons and enjoyed every minute of my read. Mosquito Men traces the contrasting careers of the young men of 627 Squadron, including that of Ken Oatley – last living member of an illustrious group – who flew twenty-two operations in Mosquitos as a navigator.The Mosquito Men are not acknowledged by any of the other characters in The Plane Scene, and themselves say nothing revealing any information about themselves (or at all). Mosquito Men traces the contrasting careers of the young men of 627 Squadron, including that of Ken Oatley - last surviving member of an illustrious group - who flew twenty-two operations in Mosquitos as a navigator.

I was hoping for something more like Michael Cumming's excellent "Beam Bombers" about 109 Squadron, As a result, I was sometimes distracted by anecdotes that I felt were non-sequiturs (and why I did not rate this 5 stars). One of the tourists is Evan, taking an enforced holiday from his family and work in Belfast after breaking down after the death of his daughter in infancy. Mosquito Men traces the contrasting careers of the young men of 627 Squadron, including that of Ken Oatley - last living member of an illustrious group - who flew twenty-two operations in Mosquitos as a navigator. For those fans of the Mosquito aircraft recently described by Rowland White, Mosquito Men will add the human element to this iconic plane. From the summer of that year, as RAF Bomber Command intensified its saturation-bombing campaign against German cities and industrial centres, Mosquitos were used by the RAF Pathfinder Force, which marked targets for night-time bombing, to potent and devastating effect.The amount of work entailed in putting in the detail must have been enormous but worth it for me because there is so much about each airman’s life and family. He has come to try to process his grief and make himself desirable again as a husband, a father and a business partner.

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This is a moving and funny debut novel set in a quirky coastal community you will be desperate to visit after reading. Novel in design, operationally flexible and exceptionally fast, it inflicted mayhem on the German war machine as night-fighter, fighter-bomber and pathfinder.