This report on the exploits of Canadian flying ace George Beurling reflects much of the passion of René Mouchotte, Pierre Clostermann and Antoine de Saint Exupéry. In the summer of 1942, Beurling destroyed 27 German and Italian aircraft in just 14 days of combat. Shot down in October 1942, he recounts in his memoirs the devastation and frenzy of the fighting in the Battle of the Mediterranean. Beurling, who had learned to fly as a teenager, was rejected by the RCAF but managed to enlist with the RAF in 1939, where he trained as a Spitfire pilot. He quickly gained a reputation as an excellent marksman. He was also a loner, a pilot who regularly broke formation and did not follow orders unscrupulously. In June 1942, he was sent to the small island of Malta, the Allies' last small possession in the region, which had been under siege for months. Beurling's remarkable victories not only helped the Allies turn the tide in their favour, but also had a decisive impact on much-needed morale. He survived the war, but was killed on 21 May 1948 while flying a plane from Italy to Palestine during the Arab-Israeli War.
Group
Books (first-hand)
Author
Beurling, George
Title
Malta Spitfire
Details
French text, paperback, some bw-photos. 236 pages.
State
new
Subtitle
Mémoires d'un loup solitaire
Histoire et Collections Avenue de la République 5 75011 Paris Frankreich
