AIR GUNNER: The Men Who Manned the Turrets.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,illustrated,1st edn. FINE/FINE. No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp, clean,matt,colour pictorial artwork illustrated front of dw/dj with capitalised,matt,white-lettered part-title and other white-lettered sub-title,and author's name in capitalised,matt,white lettering; spine/backstrip with thumbnailcolour illustration to head of same and similarly coloured+lettered part-title and author's name as the front's and publisher's b/w lettered+ illustrated name and colophon to foot of same,rear panel of dw/dj with a contemporary monochrome photograph [gunner in front of palne's gun turret] and montaged colour photograph of service medals. Negligible shelf-wear to edges and corners – no nicks, tears or splits present.Top+fore-edges bright crisp and clean without foxing/spotting; contents bright,tight, clean,solid and sound – no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips – appears unread,apart from my own collation.Publisher's bright,crisp and clean/unblemished,sharp-cornered,original plain black cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked gilt capitalised lettering to spine/backstrip,and immaculate plain white endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,8-328pp [paginated] includes verso of Acknowledgements,18 chapters,profuse contemporary b/w photographs planes,crews,aerial photographs and other assorted b/w illustrations,cartoons etc.,and some modern b/w photographs too,thoughout the text and the book,an Appendix [Air Gunner casualties] and an Index; plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages,a Contents list/table with a dedication to its reverse, recto of Acknowledgements,3pp contemporary b/w RAF cartoons,and to the rear,6pp blanks. Visually the exterior appearance is exceptional and particularly internally,is also in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation for a book of its 15-year-old age.It really is an exceptional, exemplary example for its cleanliness,brightness and lack of detracting faults. Whilst there have been several books published about the wartime experiences of individual air gunners there is no general history of Air Gunners, their equipment, training or service in the various RAF Commands in which they served. This book explains in great detail how and why the trade of air gunner was developed at the outset of World War II. Chapters include the history of the guns and turrets, the famous gunners, outstanding bravery during major raids,flying with Coastal Command, Bomber Command and overseas operations. It also includes the history of Air Gunners who became prisoners of war, outstanding bravery awards and American air gunners such as Clark Gable, John Huston and Charlton Heston. It includes many first-hand accounts of wartime combat as seen from the gun turret in the heat of battle. Air Gunners, 'tail-end Charleys' in particular, have always been popular wartime heroes as they flew in their isolated positions protecting their aircraft from enemy fighter attack in the skies over war torn Europe. Please contact seller,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas customers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **