Two Wings and a Prayer

Lance K. LeRay was editor, BAR Magazine, Toronto.

For those who wore air-force blue during the war years (1939-1945), this book is a romp into the past. As the airmen recall episodes from their service experience, memories come flooding back: one recollection by the writer nudges yet one more flashback from the reader. Forgotten incidents, companions, service expressions — all come racing back and hit home with impact. What some of the stories may lack in literary merit, they more than make up for in authenticity. And yet, as is evident in the attitudes of flyers and ground crew, each person reacted in his own way to military pressure, and each one’s war was different from everybody else’s, in both contribution and perspective. For World War II aircraft buffs, commentary by those who actually flew the “kites” is enlightening, maybe invaluable. Technical publications often record what the planes were supposed to do; the contemporary flyers, their crews, mechanics, and armorers give you a picture of the actual performance of the Lancaster, Halifax, Liberator, etc., under service conditions. The inclusion of material from American air personnel broadens the scope of this well-illustrated book. Especially vivid are glimpses of the raids over Tokyo. The scope of Mr. Wyatt’s work becomes evident in the contents page. Some of the chapters: Training, Ferry Command, The Ground Crews, Bomb the Hun!, The Superfortress, and Fighters. Two Wings and a Prayer is a great read. And a great re-read.