John Clive (2) (1933–2012)

he story begins with one of KG 200's B-17s crash landing in Britain, after being shot down by German flak while on a mission to parachute in a load of spies. The pilot is not only the Luftwaffe's best and brightest, he just happens to be the key player in Operation Ulysses, a secret mission the Fuhrer hopes will alter the course of the war. So, why was he the one flying the mission, and why didn't he crash in France? Hmmm. British and American intelligence know the Germans are repairing and flying Allied aircraft, and know a bit about Ulysses, and even know where the pilot is hiding out in London. Rather than bringing him in, they help him escape back across the Channel, so they can get a better idea about the operation. An RAF and USAAF pilot who have been investigating the crash are sent to follow him, though they have no training in covert operations or assistance from any commandos or OSI operatives. After gathering the clues they need, and making a miraculous return, they prove to be the only ones who can stop the operation.… (meer)

Quite a good WWII novel in the style of Jack Higgins, although the story tends to get overwhelmed a bit by the author's quest for technical accuracy. For the record there actually was a KG200, and it did have captured Allied planes, but hardly did anything with them. although it carried out other secret operations. Reports of unidentified planes bearing Allied markings that joined bomber formations were reported but never substantiated. Still the "what might have been" makes this a fascinating story.… (meer)