Robert Sidney BowenBesprekingen

Written during the war, this definitely is aimed at young people as an adventure story with propaganda overtones. The Japanese sailors, airmen and soldiers are referred to as "Japs". Red Randall is the hero of several wartime adventure novels aimed at young people.

This novel focuses on the lesser known war theatre of Burma and India. Having pushed the British out of Burma towards India, the Japanese were on the march to capture India and were spreading unrest amongst Indian nationalists who they hoped would become a fifth column behind British lines.

This novel suggests there were British soldiers hiding in the Burma jungle who were gathering intel on where the Japanese were planning on attacking next. Randall and his buddy Jimmy accidentally became involved in rescuing the British soldiers trapped behind Japanese lines. Good adventure story but dated by language and stereotyping.

The boys come through again, taking out another Nazi secret weapon

More on the way than on Guadalcanal

Japanese MK 11

US SBD

Briefly with the FT

P 40

Slow start but a good finish.½

Invade a German base and kidnap the Heads of their Army and Airforce, sounds like a job for Superman and perhaps Mighty Mouse as well. Ridiculous premise but the boys carry on.

Besides, they get to fly P 38s and the Do 19.

Good intro series for young adults interested in WW2 history. Dave Duncan gets everywhere and does everything in a sufficiently plausible way that does not distract from mostly valid representations of actual battles.

Reread-10-24-2020½

Co-opted by the US Air Corp to seek out a German spymaster code name 7/11, Dave and Freddy are attacked by two armed Wacos. They shoot them down but continue to be threatened in the air and on the ground. Their search takes them to the Canal Zone where they discover a serious threat to the Canal

Dave and Freddy are off chasing spies again; this time on a carrier in the US. Capturing two on the way they finally make it to the carrier seeking still more spies likely fliers on the ship. On a search mission, they note one of their group heading off by themselves. Following them; they are attacked and shoot them down. But not before they see two Japanese cruisers heading their way. Fortunately, they are flying a TBD 1 with both bombs and a torpedo and manage to sink them both.

TBD 1 Devastator

Corsair

Lockheed Hudson½

The boys get to fly a Fairie Stringbag biplane from a catapult on a warship on their way to another clandestine assignment. Shot down by a Japanese sub, they eventually make it to thwart the Japanese attack and end up with the Flying Tigers.

P 40
Fairie Swordfish.

Another spying adventure lets the boys fly out min Mark 5 Spitfires and return in Me 109s as they seek out a new Nazi weapon in France.

Mark 5 Spitfire
Me 109

The boys get to fly a PBY Catalina and a Fairey Fulmar as they tangle with UBoats and a German spymaster. They continue to reduce the numbers of FW 187s from their very limited production of 9 planes, including prototypes.½

The boys save the day again, this time in Libya. They get to fly a Blackburn Sua and another ME110.

Henschel Recon, Breda 65s, Fiat CR42½

Good series for young adults interested in flying and WW2. These boys get to fly everything; this time an ME 110.

Wellington Spitfire
FW187½

Very good in Dust Jacket
From Goose River in Camden $15.00

Second copy with dust jacket is excellent condition

Good intro series for young adults interested in WW2 history. Dave Duncan gets everywhere and does everything in a sufficiently plausible way that does not distract from mostly valid representations of actual battles.½

Eh. Fun fluff, a bit. For a wartime book (copyright 1942), the racism is amazingly light - but it's still present, as is somewhat crude patriotism (it's the crudity I object to, not the patriotism). The heroes pull off miracles regularly, mostly having to do with being amazing fliers, plus a serious dose of luck (which they recognize as luck, admittedly). The banter between Dave and Freddie is cute, but I think I'd get bored with it pretty quickly. And the reason they're chosen...well, I haven't read the previous books, maybe the first one leads on to them, as individuals, being recommended for a cross-Atlantic (and Pacific, for that matter) intelligence job. But with what I know of them, it's a very unlikely setup. So: fun, glad I read it, if I spot another Dave Dawson I may well pick it up. But I see no reason to keep the book.