Bombs Away!: The World War II Bombing Campaigns Over Europe    by John Bruning Order:  USA  Can Zenith Press, 2011 (2011) Hardcover, e-Book Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Bob Walch 'My childish and naïve view of the air was vanished in the 1990s when I interviewed hundreds of veterans of the Eighth and Fifteenth Air Forces ... In their words, in their tears for long-fallen comrades, and in their eyes I saw the true meaning of what took place during those seminal years seven decades ago. As a result, this book has been both a privilege and a passion to write –I hope every page honors their experience by staying honest to what they endured and why,' writes John Bruning in this book's introduction. 'This is their story, the view from their cockpits and turrets, told with all the raw honesty I gleaned from their words.' A comprehensive, illustrated history of the massive aerial bombardment in Europe between 1939 and 1945, this volume tells the story of the bombing runs over Europe during the Second World War made by the U.S. Army Air Forces and the British RAF Bomber Command. You'll see the aircraft, meet their crews and follow them as they head for targets such as Hamburg, Kassel, Mainz, Cologne, Essen, Hanover, Frankfurt, Berlin and many other German cities. There's also a section of the book on the flipside of the coin, the German raids on English cities like London, Birmingham, Coventry and Liverpool. Bruning not only follows the bombers on their missions over Europe but he also honors the fighter escorts who protected them when they flew into enemy skies. The stakes were high and the losses sometimes staggering and unbelievable, but this aerial attack was necessary to hasten the end of the conflict. Over 450 vivid pictures provide an unrivalled visual record of the six year bombing campaign this book documents. The pictures of the devastation on the ground are just as gripping as the photos of the combat taking place high above in the skies over the cities that were the targets of the raids. The $50 dollar suggested price of this volume may put off some potential readers but if you are interested in military history, World War II, or the development of air power in war time, this is a must purchase. The photos alone make this book an exceptional bargain. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews