Angels in the Sky

September 1, 2017
Another look at the diverse collection of pilots who fought for Israeli independence, underscoring Nancy Spielberg's recent documentary, Above and Beyond, among other accounts.In his engaging new book, military and aviation historian Gandt (The President's Pilot, 2014, etc.) reveals the significant contributions of American and Canadian airmen in defending the nascent Israeli state against attacks by its Arab neighbors shortly after the nation's 1948 independence. A gifted storyteller, the author begins his chronicle with the trepidation of David Ben-Gurion, then president of the Jewish Agency Executive, on the eve of Israeli independence. He knew that the wild jubilation of a U.N. vote for partition of Palestine in November 1947 would soon be followed by war once the British withdrew in May and that the surrounding five Arab countries would "roll like a seismic wave across Israel." Gandt tells the astounding tale of how a handful of committed people, led by Al Schwimmer, an American World War II veteran and flight engineer for TWA, managed to convince the leaders of the Haganah--Israel's fledgling defense arm--that building an air force was the only way to win a war against the Arabs. In a few short months, Schwimmer and other veteran pilots, many of whom were Jewish, worked under official U.S. radar to secure war-surplus airplanes--nonglamorous but sturdy transport aircraft like the C-46 Curtiss Commando, DC-3 and C-46, as well as the Lockheed Constellation, and even Messerschmitts from Czechoslovakia--because of U.S. restrictions imposed by the Neutrality Act of 1939. After creating a Panamanian front company, reconditioning the planes, and doing some quick training in Czechoslovakia, the fledgling, newly named Israeli Air Force was enlisted to counter Egyptian spitfires almost immediately upon Israeli independence. Over the next few months, they performed a series of military miracles, all of which Gandt delineates with aplomb. An exciting military chronicle packed with well-documented, intimate portraits of a group of brave pilots.

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September 15, 2017

Israel's 1948 war of independence consisted of a mostly air battle with a hastily arranged collection of planes and fliers from across the world with varying motivations for fighting for Israel--some were Zionists, while others were simply looking for an adventure. This unlikely successful conflict serves as an inspiration for prolific military and aviation storyteller and former military and commercial pilot Gandt, who tells the stories of those who fought. While this account is based on historical research and interviews with the pilots and their families, the writing style has the elements of a thriller, including dramatic barroom stakeouts, aerial shootouts, and smuggling planes via Panama and Czechoslovakia. The author's personal experience with flying and aerial warfare is evident from the detailed descriptions of navigating a war plane and the emotional turmoil of combat. The young country of Israel is a backdrop, but not a main player in this narrative. VERDICT This engaging book will be an excellent nonfiction choice for aficionados of military thrillers. General readers seeking an accessible history of the Israeli war of independence will also enjoy.--Margaret Heller, Loyola Univ. Chicago Libs.

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2017
On May 14, 1948, Israel formally declared its existence as an independent state. Military conflict between Jewish and Palestinian Arab militia had been underway for months, but the following day, the regular armies of the surrounding Arab states attacked Israel. On paper, these Arab armies had a huge numerical and material advantage, leading to the recounting of the miracle of Israel's survival. Gandt, an author and former airline pilot, concentrates on the struggle between the Arab and the nascent Israeli air forces. Here, too, there was a numerical imbalance of forces, and, as Gandt's compelling narrative shows, the much smaller force of largely volunteer Jewish pilots held their own, preventing Arab pilots from gaining full air superiority. The Israelis were a motley group from a variety of countries with a variety of motivations. Some were ardent Zionists, some were adventurers, and some were outright mercenaries. Almost all were highly trained WWII veterans and far more experienced than their Arab counterparts.This is both an exciting account of aerial combat as well as a frequently touching collection of warrior profiles.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)