Kaplan has previously written several books about the lives of soldiers in World War II, and he provides biographical accounts of some of the most celebrated fighter pilots in the RAF such as Robert Stanford Tuck, Al Deere, Peter Townsend, Brian Kingcome, Geoffrey Page and Adolph "Sailor" Malan. Noting that these skilled pilots were responsible for a lion's share of aerial victories, the author examines the qualities and aptitudes that made a fighter pilot an ace, and how the design of such aircraft as the Spitfire and Hurricane exploited these talents. Archival research, diaries, memoirs and interviews were used to gather this information, which will be of great interest to aviation history and military enthusiasts. Distributed by Casemate. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)