At thirty-four, H.E. Bates was deemed too old for active service in WWII. But as a successful author, was commissioned by the nascent RAP Public Relations unit to publicise the bravery of the fighter pilots. Bates was posted to Oakington and Tangmere air bases where, over drinks with the pilots, he gathered their stories and wrote them as Flying Officer X.

The stories convey the pilots' personal qualities and the forces that motivated them. They blend the action and suspense of aerial battles, the tragedy of friendships cut off too soon, and life enduring against all odds.

Collected into one volume for the first time, along with five previously unpublished stories from the era, this is a remarkable collection.

Includes an introduction by Patrick Bishop, bestselling author of Bomber Boys: Fighting Back 1940-1945