Angels in the Sky: How a Band of Volunteer Airmen Saved the New State of Israel

by Robert Gandt Narrated by Tom Perkins

Overview

Angels in the Sky is the gripping story of how an all-volunteer air force helped defeat five Arab nations and protect the fledgling Jewish state.



It is the exhilarating account of a ragtag band of volunteer airmen from around the world who fought for Israel during the war of independence. They arrived from America, Canada, Britain, France, and South Africa. Almost all were World War II combat veterans. Many, but not all, were Jewish, and many knowingly violated their nations' embargoes on the shipment of arms and aircraft to Israel. They smuggled in Messerschmitt fighters from Czechoslovakia, painting over swastikas with Israeli stars. They flew British-built Spitfires and American Mustangs, risking their lives for a righteous cause. Surrounded by Egyptian, Jordanian, Iraqi, Syrian, and Lebanese forces, Israel would have been crushed without the air support provided by the "angels in the sky."



Briskly written and based on first-person interviews and extensive archival research, here is a modern-day David-and-Goliath tale and popular history at its best.

Editorial Reviews

The Jerusalem Post

"Compellingly readable.… [Gandt] recreates the early battles of the War of Independence with an unbridled enthusiasm that captures the reader’s heart."

Adam Makos

"These are the forgotten ‘Flying Tigers’ who stepped forward when the world turned away, to fly and fight for the highest stakes—the survival of Israel. A cinematic mélange of heart-pounding history, Angels in the Sky does justice to an epic, unsung story."

Steven Pressfield

"Angels in the Sky reads like a World War II thriller, only better because every word is true. The saga of Israel’s fledgling air force and the motley crew of heroes who saved the Jewish state is one of the great, untold stories of history. Robert Gandt has brought it vividly, unforgettably to life."

Jewish Press

"Fascinating."

Budd Davisson

"It takes a serious pilot to adequately describe serious aerial adventures, and Robert Gandt does that better than anyone. Angels in the Sky digs into one of the most exciting chapters in aviation history: the three-dimensional battle for the birth of a nation—Israel. He brings the ragtag pilots and their ragtag air force to life in a way that gives new dimension to the meaning and value of independence."

David North

"Angels in the Sky is the best of Robert Gandt. He details the extreme measures that were required to get aircraft out of the United States, Britain, and other countries and into Israel in 1948. But more importantly, he gives life to the aircraft buyers, mechanics, and pilots that were to make up what would become one of the most formidable air forces in the world. Gandt shows us the joy, sorrow, comradeship, and trust that was shared by the foreign and Jewish members of the group. A terrific read for anyone."

Dave North

"Angels in the Sky is the best of Bob Gandt. He details the extreme measures that were required to get aircraft out of the United States, Britain and other countries and into Israel in 1948. But more importantly, he gives life to the aircraft buyers, mechanics and pilots that were to make up what would become one of the most formidable air forces in the world. Bob shows us the joy, sorrow, comradeship and trust that was shared by the foreign and Jewish members of the group. A terrific read for anyone."

Stephen Coonts

"In 1948 a group of ragtag aerial warriors from the four corners of the earth helped save the newborn state of Israel from the armed forces of five Arab states—a David facing Goliath. Improbably, Israel won the war in a miraculous military victory. Books like Angels in the Sky come along once in a generation. You must read it."

Booklist

"Compelling….both an exciting account of aerial combat as well as a frequently touching collection of warrior profiles."

William Garvey

"A well-told aviation history unlike any other. Beechcraft Bonanza bombers, B-movie Beaufighters, ersatz Messerschmitts, a bogus airline, and battle-tested veterans from every corner of the world—all to save a new nation in terrible peril. A truly amazing yarn."

Jewish Press - Elliot Resnick

"Fascinating."

Adams Makos

"These are the forgotten ‘Flying Tigers’ who stepped forward when the world turned away, to fly and fight for the highest stakes—the survival of Israel. A cinematic mélange of heart-pounding history, Angels in the Sky does justice to an epic, unsung story."

Barrett Tillman

"Robert Gandt understands pilots and he understands flying, which are not always the same thing. Angels in the Sky is… an enjoyable, balanced description of the origin of one of the world’s leading air forces. Strap in tight, turn up the oxygen, and set the gunsight for ‘pegged range,’ because it’s a wild ride."

Walter Boyne

"It is always so rewarding to read a book about combat flying written by an author who obviously knows the subject firsthand! Robert Gandt’s latest book on the infant Israeli Air Force fills a real need and shines new light on one of the most heroic battles in history. The prowess of the IAF in recent years has caused us to forget just how precarious was its beginning, and how joyfully the battle was joined by a wide variety of pilots flying airplanes better suited for a museum than combat."

Library Journal

09/15/2017
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.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171271114
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	10/03/2017
Edition description:	Unabridged

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