Turning The Tide

This is a story of high drama and high heroism, told by a master of military aviation history. Once again, Tom Cleaver has given us a work that both informs and entertains, and which makes a substantial and lasting contribution to military aviation historiography. * Richard P. Hallion, former Historian of the US Air Force *
The air war in North Africa was as vicious and as consequential as any combat in World War II, but it’s usually treated like a sideshow. Tom Cleaver gives long-deserved respect and attention to this theater – and to the aviators and crews who fought and died to win it for the allies. * Chris Bucholtz, author of ‘P-51B/C Mustang: Northwest Europe 1943–44’ *
Thomas Cleaver brings his well-honed investigative and storytelling gifts to bear in this remarkable book … a new benchmark in the study of aerial operations in the Mediterranean during World War II. * Lynn Ritger, author of ‘Messerschmitt Bf 109: Origins and Evolution’ *
Cleaver masterfully weaves personal stories of pilots into the larger fabric of the war, creating a narrative that puts the reader into the cockpit as well as the history books. * James R. Benn, author of ‘The Phantom Patrol’ and other Billy Boyle World War II Mysteries *
Tom Cleaver neatly weaves a tight web of the varied players in the Mediterranean air war of 1941–43. * Barrett Tillman, author of ‘When the Shooting Stopped’ *
This is an ‘all guns blazing’ history of the USAAF campaign in North Africa and Sicily during World War Two. * Flypast *

I found Tom’s narrative to be both engaging and informative, with a nice balance of additional first-hand accounts. A most enjoyable read and this book clearly proved why Tom’s books are so popular.
This certainly won’t be my last.

Thomas McKelvey Cleaver has been a published writer for the past 40 years, with his work including the best-selling Osprey titles The Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club (2021), Going Downtown (2022), The Cactus Air Force (2022) alongside the late Eric Hammel, and most recently Clean Sweep (2023). Tom served in the US Navy in Vietnam and currently lives in Encino, California.

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