Spin
On November 29, 1943, tail gunner Gene Moran and his nine teammates were aboard the B-17 Flying Fortress bomber nicknamed Rikki Tikki Tavi.
It was the height of air warfare over Europe during World War II, and Gene's plane had just bombed the industrial city of Bremen, Germany. Rikki Tikki Tavi was heading to his air base in England when suddenly German fighter planes attacked the Flying Fortress squadron head-on. Gene's plane fell back in front of the other American bombers… every aviator's worst nightmare.
Now fighting alone, Gene and his teammates battled dozens of German fighter planes. Enemy bullets and cannons tore Rikki Tikki Tavi to pieces. Gene himself was shot in both arms and an explosion broke his ribs on his left side. The bullets passed through his parachute attached to his back, shredding him.
Realizing the fight was lost, Gene crawled forward to retrieve a spare parachute. As his bullet-riddled plane fell downward, the tail tore away from the fuselage.
The tail section, with Gene lying inside, traveled four miles to earth and crashed in a forest in northwest Germany.
Miraculously, Gene survived. But his ordeal was only just beginning.
The book Tailspin is his story.
It was the height of air warfare over Europe during World War II, and Gene's plane had just bombed the industrial city of Bremen, Germany. Rikki Tikki Tavi was heading to his air base in England when suddenly German fighter planes attacked the Flying Fortress squadron head-on. Gene's plane fell back in front of the other American bombers… every aviator's worst nightmare.
Now fighting alone, Gene and his teammates battled dozens of German fighter planes. Enemy bullets and cannons tore Rikki Tikki Tavi to pieces. Gene himself was shot in both arms and an explosion broke his ribs on his left side. The bullets passed through his parachute attached to his back, shredding him.
Realizing the fight was lost, Gene crawled forward to retrieve a spare parachute. As his bullet-riddled plane fell downward, the tail tore away from the fuselage.
The tail section, with Gene lying inside, traveled four miles to earth and crashed in a forest in northwest Germany.
Miraculously, Gene survived. But his ordeal was only just beginning.
The book Tailspin is his story.
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