Stanford Tuck: Hero of the Battle of Britain: The Life of the Great Fighter Ace

(Paperback)

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The first full reappraisal of one of Britain's great fighter aces, this book examines the truth behind Tuck's 1956 biography, Fly for Your Life. It looks at the evidence behind the myths, and reveals the real Stanford Tuck, a more complex man than the one-dimensional hero of the previous biography. During the Second World War, Bob Tuck was a top-scoring British fighter ace with an official score of 29 enemy aircraft destroyed by January 1942, and became the glamorous role model for the RAF publicity machine. He had joined the RAF in 1935 and quickly showed his excellent flying skills. In 1940 his Spitfire squadron was fighting over Dunkirk where he first proved himself an expert shot. During the Battle of Britain his legendary prowess grew and he was posted to command a leaderless and demoralised squadron, this time flying Hurricanes, where he continued to prove himself an outstanding fighter ace, gaining the rare distinction of three DFCs and then the DSO for his leadership. Shot down over France in January 1942, he was imprisoned in Stalag Luft III alongside Roger Bushell, the mastermind of the Great Escape. In January 1944, he was purged along with around 20 other POWs to a new camp. Still determined to escape, he took a risky chance during the Long March along with a Polish officer, making their way east to Russian forces and thence to England. Post-war he became good friends with the Luftwaffe ace, Adolf Galland, and was a key advisor with him on the film, Battle of Britain, and, often with his other friend, Douglas Bader, made many media appearances. His health suffered in later years from the impact of his war service and his imprisonment and he died aged 70 in 1987. AUTHOR: Dr Helen Doe is a well-established historian and author who has appeared regularly on radio and TV and is also an accredited lecturer for the Arts Society. She is a fellow of the University of Exeter, where she taught for some years. She is also a fellow of the Royal Historical Society (FRHistS), chair of the British Commission for Maritime History and a government advisor to National Historic Ships. In 2015 she published Fighter Pilot, the biography of her father, Bob Doe. Stanford Tuck is her second book to focus on World War II RAF aces.

Reviews

"Scrupulously researched, this book tells the story of the human being behind the hero, bringing home the true tragedy and suffering of war. It makes for a compelling read."

-- Stephen Bungay

Stanford Tuck is a neglected hero of the British narrative of the Second World War despite his success as a fighter ace in the critical years. Helen Doe has successfully rescued Tuck as an airman worth knowing better, and at the same time has removed the many myths and distortions that earlier accounts accumulated. This is no hagiography, but a thoroughly researched biography that presents the many sides of Tucks personality and career with candour but also with sympathy.

-- Professor Richard Overy

"The book paints a very vivid picture of Tuck a man with faults and failures amid all the success and so much more interesting as a result. I very much like the way Helen Doe has drawn on many sources and includes them as part of the narrative. A really good read.

-- Simon Pearson (author of The Great Escaper)

An impeccably researched and highly readable account, and one very fair in its reasoning and assessments. Excellent.

-- Aeroplane

Exceptionally well researched, balanced and authoritative, this is an excellent read.

-- Classic Wings

This is an acute memoir of refreshing clarity written with sympathy and elan.

-- Britain at War Magazine (Book of the Month)

Author Bio

Dr Helen Doe is a well-established historian and author who has appeared regularly on radio and TV and is also an accredited lecturer for the Arts Society. She is a fellow of the University of Exeter, where she taught for some years. She is also a fellow of the Royal Historical Society (FRHistS), chair of the British Commission for Maritime History and a government advisor to National Historic Ships. In 2015 she published Fighter Pilot, the biography of her father, Bob Doe. Stanford Tuck is her second book to focus on World War II RAF aces.