Group captain. Douglas bader
 

Hi All

I was going through a lot of my stuff the other day and I came accross a book in my collection that I had not seen for years. It bought back memories of how I obtained the book. My wife Jo and I were staying at a. Trust Forte Hotel in REDDING in England in 1976. Douglas Bader was staying there as well promoting his book " FIGHT FOR THE SKY ". I could not wait to get my copy which he signed for me. A true gentleman.

As we are now retired and downsizing, I was wondering what I should do with the book, which is still in mint condition. Do I keep it or let it go to someone interested in WW2 aircraft and who collects orininal signed bits of history. If I let it go what would something like this be worth. I have no idea.The book is approx. 10"H x 7.1/2"W x 3/4" Thick. Any ideas welcomed..I tried to put some photos up but for some strange reason nothing happened. I will try again.

Cheers

Tony :no4:

Reach for the Sky
 

I think the author was Paul Brickhill .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reach_for_the_Sky

When I was high school, a classmate wrote a letter to Douglas Bader .He actually replied , that says a lot for the guy

Mike

Yep, Reach For The Sky was a favorite in my family when I was growing up, it was also made into a film starring Kennth More?
The othe book that grabbed our attention at he time was Fly for your Life, the story of Robert Stanford Tuck.
However, as for your question Tony, wild horses would not seperate me from a copy signed in my presence by DB himself.
I have a copy of "Half Safe, Across the Atlantic by Jeep" signed (by both Ben and Elinore Carlin) when they got the Jeep to Melbourne in '57, I was happy to pay $20.00 for it, so $$$$ wise, your book may not be worth selling anyway.
Rich.

Reach For The Sky and Fight For The Sky are two different books. Bader wrote the latter. It is the history of the Spitfire and the Hurricane.

Reach for the sky
 

Hi Guys


Mike. You are the correct a nice guy, easy to talk too, down to earth and even found time to speak to an Ausie from down under. I fould him a real gentleman.

Rich. A wise comment as usual. I value the book more for how I obtained it and the memory of the moment. I too loved the film "Reach for the Sky" starring Kenneth More. The man was not held back by adversities and was prepare to look on the bright side of his life after losing his legs.

Might have to dig up the movie and have another look at it :salute:.

Cheers :no4:

Tony

Hi Tony

One of my greatest regrets from my early teen years is arriving late at the Aircrew Reunion in Winnipeg back in the late 1970's and being unable to get my copy of "Reach for the Sky" signed by DB who was attending that year with Adolph Galland.

By the time I arrived (cross town on a city bus in my Air Cadet uniform), it was all over. Somehow I completely messed up the timings. I recall be very very dissappointed in myself that day.

I had a large collection of the Ballantine Warbook paperbacks with the fold out covers back then and really really wanted that one signed. I recall there was many other of my favourite WW2 titles like Brazen Chariots, Fly for your life, Company Commander, To Hell and Back, Tin Cans, Samurai, etc etc etc.

Were I you, I'd hold on to that particular book. Sure, we downsize and somethings end up on the block but that; I would keep.

regards
Darrell

Fight for the sky
 

Darrell

You are of course correct, I will hang onto the book. It was just that once I saw it again it bought back good memories, it takes up no room at all, may even read it again. :coffee

Cheers

Tony :no4: