Aged 17 I read 'On Wings of War' by Jean Zumbach. That's over thirty years ago so the details may be a bit hazy but I recall it being the autobiography of a Polish Cavalryman who much against the wishes of his family joined the Air Force just before Herr Hitler kicked off WW2. Once Poland was done for he managed to fly with the Armee d l'Aire (sp!?) for a while before he found his way to Blighty. Eventually he finished the war and drifted into smuggling fags and watches before running a nightclub in Paris. It was from there that he was recruited to do some flying for the Biafrans.
A great read that I lent to a colleague in Airtours. He never gave it back and perhaps took it to Emirates with him. I'm told postage isn't too expensive eh Alan?
Brilliant thread folks, thank you. Can't possibly use Amazon though since they pay so little tax in our country and thereby remind me of a parasite.