Mein Gustav

Mein Gustav is a historical fiction set in and over Europe during World War I. Though the characters are fictional, the danger and circumstances are real, based on over fifty years of research into the aerial aspect of the conflagration. While there is plenty of flying, there are more interactions happening on the ground. The characters are, after all, people, and people do what people do.

There are two stories presented—British and German. While they interact mostly by inference, there is also direct conflict in the air. The story starts with Corporal Noble-Brown, recently transferred into a British fighter squadron on patrol over the front lines that scarred France. He is startled by a German fighter pilot’s surprise attack and seeks to find said pilot and return the favor. The German story introduces us to Vicefeldwebel Gustav Model, also a recent transferee into a single-seat fighter squadron. We learn of his infantry service where he suffered a gas attack that nearly killed him. We go on to meet various squadron mates and other people in their lives, as well as discover new acquaintances.

The women are strong women in a time when women were little more than property. Though on the surface it is about the war and flying, Mein Gustav is very much a character-driven story. Purchase your copy, settle in for the first few chapters, and see if you can put it down.