By the Skin of My Teeth

A career pilot’s memoir of flying fighter jets through two wars and through the evolution of aviation technology.
 
This is Colin Downes’s firsthand account of flying with the Royal Air Force in war and peace during a career in military and civil aviation covering a half century. The text is filled with his personal experiences, reminiscences and impressions and is written in four parts. Part One covers the years leading to Downes’s graduation and the winning of his RAF Wings. This is followed by action-packed stories of flying propeller-driven fighters, Spitfires and Mustangs, during and just after the Second World War. Downes then tells of his unique experiences of front-line fighter operations when he flew jets with the United States Air Force during the Korean War. The final chapter covers the remainder of his RAF Service flying until retirement.
 
By the Skin of My Teeth offers a cockpit view of some of the most pivotal battles of the 20th century and covers decades of technological advancements in aircraft development.