The Eagle Squadrons Yanks in the RAF, 1940-1942

New York, NY: Ziff-Davis Flying Books. Near Fine in Very Good dust jacket. 1979. 1st American Edition; 1st Printing. Hardcover. 0871650282 . B&W Photographs; This book is in Near Fine condition and has a Very Good dust jacket. The book and its contents are in mostly clean, bright condition. The text pages are clean and bright. The dust jacket is in generally clean condition, but has several small edge nicks and tears. "The Eagle Squadrons were three fighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force (RAF) formed with volunteer pilots from the United States during the early days of World War II (circa 1940) , prior to America's entry into the war in December 1941. With the United States still neutral, many Americans simply crossed the border and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) to learn to fly and fight. Many early recruits had originally gone to Europe to fight for Finland against the Soviet Union in the Winter War. Charles Sweeny, a wealthy businessman living in London, persuaded the British Government to form an RAF squadron composed of Americans. (His uncle, also named Charles Sweeny, had been working along similar lines, recruiting American pilots to fight in France. ) Sweeny's efforts were also coordinated in Canada by the World War I air ace Billy Bishop and the artist Clayton Knight, who formed the Clayton Knight Committee, which by the time the United States entered the war, had processed and approved 6,700 applications from Americans to join the RCAF or RAF." (from Wikipedia) .