Fighting the Flying Circus


Read by Brett W. Downey

(4.7 stars; 308 reviews)

This is the WWI memoirs of Medal of Honor winner, Capt Eddie Rickenbacker. He fought in and eventually became commander of the 94th "Hat-in-the-Ring" Squadron, which ended the war with the highest number of air victories of any American squadron. The circus mentioned in the title refers to the German squadron commanded by the famous Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen. (Introduction by Brett W. Downey) (10 hr 6 min)

Chapters

01 - INTRODUCING ARCHY 15:14 Read by Brett W. Downey
02 - THE AERODROME 17:21 Read by Brett W. Downey
03 - OUR FIRST SORTIES 24:28 Read by Brett W. Downey
04 - DOWNING MY FIRST HUN 12:25 Read by Brett W. Downey
05 - JIMMY MEISSNER STRIPS HIS WINGS 17:12 Read by Brett W. Downey
06 - JIMMY HALL'S LAST FIGHT 15:59 Read by Brett W. Downey
07 - NEW RESPONSIBILITIES 13:38 Read by Brett W. Downey
08 - A VICTORY AND A NARROW ESCAPE 15:08 Read by Brett W. Downey
09 - DOWN IN FLAMES 15:32 Read by Brett W. Downey
10 - LUFBERY IS KILLED 16:04 Read by Brett W. Downey
11 - SQUADRON FESTIVITIES 17:33 Read by Brett W. Downey
12 - JIMMY MEISSNER AGAIN 15:11 Read by Brett W. Downey
13 - AMERICA'S FIRST ACE 15:05 Read by Brett W. Downey
14 - RUMPLER NUMBER l6 16:40 Read by Brett W. Downey
15 - CAMPBELL'S LAST FIGHT 17:10 Read by Brett W. Downey
16 - BECOMING AN ACE 16:50 Read by Brett W. Downey
17 - A PERPLEXING BANK OF FOG 14:27 Read by Brett W. Downey
18 - STRAFING THE DRACHEN 17:05 Read by Brett W. Downey
19 - THE CHATEAU-THIERRY SALIENT 17:17 Read by Brett W. Downey
20 - THE DEATH OF QUENTIN ROOSEVELT 19:08 Read by Brett W. Downey
21 - THE FLYING CIRCUS SCORES HEAVILY 14:51 Read by Brett W. Downey
22 - OUR SPADS ARRIVE 17:18 Read by Brett W. Downey
23 - BACK CLOSE TO VERDUN 16:34 Read by Brett W. Downey
24 - THE ST. MIHIEL DRIVE 19:26 Read by Brett W. Downey
25 - AMERICAN ACE OF ACES 17:24 Read by Brett W. Downey
26 - CAPTAIN OF THE HAT-IN-THE-RING SQUADRON 16:32 Read by Brett W. Downey
27 - AN EVENTFUL D DAY 17:56 Read by Brett W. Downey
28 - FRANK LUKE STRAFES HIS LAST BALLOON 16:14 Read by Brett W. Downey
29 - A NIGHT-MISSION 17:29 Read by Brett W. Downey
30 - A DAY'S WORK SIX VICTORIES 18:06 Read by Brett W. Downey
31 - SEEING THE WAR 18:00 Read by Brett W. Downey
32 - A REGULAR DOG-FIGHT 18:31 Read by Brett W. Downey
33 - AN AEROPLANE MOVIE SHOW 18:46 Read by Brett W. Downey
34 - AN OVER-ZEALOUS ALLY 16:17 Read by Brett W. Downey
35 - THE END DRAWS NEAR 17:08 Read by Brett W. Downey
36 - LAST VICTORY OF THE GREAT WAR 16:34 Read by Brett W. Downey

Reviews

amazing reader & captivating story


(5 stars)

first off, an amazing reader! loud peppy voice sounds like you are listening to a "newsreel" announcer from the 20s. i love the little bit at the end of the book where the reader says "also from the great state of ohio", very cute. this book will bring you to a realization of just how fast airplane design changed in the few years of the war. the constant death of war is present, but this writer dix uncle sam a favor in making death sound great & honorable instead of terrible. i appreciate the few occurrences where the pilots arranged to escort a prisoner back instead of shooting down helplessly injured planes. a must read book. fast pace, each chapter is its own story - so if you zone out during a chapter you dont have a "plot line" to miss. make sure you read a war story from the trenches to compare with this one - same war vastly different stories.

Amazing Story, Most Excellent Reader


(5 stars)

It is appalling how much history is not taught in school nor depicted on screen in documentaries with truth and honestly. This is an absolutely amazing story and should be shared with any boy or young man aspiring to be the best he came be. Brett W. Downy read this as if he were Eddie Rickenbacker and had lived every one of the events that happened.

Fighting the flying circus...


(5 stars)

... is an exciting and important story of an era that will soon be beyond living memory. I'll admit it: in my early 21st century arrogance, I was expecting to endure a full measure of jingoism and bravado along with the story of this "ace of aces". But there's little of that. Eddie Rickenbacker was 28 at the end of WWI and was the old man of his squadron. Nevertheless his writing shows great maturity and empathy with the enemy -- as well as the kind of callousness that combatants must develop to survive war. With little training and no parachutes or navigation equipment beyond a compass, these pioneering aviators endured terrible losses. Many thanks for reading this important piece. TheBookworm (Manchester, UK)

Wonderful book. All I needed to know about flight in WW1


(5 stars)

Well written journal of an American WW1 fighter pilot. Have right me many interesting facts about that war. Book has given me vivid picture of a pilot, many things I'm sure have not changed since then. Book well worth my time and recommend to any war enthusiast.

Great recollection, well read


(5 stars)

This is an excellent recollection by Rickenbacker of hi time on the front lines in France during WW I. Downey is a wonderful reader. I felt as though I were listening to Rickenbacker himself. If you enjoy aviation and military history, this is definitely a book worth listening to...

EXCELLENT


(5 stars)

Goofy title, but this is REALLY interesting, w/ an engaging & compelling writing style. It's very long, but NEVER gets boring or slow. The reader - it felt like he / she really was the author. Kudos Dude / Dudettes.

Great story!


(5 stars)

A rare glimpse into what it was like to be the first, and best, warriors of the air when flying was still in it's infancy by one of the greatest aviators this nation every produced.

Interesting memoir


(3 stars)

This is a memoir of the commander of the “Hat in the Ring” Squadron, the most successful American squadron in the First World War. The author had a fortunate war, and his text reads a little like propaganda. He does occasionally say things critical of himself, and he broods a little on how callous he has become concerning the deaths of his friends, but generally it’s all a steady march toward victory, success and honor. This makes it less interesting that a similar book I listened to just afterward, called "High Adventure" by Hall.