Anouncing the Sequel to the Blackwatch
Diary.
This is a true account of cocky young fly-boys
of the Black Watch Squadron. During the 1950's Korean and Cold
War, they flew in All-Weather Jet Fighter-Interceptors to engage
any Russian nuclear bombers coming in over the shorter Arctic
Air Routes to Canada and the U.S. They were based at remote
Goose Air Base, Labrador, Canada. During his one-year tour
of duty, 2nd Lieutenant Josh Batchelder witnessed a succession
of five squadron commanders try to stem-the-tide of eleven
aircraft accidents, some deadly. Fighting remote duty boredom
was an added challenge which often resulted in humorous and
sometimes risky behavior. Click here
for ordering information.
| Review: |
Robert “Punchy” Powell
Author, Editor, Historian, Pilot,
352nd Fighter Group, 8th Air Force, WWII…
“Personal diaries almost always make you wonder what
the author has failed to include in his efforts to record
his daily trials and tribulations, but Josh Batchelder’s
book Black Watch Diary is an interesting and enlightening
account of his life and his military career flying as a
Radar Observer (RO) in the F-94 Starfire and the F-89 Scorpions
guarding the Canadian approaches to the U.S. and enduring
the frigid reaches of Newfoundland and Labrador flying
out of Goose Bay Air Base. His almost daily entries picture
a young man, newly married but separated from his bride
for long periods, a young man who filled those lonely hours
with a burning passion to read and develop his understanding
of the world and its people while exposed to the constant
rigors and dangers of flying interceptor missions in weather
that took the lives of several of his fellow flyers. This
book is a quick take on the life and character-building
experiences of a man who proudly served his country as
a member of the 59th Fighter Interceptor Squadron whose
motto was, ‘When the Ducks Walk, We Fly!’ It is full of
the fun and frolic characteristic of those in service and
even more so in fighter pilot groups. Black Watch Diary
is quite an enjoyable read.” |
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Now available at the Smithsonian
Air & Space
Museum;
and Dayton's
National Air Force Museum.
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