Want to know how a B17G crew layout was configured and the ins and outs of flying one? The training that they went through? The down time? The bombing run? Etc. Want to know the background of Snyder’s B17 crew? There’s photos and brief biographical sketches of each. While Sakai and Rüdel (who I had the pleasure of meeting at my Uncle’s place) are focused on pretty much themselves and the aircraft they flew Snyder focuses on everything previously mentioned in the preceding paragraph while not losing his focus on the subtitle of his book. Well, Steve Snyder (the author) has done it. How do you weave all that (and more) together and make it interesting, engrossing and make it hold the readers attention. The author, Steve Snyder, has woven together a tapestry about his father, Lieutenant Howard Snyder, his crew, their backgrounds, the training that they went through, the B17 in general, the air war in Europe and even a brief history of the First, Second and Third Reichs.

Where does one begin to start the review of this extremely well written, interesting and absorbing book? I have read and re-read World War II aviation books by Saburo Sakai (“Samurai”) and Hans-Ulrich Rüdel (“Stuka Pilot”) and they were pretty much “the bible” for the best works by a pilot regarding the air war in World War II. Well, just as the “Old Testament” was the only bible for centuries “Shot Down” is the “New Testament” and completely supplants all the other works on the subject. BOOK: Shot Down – The true story of pilot Howard Snyder and the crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth by Steve Snyder (ISBN: 0986076007)

Shot Down by Steve Snyder