Hornet's Sting

[KEV67]

I am reading a book called Hornet's Sting by Derek Robinson. It is about a squadron of RFC pilots in 1917. I have read two of his other books: Goshawk Squadron and A Piece of Cake. Goshawk Squadron was shortlisted for the Booker Prize back in the 70s. A Piece of Cake was serialised on telly. His books are characterised by limitless ways a fighter pilot can die, and their great wit and ability to have fun. They are entertaining books and well researched.

[KEV67]

Hornet's Sting is still very good, but also shocking. Derek Robinson writes these interesting characters with interesting story arcs, and you are thinking 'I wonder how this turns out?' Then suddenly they are dead. Maybe he had a fuel leak and he tried to land in a field, but a wheel hit a tree stump and the plane capsized. Maybe he shot down a two-seater, but trying to confirm it was really going down he forgot the gunner was still alive and got shot himself. Maybe he goes in to burst an observation balloon and gets caught by the blast. Then a day or two later he is replaced by another young pilot, usually cheerful, a bit diffident, and naive.

 

Still as good as this is, the best fiction book I ever read about the RFC was Winged Victory by V.M. Yeats, who had been an RFC pilot himself. That could be chilling, the things that happened in it you suspect he had seen himself.

Edited December 13, 2022 by KEV67

[KEV67]

Good as it was, I think I found a plot hole that lost it a star. It was in a story strand I thought was a little bit unlikely in the first place.