Spiralling Down — Alan Savage

The third novel in the thrilling RAF series depicting the saga of the Bayley brothers.

Opting for his mother's nationality before World War II started, Max Bayley has become one of Germany's leading fighter pilots, even if he abhors much of the Nazi philosophy. Spring, 1941: now a major, Max and his wing are transferred from the Channel coast to Eastern Europe where they find themselves taking part in Operation Barbarossa. For the Germans, this is a summer of continuous success and triumph in the air. But Max, despite his triumphs, is all but cashiered when he falls out with the SS over an act of gratuitous viciousness and is banished to a remote Norwegian station. Meanwhile English half-brother John Bayley, a successful pilot in the Spitfires, is shot down over France and has to make a long and dangerous journey as an Evader, to gain to Spain, Gibraltar and then home. On his return he is transferred to flying the new top secret, Mosquito, the fastest aircraft then in existence. Whereas Max, now re-habilitated, is in command of the Luftwaffe in North-Western France and the Netherlands.... Are the two brothers destined to remain on opposite sides of the war, or will their family bonds join them at last?