A Genius at War — Joe Casey

A novel of air power in the 2nd World War, told by man born in 1918 on a Minnesota farm who becomes one of the great developers of aircraft engines. It became apparent that he was gifted in his understanding of how engines operate and the difficulty in making them more efficient. His father was so impressed with the boy that by the time he was twelve he is loaned on weekends to his father's brother, who was a blacksmith-mechanic. Because of their local success with reparing autos they visit the Ford factory and open a Ford dealership. At university he learn to fly and upon completing his graduate studies is hired by an aircraft company to sell their new engines to England. Germany wants such engines and the young engineer is sent there as a Company representative. When asked to fly for Germany he is approached by the French underground to help Jewish physicists escape. Later he becomes an undercover agent for America when it enters the war. The novel is based on actual events that incurred during those years.