John Nichol served in the Royal Air Force for fifteen years. On active duty during the first Gulf War in 1991, his Tornado bomber was shot down during a mission over Iraq. Captured, tortured and held as a prisoner of war, John was paraded on television, provoking worldwide condemnation and leaving one of the most enduring images of the conflict. John is the bestselling co-author of Tornado Down and author of many highly acclaimed Second World War epics including Return of the Dambusters, Tail-End Charlies and Spitfire. He has made a number of TV documentaries with Second World War veterans, written for national newspapers and magazines, and is a widely quoted commentator on military affairs.
'Lancaster - The Forging of a Very British Legend is a brilliant and engaging read. A superbly crafted account which is visceral, thought-provoking, sad, funny and completely absorbing. I thought I knew quite a lot about the legendary Lancaster bomber, but this book showed the aircraft in a whole new light.' -- Andy Saunders, Editor, Iron Cross magazine 'A completely wonderful, brilliant book; surely Nichol's best yet! I was continuously drawn into the personal stories; it's an emotional roller coaster of a read and a brilliant tribute to the men who flew the Lancaster.' -- Clive Rowley, Squadron Leader and Former Officer Commanding, RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight 'Thrilling...it is rich with moving stories of the young airmen. Lancaster has everything from the thunder of Merlin engines to the courage of the crews. It's bang on target.' -- Bill Todd * Sun * 'This remarkable, enlightening book... The human cost of these raids was enormous...The great strength of Nichol's book is that it takes us beyond the statistics. Through the words of the airmen themselves, it illuminates individual lives. The Lancaster was, and is, more than just an aircraft. She is 'a symbol of British freedom, a monument to all those who gave their lives in the war'. John Nichol's book is a fitting tribute to her and to all those who flew in her. -- Nick Rennison * Daily Mail * 'Don't miss this very special book; it's so good. An extraordinarily powerful tribute to the Lanc' that will leave you truly moved and humbled by the scale of what those young men endured night after night in that magnificent, faithful machine to defend freedom from tyranny. Lancaster is the book that they have always deserved.' -- Rowland White * Bestselling author of Vulcan 607 * 'A wonderful homage to one of the most iconic aircraft ever built: compelling, thrilling and rooted in quite extraordinary human drama' -- James Holland, bestselling author of Normandy 44 'The epic story of an iconic aircraft and the breathtaking courage of those who flew her' -- Andy McNab, bestselling author of Bravo Two Zero