Book excerpt: The splendor of the mighty Eighth Squadron's silver birds, and the legends who flew them, come alive on page upon spectacular page. Seventy-five luscious color paintings by talented British and American military artists, accompanied by the commentaries of the leading historian of American aviation, Roger Freeman, capture every aspect of pilot and plane: sleek dives, breathtaking bombing raids, and precious moments of rest. You'll see a fighter's view of a quaint French town marred by steel tanks marching down its streets, yet still flying the flag of its allies, and the return of the Memphis Belle -- that most famous of all Flying Fortress aircraft. And one image graphically captures a dramatic dash in which a desperate German airman deliberately slices into an American plane with his propeller. (The U.S. pilot bailed out safely.) Triumph and tragedy alike axe vividly captured for historians, veterans, and battle buffs to treasure for years to come. Selected by the Military Book Club.