One amazing story is about Richard Bong. He was an American pilot. He had a remarkable number of aerial victories. His skills in the air were unrivaled, and he became a national hero. He flew the P - 38 Lightning and used it to great effect against the Japanese in the Pacific theater.
Yes. There were pilots who were shot down and had to endure being prisoners of war. For example, some Allied pilots in German POW camps faced harsh conditions. They had to deal with lack of proper food and medical care, yet they held on to their hope of liberation.
I'm sorry, I don't have specific information about an 'Art Leach' who was a World War II fighter pilot. There could be many fighter pilots during the war and without more details, it's hard to tell his exact story.
Given the lack of information about Art Leach, we can think about the common heroic deeds of fighter pilots in WWII. He might have been part of a squadron that was outnumbered but still managed to hold off the enemy. He could have flown in dangerous weather conditions to complete a mission. Perhaps he was involved in intercepting enemy bombers before they could reach their targets, saving countless lives on the ground. Without more knowledge of Art Leach specifically, these are just potential heroic deeds that a fighter pilot in his position might have carried out.
I highly recommend 'Red Phoenix' by Larry Bond. It has some great fighter pilot elements in it. The story is set in a fictional war scenario and the fighter pilots play crucial roles. It's full of action and strategic military thinking.
One funny story is about a pilot who accidentally hit the wrong button during a training exercise. Instead of releasing a practice flare, he set off all the warning lights in the cockpit. His panicked radio call to the control tower was quite hilarious.
The story of Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma is quite inspiring. He was the first Indian to go to space. Although space and fighter piloting are different, his journey as a pilot in the Indian Air Force was the foundation for his space adventure. His discipline and skills as a pilot were carried forward into his space mission, which is an indirect but important story related to Indian fighter pilots.
Some Japanese pilots were involved in the attack on Pearl Harbor. They carried out a surprise attack that had a huge impact on the start of the U.S. involvement in the war. These pilots were trained for a long time for this mission and it was a significant event in the history of Japanese military aviation in World War 2.
Often, they highlight the bravery of the pilots. For example, in many novels, pilots are shown to be fearless in the face of danger, like flying into enemy territory. They also tend to focus on the technical aspects of the planes of that era.
One great fighter pilot romance novel is 'Fly with Me' which beautifully weaves the story of a fearless fighter pilot and the woman who steals his heart. The aerial scenes add an exciting backdrop to their budding romance.