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  • The Big Show

  • The Classic Account of WWII Aerial Combat
  • By: Pierre Clostermann
  • Narrated by: Julian Elfer
  • Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (72 ratings)

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The Big Show cover art

The Big Show

By: Pierre Clostermann
Narrated by: Julian Elfer
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Publisher's Summary

Pierre Clostermann DFC was one of the oustanding Allied aces of the Second World War. A Frenchman who flew with the RAF, he survived over 420 operational sorties, shooting down scores of enemy aircraft while friends and comrades lost their lives in the deadly skies above Europe. 

The Big Show, his extraordinary account of the war, has been described as the greatest pilot's memoir of WWII.

©1948, 2008 Flammmarion (P)2020 Tantor

What listeners say about The Big Show

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Outstanding

The French involvement in WW2 -serving with RAF- is well documented in this book. The typhoon, tempest is a remarkable aeroplane .

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Big show big story

Great book. great first person account of his air war. Especially te section during the last days of the war.

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  • Overall
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Powerful tribute to the pilots of WW2

Clostermann’s diary of the Big Show is a compelling and powerful recollection of the air war over Europe.
I read the covers off a Penguin print in High-school, so discovering The Big Show on Audible allowed me to fly with Pierre once more!

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Great Insight

I would put this on par with the audio book "Race of Aces".
It is refreshing to hear the story of a French pilot during the war and his tales are detailed.
The speaker's delivery was good and I didn't find myself bored or uninterested because of him.

The only fault is that I wanted to hear more.

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Brilliant read.

Great read about air combat in Western Europe during WW2. This book introduced me to the Hawker Tempest and the love affair has been on going ever since. This book makes you feel like your in the cockpit. Would recommend it to anyone who loves history, aircraft and stores of air combat.

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Fantastic story

Well written with so much detail about certain aspects of aerial combat in WWII. Great story telling

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Excellent recount of Ariel combat

loved every minute of this book, highly recommended!
superbly written & told, with excellent narrative.

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Amazing story

Riveting stuff, beautifully told. Puts you right in the pilots seat with graphic scene and action descriptions

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Fast paced, exciting and sobering.

Super fast paced,and well written account of aerial combat in WW2. What a bleak lot. I had no idea Typhoon/Tempest losses were so high. Huge respect to these pilots.

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Great story

I really enjoyed and learnt from this remarkable story. I highly recommend it to all.

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