Bloody Dangerous: Fifty missions over Germany - Colin Bell | Hardcover

Published to mark the 105th birthday of the author, Bloody Dangerous is the last first-hand account from Flight-Lieutenant Colin Bell DFC, one of the final living World War II pilots. This powerful memoir offers an inspiring portrait of bravery in action, detailing his harrowing experiences flying 50 raids over Germany.

Bell, a member of the elite Pathfinder 608 squadron, paints an extraordinarily vivid picture of flying the Mosquito—the wooden wonder—including 13 raids specifically targeting Berlin. He recounts facing the terror of radar-controlled 88 mm anti-aircraft guns and being chased by Messerschmitt 262s, the only German aircraft capable of outrunning the Mosquito.

• First-hand account of 50 missions over Germany, 13 of which were flown to Berlin.
• Details surviving engine failures, fuel starvation, near fatal ice, and shrapnel damage from a close explosion.
• Recounts experiences as part of the Pathfinder 608 squadron, which significantly contributed to the Nazis' final surrender.
• Includes touching admiration for his RAF comrades, one in three of whom were killed.
• Narrative spans from pre-war London, including wooing his girlfriend, to the terrifying scenes of the Blitz.

• Author: Colin Bell
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Print Length: 288 pages
• Publication Date: March 5, 2026
• ISBN-10: 0349148996
• ISBN-13: 978-0349148991
• Dimensions: 156 x 232 x 30 mm
• Weight: 502 g

This stirring memoir, praised for its quiet courage and patriotism, offers an unparalleled glimpse into the aerial warfare of World War II through the eyes of a decorated veteran.