World War II Airmen.

Various authors. 2000. Various readers. 2 CDs, 2.5 hrs. Commuters Library (www.commuterslibrary.com). 1-58472-115-4. $25.00.Vinyl binder; content notes. SA

A you-are-there quality will appeal to listeners who like to know about WW II air combat action. The 42 tracks, half relating to the war in Europe, half to the war in the Pacific, consist of actual wire recordings made during air actions, transcripts of AAF Radio Reports, and musical interludes that sound as if they are reprocessed from records of the period. Static-filled recordings made in the airplanes are interspersed with the clearer reproductions of radio reports. There is professional-quality narration but readings from the radio reports are mostly done by amateur readers, whose lack of polish will likely be interpreted as an indication of authenticity, not a flaw in the preparation of the audiobook. Production notes would have been useful.

Sample episode titles: "Bomb Over Germany, A-26," "Last Dog Fight Over Germany," "Airman's Escape," "Rescue Over the North Sea," "C-54 Loading for the Pacific," Visit With Wives of the Crew," "Tokyo Damage Report," "Dropping the First Atomic Bomb." There is a drawback to the CD format with some CD players: it is necessary to note the number of the track if you stop listening for more than a brief pause. Edna M. Boardman, Minot, ND