DNF at 36%

I don't know why but I really struggled to get through that 36%. I had trouble understanding what the author was talking about waaaay too many times and because of this I just could not get into this book. I'm really disappointed because I had high hopes for this book since I found the topic so interesting.

I don't know, maybe it's just me.

The gripping true account of eighteen heroic men trapped in the heart of the freezing Arctic. WoW recommended ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SYNOPSIS
Rescue Below Zero is the true story of survival in the middle of the Greenland ice-cap. 700 miles from the North Pole, seven crewmembers and five passengers fight for theirs lives after their aircraft crashes on a resupply mission. Ill-equipped for the harsh environment, the twelve castaways must try to stay alive until help can arrive.

On September 16th, 1952, Hastings 492 with 12 people on board plunged into the deep snow atop the Greenland ice Cap at over 8,000 feet. After a brief plow through the snow, the aircraft came to a silent stop. Luckily they were within sight of the British North Greenland Expedition that was there for scientific research. Although they crashed near the expedition, it still took hours of dogging thru the snow to reach the survivors. What followed was an excruciating wait for a rescue. Stuck in the broken plane for days on end, the survivors fight the elements, boredom, and injuries to stay alive.

While rescuers try to come up with a plan, the weather is quickly turning to winter. Soon it will be impossible to send in a rescue team to pick up the survivors. Planning and preparation must account for trying to land on the snow covered ice cap and takeoff again. An ingenious plan is developed to utilize smaller planes with skis and jet assisted packs for takeoff. Will this never-before type of rescue work? Will the planes be able to make the journey to the crash site and back on the limited fuel capacity? Will the rocket packs, that have to be installed after landing, even work? Will the planes get stuck in the ever deepening snow? Can the survivors and the injured live long enough for help to arrive? How much longer can they fight the cold, the frostbite, and the never ending wind?

CONCLUSION
Ian Mackersey has delivered an exceptional masterpiece with Rescue Below Zero. It is meticulously researched and written. It is obvious Ian loves his subject material. He keeps the reader riveted to the story and the “what happens next.”

Rescue Below Zero is an intriguing tale about extreme survival. The true-life story brings to light the fight between harshest environments and the human spirit in the struggle for life.

I truly enjoyed this book and the detailed account presented by Ian Mackersey. I have been associated with aviation my entire life and love to read any books on the subject. Ian really did a superb job with this one. He keeps the reader riveted and entertained. He captures the spirit of exploration and the humanity in desperate conditions. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

Now, I am reading Smithy: The Life of Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, also by Ian Mackeresy. A review will follow shortly, but I must say this is another exceptional book by a gifted author.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

The plan was for the men from the RAF to build a place in Antarctica on side of The newly named Brittany Lake where no man had ever gone before. When researching the area of Lake found the perfect spot and soon went from the planning stages to executing the plan. The goal was threefold first to mount the British flag in Antarctica, second to to research the weather and the climate in Antarctica and thirdly to train British military men how to survive in subzero weather. They had two planes full of men that would take turns dropping supplies and men off at the new base unfortunately there was a problem when the first planes wing clipped the snow. They were all trained on how to fly reading their instruments before the mission but it was almost impossible to gauge the distance between the ground and the plane and one mistake took the first plane down. 18 men were stuck in sub 0° weather and although they lost plane the men were going to be OK… If only they could get rescued. Before arriving at their final in Antarctica destination they stopped at the American Air Force Base called tool Air Force Base the only civilization on the continent at that time. The Americans were happy to host there British Guest but thanks to a miscalculations the Americans would go from their host to the rescuers. This is a great book and what I thoroughly enjoyed. I love hearing about men conquering new lions and despite the danger all the uncomfortable conditions how they persevere to eventually accomplish their goal. This is a great book about perseverance and I especially love how the two nations came together in a time of need. I love this book and books just like it and this was absolutely one of the better rescue books I have read. I highly recommend this book to those who love adventurous rescue stories and love to read about those who go places most of us would never even contemplate going to. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.