Terror in the Starboard Seat

by Dave McIntosh

NcIntosh was the starboard-seat navigator for a Jewish-American Mosquito pilot determined to defeat the Nazis single-handed; they completed 41 intruder operations in an aircraft made entirely of wood. He tells the story with wit that throws the tragedy and inhumanity of war into glaring relief. The 1980 edition is here augmented with a scene-setting foreword and a second section of photographs of 418 Squadron of the Canadian Air Force. No index or bibliography. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Military History, World War II

176 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1980

Reviews

[Cindy Bonner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! One of the best "flying" memoirs to come out of WWII, and believe me I've read dozens. Canadian, Dave McIntosh, flew forty-one night mission sitting in the navigator's seat of a two-man DeHavilland Mosquito, completely at the mercy of his wild American "Jewish" pilot who was determined to avenge his people at all cost. Mosquitos were flown by the Royal Canadian Air Force, and were prized for night flying since they were made of wood and invisible to radar -- the first stealth aircraft, if you will. However, they also had a propensity to burn. Brilliantly written, author McIntosh poses himself as a reluctant and scared-stiff navigator and he cultivates that image for some seriously funny incidents throughout his memoir. A real page-turner, the book grabs you from the first sentence and reads like a number-one bestselling thriller. I recommend TERROR IN THE STARBOARD SEAT to anybody who enjoys a book, any book, that sticks with you long after you've reached the end.

[Steve Kettmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book out of curiosity about its main character, Sid Seid, a Jew from the San Francisco Bay Area who enlisted in the Canadian Air Force, even before the U.S. entered the war, to fight against the Nazis. Seid was a great, daring pilot and a master raconteur who regaled his fellow pilots with the misadventures of him and his navigator, the author Dave McIntosh, who usually ended up as the butt of most of Seid's jokes. But the two shared a close bond - and both survived the war. McIntosh, now deceased, shows no fear in delving into his endless and severe fear during just about every moment of the war, it seems. The result is a lively and very readable account of war, one you want to burn right through but one that stays with you long after you've finished reading it.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colour me surprised. I was expecting a run-of-the-mill memoir and got a interesting, funny and at times, horrifying at others, tale of a 41 hair-raising missions, largely flying a lone Mosquito, at night, over Germany and occupied Europe.
One is tempted to believe and not believe the author's claims for his own cowardice, as he kept going back into the fight at the side of a Jewish American pilot who's main mission was to just kill Germans, no matter how much danger they faced from weather, flak, enemy night-fighters or being hit by bombs dropped by their own bombers.
Lots of stories of just being of the down time too... looking for girls and or booze and not stinting on the details too much.
A fun read!

[David Walley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very frank account by the author and RCAF navigator Dave Macintosh. He expressed his fear very well during all flying trips in the mosquito and even recounts some of the Dodges he used to try to get his pilot to abort the attack for fear of immediate retaliation. I was amazed at his truthfulness about how he felt yet to his credit this man never refused to go on a mission and I think that does show his underlying bravery, even though he would not admit it. Not a very well written book in terms of the prose, but was worth reading to see what his feelings were about his adventures.

[TheIron Paw · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very entertaining memoir of the author's experience as a (terrified) navigator in a Mosquito in the RCAF's only intruder squadron. The author's tone is light but he does not shy away from graphically describing the horrors of his experience.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating read! My Grandpa was also a navigator in the 418 and would not talk about the war. This gave me a lot of insight to what he must endured.

[Marc · Rating 1 out of 5]

An interesting account of the experiences of one mans war presented in an overly exaggerated and embellished film pitch.
Would not recommend reading really.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dave McIntosh was a classmate of my aunt's, both being from Stanstead Quebec. Dave McIntosh gave my aunt a copy of his book. I don't remember if I read her copy or borrowed one from the library, but I do remember liking it.