{"product_id":"9780717167678","title":"The Munich Air Disaster - The True Story behind the Fatal 1958 Crash: The Night 8 of Manchester United's 'Busby Babes' Died","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eUncover the true story behind the tragic Munich air disaster of 6 February 1958, the night that 8 of the Manchester United’s ‘Busby Babes’ died\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThey were players about to become legends, the famous Manchester United ‘Busby Babes’, the back-to-back title winning side of 1956 and 1957 on the hunt for a third successive league win and seeking glory in the European Champions Cup. With an average age of 22, the ‘Busby Babes’ were the cream of English football and seemed destined to dominate English and European football for years to come.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eInstead, on 6 February 1958, they were tragically cut down in their prime. On a fuel stopover on their way home from a Champions Cup fixture against Red Star Belgrade, British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off in a blizzard from an ice- and slush-covered runway at Munich Airport.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe fatal crash claimed the lives of 23 passengers and crew, including 8 Manchester United footballers. 7 United players were killed instantly in the crash. Three weeks later, the legendary Duncan Edwards died in hospital while two other players, Jackie Blanchflower and Johnny Berry, were injured so badly that they never played again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhat caused the plane to careen off the runway? Why did experienced pilot Captain James Thain insist on taking off in such treacherous conditions? Why were the Manchester United management under pressure to return to England as soon as possible?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe German inquiry blamed the accident on pilot error. However, Stephen Morrin’s \u003ci\u003eThe Munich Air Disaster\u003c\/i\u003e establishes beyond any question that this was not so. Based on his enormous technical knowledge of aircraft accident investigation, years of research and interviews with those involved, Morrin shows that the pilot, Captain James Thain, performed heroically and was shamefully treated by the aviation authorities for many years.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe crash at Munich airport swept away a generation of gifted footballers including Tommy Taylor, Roger Byrne, David Pegg, and Liam Whelan from Dublin. Stephen Morrin’s authoritative book is a story of tragedy, a pilot’s heroism in adversity, legal treachery and one of the defining moments in the Manchester United story. It was a sporting disaster that gave birth to a legend — a legend which fifty years later shows no sign of diminishing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Munich Air Disaster\u003c\/i\u003e: Table of Contents\u003col\u003eIntroduction\u003cbr\u003e\u003cli\u003eIn the Beginning\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBirth of the Babes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKid Dynamite\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePassport to Europe\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Last Season\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEnd Game\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrelude to Disaster\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRunway\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlood in the Snow\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDealing with Disaster\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAftermath\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eScapegoat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCaptain Thain’s Ordeal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFifty Years On\u003c\/li\u003eEpilogue\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e","brand":"Gill Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47125684781296,"sku":"9780717167678","price":7.49,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780717167678_p0.jpg?v=1763623970","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780717167678","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}