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The Epic of Flight
'R.A.F AT WAR (PART OF THE ''EPIC OF FLIGHT'' SERIES'''
The RAF at War is a Time-Life aviation book included in the Epic of Flight series. When Britain went to war in 1939, its air force had quadrupled to a strength of 118,000 regulars. However it had not maintained parity with Germany. The Luftwaffe, by now an aerial armada with more than 500,000, outnumbered the RAF several times over in both pilots and planes. A year later German bombers would demolish the parliamentary debating chamber where in 1934 Churchill had implored the nation to make greater haste in rearming, given the intelligence they had on the German buildup. This book tells the story of the RAF at war – really, the story of a nation mobilized, and preparing and fighting for its very existence.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1981
About the author
Ralph Barker
52 books5 followersRalph Hammond Cecil Barker was a non-fiction author who wrote several books on the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and Royal Air Force (RAF) operations in the First and Second World Wars, and about cricket.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 29, 2026
THE RAF AT WAR does a pretty good job of describing most of the actions taken by the British Royal Air Force during WWII. The RAF was formed in 1918 but WWI is not covered here. If you paid attention in history class you will know who was fighting who during WWII. All the theaters of war were covered, even if briefly. The Western Front in Europe predominated most of this work.
Of course the Allied landings in Normandy were critical to winning the war, but this could not have happened had Germany invaded and conquered Britain in the dark days of 1940. It was from Britain that the Allied armies would later launch their attack, and all the air bases were stationed there as well. The only thing that kept the Germans from attempting the seaborne invasion was not having total control of the skies under which their fleets would pass. In those air battles the British Spitfire and Hurricane fighters more or less saved the day. Winston Churchill Paid tribute to them in the House of Commons when he stated that, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." He was referring to the fighter pilots of course, but those behind the scenes played just as important a part, even if not glamours. The factory workers made the planes, the ground crews kept them in the air, the old pensioners spotted and reported the enemy aircraft, the female WAAF personnel in the radar stations and plotting boards tracked and coordinated the defense, and at least two WAAF telephone operators earned the Military Medal for staying at their post as the bombs fell around them. Several sections are devoted to this battle.
The bombing campaign was covered. At one point 'Bomber Harris' thought there was nothing of importance left to bomb. He didn't want to bomb the German city of Dresden which created the firestorm, but orders were orders and it would help the Russians.
The heavy bombers ended the war dropping food to starving people in Holland and transporting POWs back home after the surrender.
There are plenty of photos and even some colored artwork of various planes. One painting in particular shows a Lancaster bomber dropping a 12,000 lbs 'Tallboy' bomb that is going to sink the German battleship 'Tirpitz' in Norway.
Of course the Allied landings in Normandy were critical to winning the war, but this could not have happened had Germany invaded and conquered Britain in the dark days of 1940. It was from Britain that the Allied armies would later launch their attack, and all the air bases were stationed there as well. The only thing that kept the Germans from attempting the seaborne invasion was not having total control of the skies under which their fleets would pass. In those air battles the British Spitfire and Hurricane fighters more or less saved the day. Winston Churchill Paid tribute to them in the House of Commons when he stated that, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." He was referring to the fighter pilots of course, but those behind the scenes played just as important a part, even if not glamours. The factory workers made the planes, the ground crews kept them in the air, the old pensioners spotted and reported the enemy aircraft, the female WAAF personnel in the radar stations and plotting boards tracked and coordinated the defense, and at least two WAAF telephone operators earned the Military Medal for staying at their post as the bombs fell around them. Several sections are devoted to this battle.
The bombing campaign was covered. At one point 'Bomber Harris' thought there was nothing of importance left to bomb. He didn't want to bomb the German city of Dresden which created the firestorm, but orders were orders and it would help the Russians.
The heavy bombers ended the war dropping food to starving people in Holland and transporting POWs back home after the surrender.
There are plenty of photos and even some colored artwork of various planes. One painting in particular shows a Lancaster bomber dropping a 12,000 lbs 'Tallboy' bomb that is going to sink the German battleship 'Tirpitz' in Norway.
February 27, 2020
Like all the volumes in this series, wonderfully illustrated and very well -written. This volume does not just focus on the Battle of Britain, although a chapter is devoted to that subject, but covers the role of the RAF in the bombing campaign in Europe and its experiences in Africa, the Mediterranean and the Far East. A compelling narrative.
April 4, 2019
My dad had this series and I've read this several times since I was nine. It is an excellent primer and pictorial guide to the RAF in World War 2.
July 29, 2025
I think reading this narrative about the RAF's activity during World War II in the middle of an active genocide managed to turn me into a fan of "Bomber" Harris which is not something I would have thought possible that long ago.
Of course, I still think that the premise of the strategic bombing campaign was flawed but as a tool to destroy the warmaking capabilities of the Germans through the destruction of Germany itself is one that I think has been borne out as a means that while distasteful was one that the Germans very much brought upon themselves.
I think many of us watching the world today can very much understand this line of reasoning now in a visceral way. That's all I'll say on that.
The best part of the book is the full color painting reproduced here, many of them commissioned by war artists. This is the kind of material that doesn't even make it into many contemporary books which rely instead on photographs which even in color don't have the same quality that you get from these expressive works of art.
The narrative is a good short history of the war with a focus on the RAF contribution. Even though the focus on this book series is aviation the military history here is solid.
Of course, I still think that the premise of the strategic bombing campaign was flawed but as a tool to destroy the warmaking capabilities of the Germans through the destruction of Germany itself is one that I think has been borne out as a means that while distasteful was one that the Germans very much brought upon themselves.
I think many of us watching the world today can very much understand this line of reasoning now in a visceral way. That's all I'll say on that.
The best part of the book is the full color painting reproduced here, many of them commissioned by war artists. This is the kind of material that doesn't even make it into many contemporary books which rely instead on photographs which even in color don't have the same quality that you get from these expressive works of art.
The narrative is a good short history of the war with a focus on the RAF contribution. Even though the focus on this book series is aviation the military history here is solid.
June 10, 2016
A decent beginner's guide to the RAF in WW2. As one other reviewer mentioned it is like a(n extended) magazine article. Little new for any of us who have read extensively on the subject, but nice and concise for neophytes.
April 9, 2012
Not that great. A brief history that overall reads like a magazine article. Of course with a lot of overlap with that other book, the Luftwaffe at war.
March 19, 2015
One of the best books I have ever read in my life very informative and has lots of information that you cannot find anywhere else.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews