Battle of Britain 1940: The Luftwaffe’s ‘Eagle Attack’

Osprey Air Campaign #1

by Douglas C. Dildy, Graham Turner (Illustrations)

The Battle of Britain was one of the most iconic campaigns of World War II, where the "Few" of the Royal Air Force took on the might of the German Luftwaffe. At stake was not just air superiority over the British Isles--a German victory would enable Hitler's plan to invade and conquer the last Allied country left fighting.

While most narratives of the battle focus on the brave pilots of Fighter Command, this book tells it from the perspective of the German strategists as they attempted to clear the skies over Britain. Explaining Hermann Göring's plans, the Luftwaffe's capabilities in 1940, the RAF's defenses, and how the fierce aerial battles over south-east England were fought, this fully illustrated fresh study is based on original documents and new analysis by an expert on the campaign.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

Douglas C. Dildy is a US Air Force Academy graduate and retired US Air Force colonel with a degree in history. He attended the US Armed Forces Staff College and USAF Air War College and holds a Master's Degree in Political Science.

Reviews

[Massimo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una monografia dettagliata della Battaglia di Inghilterra del 1940, il fallito tentativo della Germania di conquistare la superiorità aerea contro gli inglesi per procedere con l'Operazione Leone Marino e sbarcare in Inghilterra. Oltre agli aspetti operativi e allo sviluppo temporale delle operazioni militari, vengono esaminati in dettaglio i mezzi, i protagonisti e le strategie utilizzate dai due Paesi antagonisti. Un buon libro, esauriente, forse anche troppo dettagliato nella descrizione delle operazioni.

[Roy Szweda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have read a lot of books on this subject down the years so I pinched this off Jim's shelf for a week... he wont miss it not sure he had even read it. His aunt buys him stuff but I think that sometimes she has only half heard his replies when asked what he wants for xmas. But then she is of the generation who likely suffered from the Luftwaffe's vicious aerial assault on our capital. Their side is fairly cursory in this book but then much else had to be squeezed in not least some pretty colour graphics a couple of which show the attacks with flight track of all units theirs and ours. Not sure how helpful these were to me though and it was as usual hard to get into the middle thanks to the perfect binding. Maybe it is better on the electronic version but another reviewer seems unhappy. What it needs is either ringbinding or an acrobat file but this is not the Osprey style as yet.
There were things here I found interesting and at times it got a bit bogged down in units doing this or doing that. The stuff about early warning and jamming was something I knew happened later in the war but not much about 1940. More of that would have been nice but it is about a "campaign" as per the series. At least you stand a chance with one that only lasted through summer of that year then petered out after failure and boredom set in... my guess has always been that the Luftwaffe was nearly worn out, Hitler had little else to do for the meanwhile having conquered the French in less time than he expected and had not really properly set up shop on the French coast. No, he had always wanted a holiday in Moscow which is a nice notion even now. Better to do that than have to attend some ceremonials down the Mall such a fan of Napoleon had he become by then perhaps. A bit on the warm side for him tho or so I read, then it got a bit chilly.
So here we are, a good contribution to this series with plenty to gawp at and indulge yourself for modelmaking or chatting down the pub but as befits the context it is a short book so better to wander about GoodReads for a heftier tome (no doubt with a heftier price "Adler" tag) to satiate the renewed interest such books in this series do for me. I like the look of the Rabaul one next... any chance Jim's Aunty?

[PR1234 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent study of the German air campaign against Britain in the summer and autumn of 1940, delving into details where important but maintaining a certain amount of clarity and brevity that ensures accessibility to the general World War II reader. In this sense, it is useful to those who are new to the subject, as well as to the more seasoned Luftwaffe or WWII readers.

[neil chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good

I've read alot of stuff on this vastly interesting campaign and this new campaign series by Ospre y would seem to have much promise.Great format.BUT and this is vital to kindles and Fires.MUST BE IN ENHANCED FORMAT because the production is so much better!

[Dale Carothers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clear account of the Battle of Britain done in straight-forward, quick-moving prose. Killer charts & graphs make everything clear.