The Story of Air Fighting

by J.E. Johnson

Traces the history of aerial combat from World War I to the Falklands War, describes the evolution of aircraft technology and air war strategy, and looks at air combat in Vietnam

Genres: History, Military Fiction

306 pages, Hardcover

First published January 15, 1987

About the author

Air Vice Marshal James Edgar Johnson, CB, CBE, DSO & Two Bars, DFC & Bar, nicknamed "Johnnie", was a Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot and flying ace—defined as a pilot that has shot down five or more enemy aircraft in aerial combat—who flew and fought during the Second World War.

Johnson grew up and was educated in the East Midlands, where he qualified as an engineer. He served as an Assistant Engineer at Ilkeston and latterly to the Chigwell Urban District Council at Loughton. A sportsman, Johnson broke his collarbone while playing rugby, an injury that later complicated his ambitions of becoming a fighter pilot. Johnson had been interested in aviation since his youth and applied to join the RAF. He was initially rejected, first on social, and then on medical grounds; he was eventually accepted in August 1939. The injury problems, however, returned during his early training and flying career, resulting in him missing the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain between May and October 1940.

In 1940 Johnson had an operation to reset his collarbone, and began flying regularly. He took part in the offensive sweeps over German-occupied Europe from 1941 to 1944, almost without rest. Johnson was involved in heavy aerial fighting during this period. His combat tour included participation in the Dieppe Raid, Combined Bomber Offensive, Battle of Normandy, Operation Market Garden,the Battle of the Bulge and the Western Allied invasion of Germany. Johnson progressed to the rank of group captain by the end of the war.

Johnson was credited with 34 individual victories over enemy aircraft, as well as seven shared victories, three shared probable, 10 damaged, three shared damaged and one destroyed on the ground.[7][8] Johnson flew 700 operational sorties and engaged enemy aircraft on 57 occasions.[9] Included in his list of individual victories were 14 Messerschmitt Bf 109s and 20 Focke-Wulf Fw 190s destroyed making him the most successful RAF ace against the Fw 190. This score made him the highest scoring Western Allied fighter ace against the German Luftwaffe.

Johnson continued his career in the RAF after the war, and served in the Korean War before retiring in 1966 with the rank of air vice marshal. He maintained an interest in aviation and did public speaking on the subject as well as entering into the business of aviation art. Johnnie Johnson remained active until his death from cancer in 2001.

Reviews

[Phillip · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's important to say that the author is British, so much of the focus for this book is on that perspective. Still, Johnson also includes quite a bit on German perspectives of both World Wars. Also the book only covers the history of air warfare up to the early to middle1980s. Still, over the 60-70 years covered, it's fascinating to see how certain strategies were forgotten, revived, recycled, and evolved to fit the contexts of new battle fields, strategic aims, and technological development.

The first 3rd of the book was interesting, but difficult for me to follow since I don't know WW1 aircraft well (especially German and British planes). My interest really picked up once the Battle of Britain wrapped up and the author's scope expanded to a more expanded war (Ch 17' "In the Dark, p.170). The narrative aspects of the book are mostly strengthened after this chapter, which helped pull me into the book more.

I'd highly recommend this book to someone who is interested in the tactics and evolution of using aircraft as part of a strategy of executing warfare.

[Hank Hoeft · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book presents the panorama of the development of fighting aircraft, with an emphasis on fighters and fighter-bombers, from the first use of airplanes in World War I, up through the Falklands War and the various wars fought by the Israeli Air Force, through the mid-1980's . I found the emphasis on the evolution of air strategy and tactics interesting, but I would have preferred the focus to have been less Angl0-centric.