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The Other Battle: Luftwaffe Night Aces Versus Bomber Command
Written by a former World War II flight navigator, this book traces the parallel development of night bombing within the RAF and that of the Luftwaffe's Night Fighter Force, culminating in the strategic bombing offensive and the German aerial defense against that offensive. It encompasses the historical, strategic, tactical and technical aspects of the subject, and contains a large amount of material based on personal experience.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published April 25, 1996
About the author
Peter Hinchliffe
6 books1 followerPeter Hinchliffe, OBE, flew as a navigator with RAF Bomber Command from 1944 to 1945. His interest in the German night-fighter force stems from November 1944, when he was shot down by a night fighter over Belgium during an operational sortie.
After a period as a schoolteacher postwar, Hinchliffe rejoined the RAF as a fighter controller, retiring from the RAF in 1966 and joining the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, where his knowledge of German took him frequently to Germany.
After a period as a schoolteacher postwar, Hinchliffe rejoined the RAF as a fighter controller, retiring from the RAF in 1966 and joining the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, where his knowledge of German took him frequently to Germany.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 3, 2018
As we're reminded at the start of this book, the RAF fought two major battles during the second world war. The first lasted a relatively short few months and entered the national psyche. The second lasted five and a half years and ended, ultimately, with the survivors treat as pariahs.
This is the story of Bomber Command's epic struggle with the Nachtjagd, from shaky beginnings on both sides, through the build-up of both forces and the repetitive string of measures and countermeasures and competing technical innovations that formed the basis for the cat and mouse contests that went on night after night.
Told in part through the recollections of those who took part, with the technical details covered in sufficient detail to advance the narrative without swamping the reader in a mass of physics and engineering, this is a humane examination of the night air war from both sides, without any bias and with sympathy for all the the victims.
Highly recommended, especially to anyone with an interest in the European air war.
This is the story of Bomber Command's epic struggle with the Nachtjagd, from shaky beginnings on both sides, through the build-up of both forces and the repetitive string of measures and countermeasures and competing technical innovations that formed the basis for the cat and mouse contests that went on night after night.
Told in part through the recollections of those who took part, with the technical details covered in sufficient detail to advance the narrative without swamping the reader in a mass of physics and engineering, this is a humane examination of the night air war from both sides, without any bias and with sympathy for all the the victims.
Highly recommended, especially to anyone with an interest in the European air war.
January 15, 2013
There are numerous books about Bomber Command and the night bomber campaign. Why bother to read another one?
Mr. Hinchliffe's study of the Bomber Offensive against Germany is superb. In any serious book about military aviation, there must be sufficient technical detail to render the work meaningful to the reader. But this book avoided too much technical detail which could be found in other works such as Alfred Price's "Instruments of Darkness."
Instead, the author concentrated on the human element on both sides of the aerial war. There are two major threads in this very human story - the progress of RAF night bombing methods and technology versus the German night fighter units and the radar development to guide them.
The writer has included a useful glossary of German phrases. Some of these phrases could not be so easily translated into English, especially the ranks and the Luftwaffe units.
The dedication of the book is poignant:- "Dedicated to those who died." The writer did not specify which side, so perhaps the implication is those airmen who died on both sides.
Mr. Hinchliffe's study of the Bomber Offensive against Germany is superb. In any serious book about military aviation, there must be sufficient technical detail to render the work meaningful to the reader. But this book avoided too much technical detail which could be found in other works such as Alfred Price's "Instruments of Darkness."
Instead, the author concentrated on the human element on both sides of the aerial war. There are two major threads in this very human story - the progress of RAF night bombing methods and technology versus the German night fighter units and the radar development to guide them.
The writer has included a useful glossary of German phrases. Some of these phrases could not be so easily translated into English, especially the ranks and the Luftwaffe units.
The dedication of the book is poignant:- "Dedicated to those who died." The writer did not specify which side, so perhaps the implication is those airmen who died on both sides.
March 9, 2023
Beautifully written the way history books should be.
Authors broad statements/opinions are backed by specific examples. "WWII bombers crews were brave... next paragraph here is a specific example."
Better than just backing up statements, Peter also includes stories from BOTH sides of the battle. This is so rare and provides such great insights. Paragraph 1 = tale from the pilot of shooting down the bomber, then Paragraph 2 = tale from survivors who were in the bomber when it got shot down.
How rare is it to actually hear both perspectives like that?!
Authors broad statements/opinions are backed by specific examples. "WWII bombers crews were brave... next paragraph here is a specific example."
Better than just backing up statements, Peter also includes stories from BOTH sides of the battle. This is so rare and provides such great insights. Paragraph 1 = tale from the pilot of shooting down the bomber, then Paragraph 2 = tale from survivors who were in the bomber when it got shot down.
How rare is it to actually hear both perspectives like that?!
January 25, 2023
A little dry early on but strong finish as the author goes from factual dates, impersonal events, stats to featuring people's memories and experiences with air combat and how the war ended.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews