Battle of Britain Illustrated (Aviation Week Books) [Hardcover]

Austria and Poland had fallen, followed by Norway. The Netherlands and Belgium were overrun. Then France fell and Britain stood alone - the only obstacle to Hitler's total dominance of Western Europe.

Arguably, it was the turning point of modern history.

In Britain during that 'Spitfire Summer' of 1940, 2353 brave young flyers of the Royal Air Force, and 574 airmen from Commonwealth and other countries, took to the sky day after day to challenge the might of Hitler's Luftwaffe. For nearly one in five of the young British flyers, it would be their last summer on Earth.

Reach and Power

In this work of reach and power, Paul Jacobs and Robert Lightsey have taken a fresh and captivating look at the first major air battle in history. Through the innovative use of timelines, they explore the battle from four perspectives: historical, technical, tactical, and artistic. The complex interrelationship of history, technology, and tactics on both sides of the English Channel during the hellfire summer of 1940 is presented in a stunning, visual style. Battle of Britain Illustrated provides you with a unique and unparalleled historical and military perspective on a battle that fully deserved Winston Churchill's magnificent accolade: it was truly Britain's 'finest hour.'

'The print equivalent of a multimedia product.'
Brian D. O'Neill, author of the bestselling Half a Wing, Three Engines, and a Prayer

"The Battle of France is over. The Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization'upon it depends our own British life and the long continuity of our institution and our Empire." Winston Churchill, June 18, 1940, from his 'Finest Hour' speech

Below them, London was a firestorm. In the air in front of them were hundreds of Hitler's bombers and fighters bent on the complete destruction of Britain.

This was daily life for the undertrained young pilots and crews defending Britain in the first major air battle in history, the Battle of Britain.

Had the Royal Air Force failed, as many expected they would, Hitler's sweep of Europe would have been complete.

But they did not fail.

This dramatic chronicle of the events from July 10 to October 31, 1940, when Britain stood alone against Hitler's Luftwaffe, shows you how and why they succeeded, against all odds.

This extraordinary record is the product of the combined efforts of two former Air Force officers - one an artist and engineer, the other a pilot and program manager - to provide a unique account of what many consider the most important battle in history.

Battle of Britain Illustrated provides:

- 140 original artworks detailing important moments in the Battle and surrounding events, rendered in oil, ink, and graphite

- Military perspectives on tactics and technology, and their massive impact on all subsequent warfare

- Unique illustrated timelines, permitting easy grasp of sequences, confluence of events, and choices and consequences

- Technical drawings that bring you close to weaponry, aircraft, and avionics

An unparalleled achievement, and the product of years of love, devotion, work, and study, Paul Jacobs' and Robert Lightsey's Battle of Britain Illustrated is a book truly worthy of its subject: one of the most important battles in human history.