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Spies In The Sky: The Secret Battle for Aerial Intelligence during World War II [Paperback]

Taylor Downing (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
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Book Description

Publication Date: 15 Sep 2011

SPIES IN THE SKY is the thrilling, little known story of the partner organisation to the famous code-breaking centre at Bletchley Park. It is the story of the daring reconnaissance pilots who took aerial photographs over Occupied Europe during the most dangerous days of the Second World War, and of the photo interpreters who invented a completely new science to analyse those pictures. They were inventive and ingenious; they pioneered the development of 3D photography and their work provided vital Intelligence throughout the war.

With a whole host of larger than life characters at its heart, from the legendary pilot Adrian 'Warby' Warburton, who went missing while on a mission, to photo interpreters Glyn Daniel, later a famous television personality, and Winston Churchill's daughter, Sarah, SPIES IN THE SKY is compelling reading, and the first full account of the story of aerial photography and the Intelligence gleaned from it in nearly fifty years.

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Product details

  • Paperback: 416 pages
  • Publisher: Little, Brown (15 Sep 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1408703629
  • ISBN-13: 978-1408703625
  • Product Dimensions: 15.5 x 3.3 x 23.3 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 447,086 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Product Description

Review

Spies in the Sky fills in a huge gap in Second World War historiography in both an exciting and intellectually stimulating way. (Andrew Roberts, author of The Storm of War )

A fascinating read and a significant contribution to the history of the Second World War. (Professor David Reynolds, author of In Command of History )

Taylor Downing's brilliant research has created a ripping yarn. (Kevin Wilson, Sunday Express )

Spies in the Sky . . . combines the breathless courage of pilots . . . with the mild eccentricity of RAF Medmenham. (Sinclair McKay, Daily Telegraph )

Spies in the Sky gives a new perspective to some of the most famous moments of the conflict. (Robert McCrum, Observer )

Book Description

The thrilling story of the brains behind those who helped Britain win WW2
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Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
18 reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Spies in the sky 22 Oct 2011
By A. R. Marshall
Format:Hardcover
Spies In The Sky: The Secret Battle for Aerial Intelligence during World War II

This is good stuff. Intelligence work at Bletchley Park and elsewhere has been written about extensively, but this is a comprehensive look at the neglected subject of air photographic intelligence in WW2. Few people realise that the majority of intelligence work lies in working out the meaning of pictures taken from the sky - however important and complementary are other aspects of intelligence such as the work of agents or code-breakers. The other book (now 50 years old)which gives insights into what was (like code-breaking) a secret subject, is by a WAAF Photographic Intepreter Constance Babbington Smith ("Evidence in camera"). Taylor's book draws fairly extensively on this, but it is more extensive and analytical. For example, I was delighted to find that due regard was paid to the work of Medmenham (and other) landscape modelmakers. I was a National Service modelmaker in the early 1950s and have never found much credit for such 3-dimensional interpretation work in war histories. As a good researcher, Taylor comments on both strengths and weaknesses of reconnaissance (PR) and interpretation (PI). He has worked in some of Babbington Smith's colourful vignettes of the often brave and quirky personalities of pilots and interpreters and in most cases added to them, making it a very good read as well as a tribute in this scholarly, balanced account.

Photographic Intelligence is now vastly important; not only to the armed services, but to us all, as we all come under the increasing surveillance of satellites and drones. This lively and entertaining account of its growth and development is well worth greater publicity.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly superb 15 Feb 2012
By swimaging
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have, for some time, fancied myself as a bit of an expert on things military in general and the 1939-45 air war in particular. Photo-reconnaissance is a favourite subject as I once knew a quiet and unassuming man who had flown the PR Spitfires operationally. Nothing new for me in this book then?

Au contraire! Brilliant read, well written, excellent research, good plates and masses of information that was new to me. Book finished in two days. An excellent page-turner which tells the story and tells it well. Amongst all this great stuff, a few things stand out.

Firstly, the extreme contrast between the British and German PR and PI organisation somewhat mirrors the similar situation between their respective spy organisations (human intelligence). After wobbly starts, the Brits took both disciplines and raised them to heights of professionalism and effectiveness that beggar belief. The Germans simply failed at both. The PR and PI organisation produced consistent results that would have been beyond the wildest dreams of both military and political leaders at the beginning of the war. The stories of the characters who made this happen reads more like a W. E. Johns book than an Ian Fleming.

Secondly, I was struck by the first stirrings of gender equality within the organisation. The author does focus on this aspect, so it's not just a sub-text, but it is nonetheless fascinating and I can't help thinking that the end of the war stifled what we now take for granted for about the next thirty years.

Thirdly, one can't help thinking that the end of the war came as almost a disappointment to the men and women involved in the PR & PI organisation.... Read more ›
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Spies in the Sky 26 Feb 2012
By Flag
Format:Paperback
This is an excellent read, thoughtfully written and well researched. A 'can't put down' book if ever I've read one. I thoroughly enjoyed every page.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Clear view 10 May 2012
By C. H. Maginniss
Format:Hardcover
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Well paced and comprehensively researched, I was impressed by the manner in which Taylor Downing has interwoven so many different aspects of the photographic reconnaissance intelligence picture in such an engaging manner; it is a fascinating read. As with many military authors with a media background, Taylor Downing sometimes mis-comprehends nuances of service life or makes errors in technical detail but overall this book is an excellent contribution to the knowledge of this subject. Most importantly though, the author has brought vividly to life a whole series of people, whose courage and exploits, helped to win the war against the brutal Fascist dictators.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Geat overview of PR and PI in WW2 20 Jan 2013
By SteveR
Format:Paperback
This book manages to be informative and engaging - with a good mix of individual stories and the strategic picture. Probably my only disappointment is that there are not more example photos - but actually the book is such a good read that I'm still giving it 5 stars
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Read 29 July 2012
By Half Man, Half Book
Format:Hardcover
A book for all those that have read about Bletchley park and the enigma code breaking. This details an unsung part of the intelligence gathering of WW2, the collection of aerial photography.

The book covers the use of cameras in planes in WW1 and follows through to the buildup to the war in 1939, and into the war. The pilots of these aircraft flew high, fast and unarmed and were some of the bravest pilots in the airforce.

The assessment side of the operation was streets ahead of the Americans as well, but by the end of the war they had 'borrowed' most of the techniques for their own use.

Well worth a read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping
What an interesting and enjoyable read. I've read many books on the intelligence services in WW2, and this one is up there with the best in my opinion
Published 1 month ago by Kevin Rich
5.0 out of 5 stars So Good I Bought The Book!
I read a library copy of this book a few months ago when writing a post-graduate essay. My intent had been to skim read for some specific information about photo reconnaissance... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Toppam
4.0 out of 5 stars Spies In The Sky: a history of RAF photo intelligence and...
This is a very important book, but I give it only four stars because it's not high entertainment, nor is it trying to be -and there is a detectible omission. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Matthew K. Spencer
4.0 out of 5 stars breezy, accessible and engaging
Spies in the Sky provides a popular history overview, written in a breezy, accessible and engaging style. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Rob Kitchin
5.0 out of 5 stars Spies In The Sky: The Secret Battle for Aerial Intelligence during...
Very interesting and instructive book if you are interested in pulling together the way in which aerial photography played its part in WWII. Read more
Published 10 months ago by David Elvy
3.0 out of 5 stars Field mobile units
I found the book very informative and very well presented. The research was clearly extensive. I am surprised by one small, but important omission. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Ted
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Story, well told
Downing follows up his excellent book 'Churchill's War Lab' with this equally well-researched and fascinating account of photo-reconnaissance in the Second World War. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Richard Broad
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story, very well told
Downing follows up his excellent book 'Churchill's War Lab' with this equally well-researched and fascinating account of photo-reconnaissance in the Second World War. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Richard Broad
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