Rise of the Bomber: Raf-Army Planning 1919 to Munich 1938

Description

In The Rise of the Bomber: RAF-Army Planning 1919 to Munich 1938, the second book in the series, author Greg Baughen uses archive material to reassess British air policy in the inter-war years. Gone is the image of a Royal Air Force starved of funds and struggling for survival against a bullying Army and Navy. Instead, Baughen describes how the Air Force set out to replace both the Army and Navy. It blocked the development of a modern air/tank strategy and won government backing for a defense policy built around the bomber - the first weapon of mass destruction.

Greg Baughen was educated at Sussex University where he obtained a degree in Mathematics. His interest in military aviation was sparked by curiosity over the defeat of British and French forces in the Battle of France in 1940. For many years, he has delved though public archives seeking explanations. The quest has taken him back to the origins of air power in both countries and forwards to what might have been in the Cold War. Baughen is working on a series that will trace the history of the RAF from its origins through to the thermonuclear age.

"Meticulously researched, this is a very good study of the development of British airpower between the wars. It is essential background reading for anyone who wants a thorough understanding of the performance of the RAF during the first two years of World War II. Recommended." --David Flintham "Military History Monthly" (6/1/2016 12:00:00 AM) "While the subject has been considered before, in a closely reasoned account, well supported by archival material, Baughen develops his narrative with confidence and skill... Baughen's carefully worked arguments and general fairness in reaching unpalatable conclusions make his book a genuine contribution to this seminal period in RAF history". --Peter Reese "AMRAeS Aerospace" (9/1/2017 12:00:00 AM)