Military Aviation World War II Air Combat. Heft 1: Battle of Britain

With unprecedented speed and aggression, the German blitzkrieg swept across Europe. It lasted less than seven weeks, but led to the fall of France, Belgium and the Netherlands the British expeditionary forces only narrowly escaped through the evacuation of Dunkirk. Britain stood shaken and alone as Germany prepared for invasion and the decisive blow but first, the Luftwaffe, the world's largest air force, had to destroy the RAF and gain air superiority over the British Isles. From July to the end of October 1940, the young pilots of Fighter Command fought a desperate battle for survival, and their deeds went down in history as their finest hour. World War II Air Combat. Issue 1: Battle of Britain offers a treasure trove of stories that recount heroic deeds in the face of hopeless odds, compare the technical superiority of the British Spitfire and Hurricane fighters over the German Messerschmitt Bf 109 and 110, and examine the German invasion plan Operation Sealion. New research on the state and composition of the Luftwaffe at the start of the fighting is presented, as well as details of Italy's involvement and the battle against the feared Luftwaffe bomber fleet as Heinkels, Dorniers and Junkers attempted to attack targets across England.