Bomber Barons

At the end of the Second World War over 55,000 air crew of Bomber Command had lost their lives, over 70% of the total RAF casualties. Yet in contrast to Fighter Command, few bomber pilots were household names to the general public. However, within the ranks of the RAF itself, some men stood out, gaining high reputations for their courage and leadership, a respect achieved regardless often of the decorations they had won or the number of sorties flown. These were the Bomber Barons.
In this authoritative book, aviation historian Chaz Bowyer chooses some of these men, some well known like Leonard Cheshire and Hughie Edwards, but many less well known such as Nick Knilans, Syd Clayton and Jo Lancaster, and details their careers, relating episodes that reflect the qualities that made them outstanding.
In it too he shows the development of Bomber Command from the comparatively unorganised, non-cohesive raids of the early part of the war to the highly-trained and deadly offensive weapon it became under Sir Arthur Harris, from 1942 AOC-in-C of Bomber Command, the greatest baron of them all.


by Chaz Bowyer
Published by W. Kimber 1983 1st edition 222pp illustrated, index. 16x24 slightly yellowed, otherwise fine, including d/j.






Note:
"Long" descriptions, where shown, may have been taken from the book's dust jacket notes, and as such are relevant to the date of publication (e.g. any references to "new edition" "previously unpublished photographs" etc.) and not the present.