D-Day The Air Battle

Ref: 4674

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{detailed description}Operation 'Overlord' — the Allied invasion of occupied France — began in the opening minutes of 6 June 1944. By the end of that day a bridgehead had been won. Although it was precarious in places, the Allied armies had a foothold in 'Fortress Europe'. That the invasion was launched and succeeded was a testament to the importance attached to one prerequisite by Allied planners: Allied air superiority must be complete over and around the invasion area.
This is the story of the vitally important air battle for 'Overlord'. It was a battle that had begun many months before D-Day itself, as Allied air forces launched a systematic campaign against invasion targets in Normandy.
Bomber chiefs had argued that it was better to destroy manufacturing capacity in Germany rather than attack German aircraft and tanks in Normandy. The ensuing debate is fully covered in this book, together with the build-up to D-Day: the attacks against fighter bases, troop depots, road and rail junctions, ammunition and fuel dumps, and the dangerous coastal defences that had to be destroyed before the armies landed. Sections include details of Allied deception plans, air-sea rescue provisions, reconnaissance missions, Resistance supply flights — every aspect of the huge operation designed to reduce German defences and (more importantly) their ability to bring up reinforcements.
With archive photographs of the air war, this is a fascinating and informative study of the vital air campaign up to D-Day and the first days after the invasion. It provides a detailed account of the value of air power in allowing the invasion to proceed and succeed, and how the preparations begun months previous had won the battle even before the first soldier landed.
{Author / Publisher / Date}by Ken Delve
published by Arms and Armour Press 1994 1st edn. 144pp profusely illustrated, index 22x28 paperback
{condition}fine
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