(as of Jul 24, 2025 16:25:42 UTC – Details)
A renowned airpower expert assesses the air campaign fought in France in 1940, explaining why the Luftwaffe was so effective against the French and British.
The battle for France and Belgium was one of the most significant moments in modern warfare: the first great clash of modern major powers, where both sides possessed large and capable air forces, and modern combined-arms doctrine. It was in the air that the Germans had a notable advantage in both numbers and quality. But this does not fully explain the victory of the Luftwaffe over the RAF and the French Air Force in 1940.
In this book, renowned airpower scholar James S. Corum offers an operational-level history of the air campaign, and explains comprehensively and concisely how the campaign was fought, and why the Luftwaffe made such superior use of their airpower. He explains the importance of the air forces’ leadership and fighting doctrine, and aspects of the campaign often overlooked, such as the dysfunctional organization that kept hundreds of French aircraft out of the battle, and Germany’s pioneering use of radio-equipped air liaison officers that provided the world’s first system of ‘on-call’ close air support.
Researched from French, British, and German primary sources, and illustrated throughout with artwork, 3D diagrams, maps and photos, this book distils the author’s decades of scholarship into an essential guide to airpower in the fall of France.
From the Publisher
Full colour battlescenes
Beautifully illustrated battlescenes are included to bring the narrative of the conflict to life.
Three-dimensional ‘bird’s-eye-views’
Each three-dimensional ‘bird’s-eye view’ is meticulously researched to recreate the actual airspace of key moments of the campaign, with accurate 3D depictions of aircraft flightpaths as the battle unfolded.
3D tactical diagrams
Detailed 3D diagrams explain the formations used, the tactics employed, or how the technology of the campaign worked.
Publisher : Osprey Publishing (UK)
Publication date : 24 April 2025
Edition : Illustrated
Language : English
Print length : 96 pages
ISBN-10 : 1472864832
ISBN-13 : 978-1472864833
Item weight : 304 g
Dimensions : 18.42 x 0.76 x 24.77 cm
Book 52 of 58 : Air Campaign
Best Sellers Rank: 254,366 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) 1,137 in Aviation References 26,163 in History (Books) 57,552 in Society, Politics & Philosophy
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