The air war over North Africa and the Mediterranean during World War II has often been overlooked in relation to the land battles. From 1940 to 1943, the Italian Regia Aeronautica and later the German Luftwaffe conducted a coordinated air campaign against the British. However, apart from the fierce battle for Malta, this aspect of the conflict rarely receives the attention it deserves. Anthony Tucker-Jones, in this vivid photographic history, provides an engaging introduction to it.
The wartime photographs and the concise text cover the entire duration of the struggle in the air. The Regia Aeronautica initially faced weak British resistance when Mussolini launched his unfortunate attack on British-controlled Egypt, but the outdated Italian aircraft proved no match for the Allied fighters once the strength of the Royal Air Force increased. Subsequently, when Hitler intervened to assist his incompetent ally, the aerial conflict intensified, and the air forces of both sides found themselves in a deadly struggle in the skies over Egypt, Libya, the Mediterranean, and Tunisia.
The wide range of Italian, British, German, and American aircraft involved, the personnel, and the conditions under which they operated and fought are captured in this diverse selection of photographs.
