The support provided by the Allied air forces in the preparations for the invasion of France and the Normandy campaign is overshadowed by the dramatic and drawn-out ground battles. However, the air campaign played a central role in blinding and isolating the German forces in northern France in the months before the D-Day landings. These Allied air forces then supported the Allied forces as they advanced inland, primarily by reducing the advance of Hitler's panzer divisions and causing doubts through the bombings of the ancient Norman cities of Caen and Rouen.
Anthony Tucker-Jones' photographic history provides a vivid introduction to this massive Allied air raid and illustrates the many famous types of aircraft used by the RAF, USAAF, and Luftwaffe. The photographs of Allied bombers - Halifax, Lancaster, Fortress, Liberator, Havoc, and Marauder - and fighters and fighter-bombers - Lightning, Thunderbolt, Mustang, Spitfire, and Typhoon - dominate the selection. Photos of German fighter aircraft are rarer because the Luftwaffe was overwhelmed by the Allies' air superiority.
These images of air warfare over northern France graphically highlight the nature and conditions of aerial combat seventy years ago and emphasize the contribution of air power to the campaign.
Pages: 128, Dimensions: 18.9x18.9cm
