Just read this book.
https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9780061984945/with-wings-like-eagles/ Printed 2009. The book is short and to the point. Only 300 pages text. Nice cover with Spits and some classic photos. Reviewed by moi.
The first half of the book basically points out an overview with some detail of the politics, players, and policies leading up to the BoB / post effects of the Dunkirk.
Points out failures of a GB policy for prewar France support in airpower, etc. ie. lack of foresight etc.
Differents of view in the RAF old guard way of thought and the soon to be proven superior strategy of Dowding.
A main focus of the book is the role and strategy and innovations of
Air Marshall Chief Sir Hugh Dowding
"To him the people of Britain and of the free world owe largely the way of life and the liberties that they enjoy today"
(Since he was the man who practically developed the intergrated use of radar / spotter intelligence and air control dispatch in what we would call today "real time". As well as forming the flexible 4 major Groups of the Fighter Command coverage for the UK defenses, creating the command structures to the local bases.
And his strategy to not reveal the strength of the RAF at any given time ("..hiding his hand like a poker player" as is pointed out many times) as well as hiding of both the value of the radar technology and the whole 'real time' plotting from the Germans was indeed masterful.
The whole 'Kit and Kaboodle' really.
In short; The RAF in the BOB we are all familiar with, right down to the fields and scrambles is really pratically all the work of Sir Dowding... etc.The author, both an ex-RAF
pilot (correction He served in the Royal Air Force - doing intelligence work in Germany) and decorated heroe of the later Hungarian Revolution does not over-indulge in this at all.
Nor is it a fanboy book or anything of the kind.
If the first part of the book is a bit long winded, my patience was rewarded later.
The second half of the book goes right into details as the timeline starts to unfold right into the Battle.
Both scholarly work by the author in details of the aircraft numbers and the isolation to point of critial lesser known details is apparent.
During the battle key days are given sizeable details.
The author then shows his hand in what was, to me, riveting page turners at times, as well as personal details of some events, pilots while not losing the overall naration without losing the focus of how the strategies and developments, incidents, historical facts and reverses of the German actions / strategies plays out.
After reading some of these I practically got re-excited about EAW and any BOB WWII air related games, etc.
Because you can really see how this Campaign was like a big game and the timing and pieces, strategies, tactics and extant / outside factors, even the weather all played out.
It was by no means a sure win on any given day for either side no matter specifically the numbers of strength of the planned attacks by the Germans. (Well at least until later in the battle where the Germans loses were equal to or less than the RAF fighters and pilots specifically. . When the RAF was soon about to lose the battle really until the Germans changed strategy at Hitler's request to bomb London freely in retailiation for the raid on Berlin by Churchill's orders.)
In fact the book points out that really the number of (available) pilots of both the RAF and the Germans was about 1000 to1300 going in. And the number of
single-seat fighter aircraft (of relevance) we about the same also.
The book specific numbers and references several other references authoritative.
It points out the specific number of aircraft available for sevice in the battle, as apposed to theorectical numbers, rosters, etc,
Also debunks several myths per foriegn pilots in the battle etc.
My review getting to long here's an except that gets to the point; (Chapter 7)
"..By the end of June,Dowding had just over 1.300 fighter pilots. Most of them were British, and few of them had any combat experience. During the course of the battle Fighter Command would also draw on 56 carrier pilots from Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm, as well as a mixed-bag of 21 Australians, 102 New Zealanders, 90 Canadians (including a few americans - border crossers), 21 South Africans, 2 Rhodesians, 1 Jamaican, nine Irish volunteers, 7 Americans, 141 Poles, 86 Czechs, 29 Belgians, 13 Free French avaiators, and one Palestine Jew."
(and)
"..Although it is usual to portray the Battle of Britain as a kind of.. David and Goliath.. The reality is that.. (aside from the nearly 1000 serviceable bombers avialable to the Germans.. August 10,1940. ) the number of single-engine fighters.. available..
805 serviceable Bf 109's vs Dowding's 749 Hurricanes and Spitfires..
...the additional 224 Bf110's ..far from being an asset, would themselves require the protection of the single-engine Bf 109's to survive in air combat..
(and)
..In pilot strength, ...
...The actual number of German Fighter Pilots available was roughly similar..
sorry, tired just now have to have another go round of this another day...
S!
addendumalso see;
SimHQ post - Greatest Book on the Battle of Britain