Fighter
by Len Deighton
Our Price: $35.34
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $6.05 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Len DeightonEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2000-04
ISBN: 0785812083
Number of pages: 264
Publisher: Book Sales
Book Reviews of Fighter
Book Review: The Decisive Battle of Britain
Summary: 5 Stars
This is Len Deighton's story of the Battle of Britain, the war in the sky against bombers. Deighton thanks the many who discussed the details and brought documents and other material ('Acknowledgments'). The 'Introduction' by A. J. P. Taylor explains that the belief in the invincibility of bombers was a dogma shared by many. In 1937 a British Minister recommended defense by a greater number of fighters (p.xvii). Sir Hugh Dowding chose to concentrate his fighters on defeating enemy bombers. Lord Beaverbrook trampled over all obstacles to produce as many fighters as possible. Fighter Command had more aircraft at the end of the Battle of Britain than it had at the start. Producing trained pilots was another problem (p.xviii). Operation "Sea-Lion" was not possible unless the British surrendered (p.xix). Bombing alone could not win a war (p.xx). Dowding had a superior strategy, the men and their machines implemented it and prevailed (p.xxi).
The Battle of Britain was small in scale but was one of the decisive battles of WW II. The German mark was pegged higher that other currencies in order to transfer wealth by stealth (p.6). Germany was the leader in world aviation in the 1930s (p.16). The Curtiss F8C was the inspiration for the Stuka (pp.19-20). The Spanish Civil War provided experience (pp.23-25). The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was superior, Heinkel built bombers (p.22). The Luftwaffe adopted these aircraft as the standard. Their faster bombers would not need fighter escort. Douhet's theory that a war could be won by bombing civilians was in vogue (p.32). After Sir Hugh Dowding was put in charge of Supply and Research he ruled that only metal would be used in combat aircraft. Then he planned for a control system using radar (pp.39-40).
Part 3 discusses the development of metal monoplanes and radar, and the engineering and technical details. All-metal airplanes made radar practical (p.86). The Observer Corps was most important (p.99). Part 4 discusses the tactics and personalities. Lord Beaverbrook expanded production of Spitfires (pp.144-145). Deighton lists the policy errors made by each side (pp.162-164). To minimize losses the RAF would avoid fighter-to-fighter combat to concentrate on shooting down bombers (pp.179-180). Page 191 describes a radar-controlled method for bombing. The bombing of Berlin at night by the RAF was followed by the German bombing of London. This reduced the raids on airfields and airplane factories. Germany failed to command the air and could not invade Britain. Night bombing would continue.
Part 5 discusses the results. Night bombing of London did not win the war. Residents coped by sleeping in an air-raid shelter; this increased the rate of TB (p.224). Dowding and Clark, after winning the Battle of Britain, were removed by the "big-wing" proponents (p.225). In retrospect their policy of only attacking bombers was correct (p.229). Propaganda policies controlled the number of losses (p.229)! The rest of this chapter compares the practices of each side and their effects. Personal politics kept the Bf 109 in production instead of the better FW 190 (p.244)! [No mention of who benefitted from the royalties.] Quantity was preferred over quality. [Was this unique?] This book is valuable in giving a behind the scenes view of this decisive battle.
Summary of Fighter
Len Deighton's skill as a novelist is used to show how the human factor influenced every twist and turn of this close-fought battle. His encyclopedic knowledge of technology makes clear how machines played a vital role in the fight for Britain's survival. Here is the intensely vivid story of the men who developed radar, designed the high-speed monoplanes, fought each other in the skies and those who simply engaged in vicious vendetta.Military Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Military Books
Washington's Crossing (Pivotal Moments in American History)by David Hackett Fischer
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 2004-02-12; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops:
Infamy: Pearl Harbor and Its Aftermath (Penguin Classic Military History)by John Toland
Penguin Books Ltd; Published: 2001-05-31; Paperback; Book
The Mask of Commandby John Keegan
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 1988-10-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.00
Price in other shops:
The Face of Battle: A Study of Agincourt, Waterloo, and the Sommeby John Keegan
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 1983-01-27; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.49
Price in other shops:
Brotherhood of Warriors: Behind Enemy Lines with a Commando in One of the World's Most Elite Counterterrorism Unitsby Aaron Cohen, Douglas Century
Ecco; Published: 2008-04-29; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $6.79
Price in other shops:
Little House by Boston Bayby Melissa Wiley
Harper Collins Publishers; HarperCollins; Published: 2007-05-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.68
Price in other shops:
Washington's Secret War: The Hidden History of Valley Forgeby Thomas Fleming
Smithsonian; Published: 2005-10-25; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $4.48
Price in other shops:
Bodyguard of Liesby Anthony Cave Brown
Harpercollins; Published: 1975-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $70.00
General Patton: A Soldier's Lifeby Stanley Hirshson
Harper; Published: 2002-08-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $6.96
Price in other shops:
The Complete Idiot's Guide(R) to the Crusadesby Paul Williams, Paul L. Williams
Alpha; Published: 2001-10-18; Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.03
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
With Wings Like Eagles: A History of the Battle of Britainby Michael Korda
Harper; Published: 2009-01-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $5.14
Price in other shops:
First Lightby Geoffrey Wellum
Wiley; Published: 2003-03-14; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $21.95
Price in other shops:
The Battle of Britainby Len Deighton
Coward, McCann, & Geoghegan; Published: 1983-03; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $40.00
Len Deighton: Three Complete Novels- Berlin Game / Mexico Set / London Matchby Len Deighton
Wings Books; Published: 1993-03-15; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $41.27
Blood, Tears, and Folly: An Objective Look at World War llby Len Deighton
William Morrow Paperbacks; Published: 1994-08-18; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.67
Price in other shops:
Bomberby Len Deighton
HarperCollins Publishers; Published: 1995; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.51
Blitzkrieg: From the Rise of Hitler to the Fall of Dunkirkby Len Deighton
Book Sales; Published: 2000-04; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $7.76
Price in other shops:
Declarations of Warby Len Deighton
Sterling; Published: 2011-08-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.00
Price in other shops:
Goodbye, Mickey Mouseby Len Deighton
Alfred A. Knopf; Published: 1982-10-12; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $26.01
Bomberby Len Deighton
Sterling; Published: 2011-08-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.95
Price in other shops: