LaSaine, John T.

Air Officer Commanding

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ISBN 13:: 9781611689372
author:: LaSaine, John T.
format:: HardBack
publisher:: University Press of New England
language:: English
Publication Year:: 2018
Pages:: 272
Dimensions:: 22.86 x 16 x 2.29 centimetres (0
Genre:: Biography, Military, History,
Condition:: New
Availability:: Item usually sent within 20 working days

£27.35

Current Stock: 5

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Description

Description

Hugh Dowding: Architect of the Battle of Britain By John T. LaSaine Hardcover, 250 pages, published 2018. Born at the height of British imperial power in 1882, Hugh Dowding went on to have a distinguished career as a gunner on the North-West Frontier of the British Indian Empire before serving with distinction as a combat pilot in France during World War I. His real test came in 1936 when he was tasked with reorganizing Britain's air defenses as the first Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of RAF Fighter Command. Dowding's leadership and strategic thinking played a crucial role in preventing the dismantling of British air defenses during the Battle of France in 1940. He defied pressure from senior staff, including Winston Churchill, to send the bulk of the RAF's front-line fighters to the Continent, instead choosing to hold back his best aircraft and deploy them to repel the Luftwaffe over Dunkirk. The integrated air defense system he organized fought the vaunted German air force to a standstill in daylight air-to-air combat during the three-month Battle of Britain. This book tells the story of Dowding's remarkable career, from his early days as a gunner to his pivotal role in one of the most significant battles of World War II.

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