Air Battle for Dunkirk

Product Description With the epic blockbuster film Dunkirk, to be released in July 2017, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring, amongst others, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hardy and Mark Rylance, this reissue has never been more timely. 'Where is the RAF?' was the oft-quoted question asked by soldiers waiting on the beach at Dunkirk, to where they had retreated following the German blitzkrieg through northern France, and where they were now being pounded by the Luftwaffe. The air forces were there, as Norman Franks proves, detailing the outstanding achievements of the Allied pilots who fought, using outmoded tactics, against enemy pilots who had earlier had easy victories over the Polish, Dutch and Belgian air forces. The RAF's achievement reminds us just how close Britain came to disaster in June 1940. Review An absorbing read, which vindicates the RAF. --RAF Historical Journal This book reminds us of the debt to those who fought in 1940, and that holding the thin line over Dunkirk directly led to the later victory in the Battle of Britain. --RUSI Journal Norman Franks details the air action on a day-by-day basis, and backs this up with many personal accounts from the RAF pilots involved. A useful section of appendices lists all RAF claims and casualties, and the book features 16 pages of contemporary and relevant images. It is a timely reminder of the often-overlooked value of air power in enabling the evacuation to take place. --Flypast, October 2017 About the Author Norman Franks is a well-respected and world-renowned author and now has over one-hundred books to his name. Author of Battle of the Airfields, The Greatest Air Battle, Buck McNair, Beyond Courage and Aircraft versus Aircraft, he has also been co-author of many titles with distinguished fighter pilots such as Neville Duke (War Diaries of Neville Duke), Jimmy Sheddan (Tempest Pilot) and Paul Richey (Fighter Pilot's Summer).He lives with his wife Heather in East Sussex.