The Decisive Campaigns of the Desert Air Force 1942 - 1945

Compared to the RAF’s Fighter and Bomber Commands, the Desert Air Force (DAF) is far less well known, yet its achievements were spectacular. DAF led the way in North Africa and Italy in pioneering new tactics in close Army-Air Force cooperation on the battlefield, DAF and Allied air forces gave Allied armies in North Africa and Italy a decisive cutting edge. While the Axis forces used the many rivers and mountains of Tunisia and Italy to slow the Allies’ advance, DAF was there to provide that extra mobile firepower – the artillery from the sky. They were the first multinational air force, and the first to introduce air controllers in the front lines of the battlefield. With firsthand accounts by veteran airmen form Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA, this book reveals the decisive victories with which DAF won the war over North Africa, the Mediterranean and Italy in 1942-45. “Absorbing . . . this is an excellent account of air operations and tactics of the air battles in North Africa, the Mediterranean, and Italy.”—Firetrench Compared to the RAF’s Fighter and Bomber Commands, the Desert Air Force (DAF) is far less well known, yet its achievements were spectacular. DAF led the way in North Africa and Italy in pioneering new tactics in close Army-Air Force cooperation on the battlefield; DAF and Allied air forces gave Allied armies in North Africa and Italy a decisive cutting edge. While the Axis forces used the many rivers and mountains of Tunisia and Italy to slow the Allies’ advance, DAF was there to provide that extra mobile firepower—the artillery from the sky. They were the first multinational air force, and the first to introduce air controllers in the front lines of the battlefield. With first-hand accounts by veteran airmen from Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA, this book “tells the previously untold story of how the DAF was the most decisive single factor in winning the three battles of El Alamein, and victory in the North Africa and Italy campaigns” (Yorkshire Evening Post). “A most welcome addition to the historiography of the air aspects of the war in North Africa and the wider Mediterranean . . . [it] will have considerable appeal to a wide ranging readership, but especially those interested in the tactical detail and personal experiences of the airmen involved in the various campaigns.”—British Journal for Military History Compared to the RAFs Fighter and Bomber Commands, the Desert Air Force (DAF) is far less well known, yet its achievements were spectacular.DAF led the way in North Africa and Italy in pioneering new tactics in close Army-Air Force co-operation on the battlefield, DAF and Allied air forces gave Allied armies in North Africa and Italy a decisive cutting edge.While the Axis forces used the many rivers and mountains of Tunisia and Italy to slow the Allies advance, DAF was there to provide that extra mobile firepower the artillery from the sky. They were the first multi-national air force, and the first to introduce air controllers in the front lines of the battlefield.With first-hand accounts by veteran airmen form Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA, this book reveals the decisive victories with which DAF won the war over North Africa, the Mediterranean and Italy in 1942-45. [Elib] Compared to the RAF s Fighter and Bomber Commands, the Desert Air Force (DAF) is far less well known, yet its achievements were spectacular.DAF led the way in North Africa and Italy in pioneering new tactics in close Army-Air Force cooperation on the battlefield, DAF and Allied air forces gave Allied armies in North Africa and Italy a decisive cutting edge.While the Axis forces used the many rivers and mountains of Tunisia and Italy to slow the Allies advance, DAF was there to provide that extra mobile firepower the artillery from the sky. They were the first multinational air force, and the first to introduce air controllers in the front lines of the battlefield.With firsthand accounts by veteran airmen form Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA, this book reveals the decisive victories with which DAF won the war over North Africa, the Mediterranean and Italy in 1942-45. Compared to the RAF's Fighter and Bomber Commands, the Desert Air Force (DAF) is far less well known, yet its achievements were spectacular. DAF led the way in North Africa and Italy in pioneering new tactics in close Army-Air Force co-operation on the battlefield, DAF and Allied air forces gave Allied armies in North Africa and Italy a decisive cutting edge. While the Axis forces used the many rivers and mountains of Tunisia and Italy to slow the Allies' advance, DAF was there to provide that extra mobile firepower - the artillery from the sky. They were the first multi-national air force, and the first to introduce air controllers in the front lines of the battlefield. With first-hand accounts by veteran airmen from Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA Chapter 8: Invasion of Sicily - another amphibious gamble?Chapter 9: Salerno's near disaster: new enemies - rivers, mountains, cloud and rain; Chapter 10: Termoli to the Sangro River - flying against the rain; Chapter 11: A second 'Pearl Harbor' for the Allies at Bari; Chapter 12: Cassino and Anzio - Bombing the Winter Line; Chapter 13: Breakthroughs at Cassino and Anzio - but the Luftwaffe fights back; Chapter 14: Rome to the Gothic Line - Allied fighters rule the skies; Chapter 15: Could an air blitz open up Eighth Army's path to the River Po?; Epilogue; Some Statistics; Glossary Cover; Title Page; Copyright Page; Contents; List of Plates; List of Maps; Acknowledgements; Author's Note; Foreword; Prologue; Chapter 1: Crossing Africa; Chapter 2: El Alamein, July 1942: the four-month air war begins; Chapter 3: El Alamein, the second and third battles, and the first No Fly Zone; Chapter 4: Allied air power lights the flame of Operation Torch; Chapter 5: DAF to the rescue of French forces at Ksar Rhilane; Chapter 6: Fighter-bombers lay on an air blitz at El Hamma; Chapter 7: Interdiction, an air blitz and a No Fly Zone to take Tunis Little has been written on and is known about the Desert Air Force (DAF). Covers the popular campaigns of North Africa and Italy 1942 - 45. Superbly researched and well written by published author, with many first hand accounts.