The Sky on fire : the first Battle of Britain, 1917-1918 and the birth of the Royal Air Force

A fascinating examination of the strategies and uses of air power in the First World War, Sky on Fire covers not only developments in military hardware and tactics but also how public policy and political considerations shaped the ways air power was deployed. Providing an excellent balance of data and statistics as well as human insights, Fredette's book is essential reading for readers interested in the air power, both historically and in contemporary conflicts. Annotation World War I in the air is popularly recalled as a romance of dawn patrols and chivalrous duels between Spads and Fokkers over the Western Front. All but forgotten are the day and night raids German airmen carried out against England with large bombers during 1917-18. Based on firsthand accounts from British and German sources, The Sky on Fire explores all aspects of the first systematic strategic air campaign in history, including the impact it had on the strategy and conduct of World War II. The daring airmen who pioneered this new mode of warfare flew twin-engined Gotha and Giant bombers. Their raids on London spurred the British to create the Royal Air Force, the world's first independent air service, and the London Air Defense Area. Except for some technological refinements, notably radar, it was essentially the same air defense system that was to serve Britain so well in World War II. Book jacket Based on firsthand accounts from British and German sources, this volume explores all aspects of the first systematic strategic air campaign in history, including the impact it had on the strategy and conduct of the Second World War. The Sky on Fire: The First Battle of Britain, 1917-1918 (Smithsonian History of Aviation)