Coastal Command at War

At War

by Chaz Bowyer

The Royal Air Force's Coastal Command carried out a vital but largely unknown struggle throughout World War II. Often equipped with obsolete aircraft, their mission was initially the protection of Britain's convoys during the Battle of the Atlantic. Much of this effort was directed against the German U-boats and, in fact, 192 out of 727 U-boats sunk were credited to Coastal Command. Actions were also taken against German surface raiders and aircraft, often involving long flights in bad weather. As the war progressed, Coastal Command adopted a more aggressive role, attacking German shipping in its home waters. Veteran Royal Air Force historian Chaz Bowyer's classic account relates the full story of all the many roles undertaken by Coastal Command, often told by those who actually took part. The detailed text is illustrated with a wealth of photographs.

Hardcover

First published September 1, 1979

About the author

Chaz Bowyer (1927-2008) was an aviation historian and author. He joined the RAF, aged 16, in 1942 and left it in 1969. Then he turned his hand to his life-long passion for aviation and started writing.

Reviews

[Robert Hepple · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 1979, 'Coastal Command at War' is an excellent addition to the 'at War' series of aviation titles by publishers Ian Allan. Although not intended as anything like a comprehensive history of Coastal Command, this book gives an informative summary of the development of Coastal Command before launching into a more detailed summary of WW2 operations using various aircraft types. As usual, this is supported by many personal stories and anecdotes. As usual, this is also supported by some terrific contemporary photos, with just the right balance between people and aeroplanes in my opinion.