Fading Eagle: Politics and Decline of Britain's Post-War Air Force

by Ian Watson

Post-war, the RAF continued its role as defender of Soviet air attack and means of delivering the nuclear deterrent. Despite this, change in politics led to policies which resulted in the weakening of the RAF. When the Cold War ended, western nations were determined that modern warfare was at an end, air power became sidelined despite being relied upon since.

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 16, 2013

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Reviews

[Drake McCrary · Rating 2 out of 5]

While discussing budget is necessary for this topic the whole book feels more like an old man complaining about government spending than a history of aviation. Also for it's short length the section on World War II in the beginning seems disproportionately long especially considering the focus is supposed to be post war period. I was hoping for more of a discussion of development along with the political events that influence the planes rather than just generalizations followed by detailed discussions of budgets.

[Shyue Chou Chuang · Rating 3 out of 5]

A chatty and meandering narrative of the decline of the post-war RAF which doesn't really provide any new insight into what is already known, the dwindling budget of a fading empire.

The writer is knowledgeable, but in most of the volume, he is mostly bemoaning the fact of the RAF's decline.