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Fighter Boys: The Battle of Britain, 1940
The summer of 1940 was supposed to be the beginning of the end of Britain. Europe had fallen to Hitler's storm troops with terrifying speed, and once the Royal Air Force was destroyed, Britain was next. But that was precisely where the Nazis stumbled. For 123 days, while Hermann Goering sent wave after wave of Luftwaffe fighters to rain down fire on Britain, three thousand RAF airmen fought back with a ferocity and agility that stunned the world. Now in this riveting book, military historian and journalist Patrick Bishop presents the first account of this critical campaign told from the perspective of the pilots themselves.
Drawing on interviews with scores of surviving pilots as well as diaries and letters never seen before, Bishop re-creates with astonishing intimacy and clarity this excruciating, exhilarating war of nerves. In their own words, the pilots describe what it felt like when an engine exploded, a parachute failed to open, a swarm of Messerschmitts surrounded their plane, a bomb fell on their home village, or a comrade's plane "went in" (their bland term for a high speed crash into the ground).
Had the RAF failed, a successful German invasion would have been inevitable - and the pilots know it. Under unimaginable pressure, those nineteen- and twenty-year-old heroes brought down the world's most powerful air force and saved their nation - and the free world.
466 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2004
32 people are currently reading
875 people want to read
About the author
Patrick Bishop
73 books66 followersPatrick Bishop was born in London in 1952 and went to Wimbledon College and Corpus Christi College, Oxford. Before joining the Telegraph he worked on the Evening Standard, the Observer and the Sunday Times and in television as a reporter on Channel Four News. He is the author with John Witherow of a history of the Falkands War based on their own experiences and with Eamon Mallie of The Provisional IRA which was praised as the first authoritative account of the modern IRA. He also wrote a memoir the first Gulf War, Famous Victory and a history of the Irish diaspora The Irish Empire, based on the TV series which he devised.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
June 21, 2019
Patrick Bishop has written a straightforward, traditional (no revisionist nonsense here!) and very readable history of fighter command through 1940 - the battles of France and Britain. Enlivened by lots of eyewitness accounts, like his Bomber Boys, this is as much a social history as a military one. And despite the romantic cover photo Patrick Bishop avoids sentimentality until the very end, instead managing to be unflinching yet sympathetic.
December 19, 2014
The Battle of Britain was one of the seminal events of the 20th century. It was a battle in which Britain was fighting for its very survival throughout the summer and autumn of 1940 against a brutal, authoritarian regime (the Third Reich) which bestrode Norway and Western Europe as a seemingly unbeatable Colossus following its blitzkrieg victories of the spring. This was a battle in which air power for the first time in warfare was the decisive element in a military campaign.
Patrick Bishop does a masterful job in evoking the personalities, aircraft, and spirit of RAF Fighter Command (Britain's defender) and its nemesis, the Luftwaffe. Next to Stephen Bungay's "The Most Dangerous Enemy: A History of the Battle of Britain" (which I had the pleasure of reading a decade ago), this is one of the most readable, poignant, and comprehensive accounts of the Battle of Britain likely to be found anywhere. I would recommend it not just for aviation enthusiasts or students of the Second World War. But also for anyone who loves to read stories of compelling human interest. This is a book to be cherished and reread again and again, with thanks and gratitude.
Patrick Bishop does a masterful job in evoking the personalities, aircraft, and spirit of RAF Fighter Command (Britain's defender) and its nemesis, the Luftwaffe. Next to Stephen Bungay's "The Most Dangerous Enemy: A History of the Battle of Britain" (which I had the pleasure of reading a decade ago), this is one of the most readable, poignant, and comprehensive accounts of the Battle of Britain likely to be found anywhere. I would recommend it not just for aviation enthusiasts or students of the Second World War. But also for anyone who loves to read stories of compelling human interest. This is a book to be cherished and reread again and again, with thanks and gratitude.
June 1, 2018
I would describe this book as more of a social history rather than a military history, although it is that too. The primary focus of Fighter Boys is the pilots who took part in one of Britain's most famous World War Two victories - the Battle of Britain during 1940. I suppose everyone is familiar with this tale of 'The Few' against the might of the Luftwaffe, whose aim originally was to knock out the RAF as a prelude to a Channel invasion, which failed quite drastically. By the end of 1940 it was over, and Operation Sealion, the code-name for the invasion, was shelved and forgot about due to quite crippling losses the Luftwaffe sustained by the skill of the pilots of the RAF, as well as Germany preparing for the invasion of Russia in 1941. I think Hitler wanted Britain to sue for peace more than embarking on an actual invasion (if he did manage to knock out the RAF, he still would have had to deal with the Royal Navy). However, through staunch determination, skill, great aircraft design (at least with the Spitfire and Hurricanes), the might of the Luftwaffe were thwarted in every way, suffering deadly, irreplaceable losses, just as much as the RAF in many ways.
The book contains many first hand accounts from survivors, and I found that you become attached to some of their stories and characters. It begins with the formation of the Royal Flying Corps during WW1, the interwar years and the RAF Volunteer Reserves which proved essential during 1940 to have a stream of replaceable trained pilots during 1940, but not on a mass scale. It really starts with the Battle of France and Dunkirk and the massive casualties the RAF received at the hands of the more skilled Germans, who had some veteran pilots having served both in Spain and Poland. I suppose you could call it a 'baptism of fire' during May/June 1940, which would alter the RAFs operational strategy during the 'Battle of Britain' for the better. The book focuses also on the class basis of the pilots, and there is a general understanding that most came from Middle to Upper Class backgrounds and Public educated men. Whilst this is true to a large extent, many pilots also came from upper-working class backgrounds, and their average age was between 18 to 25 years old. I think there was certainly an 'elitist' attitude amongst the 'Fighter Boys', as they were known as at the time, but also a great camaraderie within their ranks too. Many personal accounts are contained here, some quite chilling, detailing some gruesome ends of shot-down pilots. There is a technical aspect to the book too, reading about the differences between the handling of a Spitfire and a Hurricane was quite interesting, as well as their improving tactics as they, outnumbered usually, faced hundreds of Messerschmidt 109s and bombers. The RAF was also an international force, having pilots from New Zealand, Australia, Poland (the famous 303 squadron) and Canada and America (11 from America served prior to their being involved in WW2, so maybe the film Pearl Harbour had just a little bit of accuracy which I once dismissed as a patriotic film that skewed the truth). As the Battle of Britain developed, with the Luftwaffe switching from attacking RAF bases to bombing industrial cities such as London etc, the 'Fighter Boys' started to gain an almost romantic appeal within Britain - they were seen as heroes and had a more laid back discipline than the other Army ranks, allowing to wear their top button undone and kitted out in a more personal touch than what was allowed for other services. The book also mentions the WAAF (Womens Auxiliary Air Force), who proved vital in plotting incoming raids and so on, but the main focus, apart from mentioning some relationships between the WAAF and pilots, is the RAF.
The losses amongst the pilots however was staggering in all regards (leave alone the larger losses the Germans received). Of 2,917 men who served in Fighter Command during the summer of 1940, 544 were killed and another 795 died before the war was over. After the Battle of Britain was won and Hitler withdrew most of his Luftwaffe to the Russian adventure, Fighter Command had to escort bombing raids against Northern France and Fighter Sweeps, that also inflicted a lot of casualties and imprisonment as they were no longer over safe shores - and these were veteran pilots hard to replace. An interesting social history more than anything, and as I said you become attached to some of the pilots throughout the book which makes it a page turner and very readable. I recommend just for the pilots stories, plus you get a semi-chronological history too about the main events of 1940 and development of the RAF. 4.5 stars, rounded to a 4.
The book contains many first hand accounts from survivors, and I found that you become attached to some of their stories and characters. It begins with the formation of the Royal Flying Corps during WW1, the interwar years and the RAF Volunteer Reserves which proved essential during 1940 to have a stream of replaceable trained pilots during 1940, but not on a mass scale. It really starts with the Battle of France and Dunkirk and the massive casualties the RAF received at the hands of the more skilled Germans, who had some veteran pilots having served both in Spain and Poland. I suppose you could call it a 'baptism of fire' during May/June 1940, which would alter the RAFs operational strategy during the 'Battle of Britain' for the better. The book focuses also on the class basis of the pilots, and there is a general understanding that most came from Middle to Upper Class backgrounds and Public educated men. Whilst this is true to a large extent, many pilots also came from upper-working class backgrounds, and their average age was between 18 to 25 years old. I think there was certainly an 'elitist' attitude amongst the 'Fighter Boys', as they were known as at the time, but also a great camaraderie within their ranks too. Many personal accounts are contained here, some quite chilling, detailing some gruesome ends of shot-down pilots. There is a technical aspect to the book too, reading about the differences between the handling of a Spitfire and a Hurricane was quite interesting, as well as their improving tactics as they, outnumbered usually, faced hundreds of Messerschmidt 109s and bombers. The RAF was also an international force, having pilots from New Zealand, Australia, Poland (the famous 303 squadron) and Canada and America (11 from America served prior to their being involved in WW2, so maybe the film Pearl Harbour had just a little bit of accuracy which I once dismissed as a patriotic film that skewed the truth). As the Battle of Britain developed, with the Luftwaffe switching from attacking RAF bases to bombing industrial cities such as London etc, the 'Fighter Boys' started to gain an almost romantic appeal within Britain - they were seen as heroes and had a more laid back discipline than the other Army ranks, allowing to wear their top button undone and kitted out in a more personal touch than what was allowed for other services. The book also mentions the WAAF (Womens Auxiliary Air Force), who proved vital in plotting incoming raids and so on, but the main focus, apart from mentioning some relationships between the WAAF and pilots, is the RAF.
The losses amongst the pilots however was staggering in all regards (leave alone the larger losses the Germans received). Of 2,917 men who served in Fighter Command during the summer of 1940, 544 were killed and another 795 died before the war was over. After the Battle of Britain was won and Hitler withdrew most of his Luftwaffe to the Russian adventure, Fighter Command had to escort bombing raids against Northern France and Fighter Sweeps, that also inflicted a lot of casualties and imprisonment as they were no longer over safe shores - and these were veteran pilots hard to replace. An interesting social history more than anything, and as I said you become attached to some of the pilots throughout the book which makes it a page turner and very readable. I recommend just for the pilots stories, plus you get a semi-chronological history too about the main events of 1940 and development of the RAF. 4.5 stars, rounded to a 4.
December 19, 2011
Baptized during the fire of World War II, Great Britain’s Royal Airforce corps of fighter pilots have become the stuff of legends. Dubbed the “Fighter Boys,” these young men, mostly between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five, were all that stood between their island home and the German invasion. In the months of the “phony war,” during the doomed Battle of France, the Fighter Boys provided the support and peace of mind needed by both their own people back home and their French allies. During the German Operation Sealion and the Blitz over London in 1940, they were the only thread that held their country together.
But at the heart of England’s renowned fighter pilot corps were ordinary men, who had to learn to deal with the stress and the fear of flying into battle, who had to cope after watching friends and brothers being shot from the sky, who had to keep going, to keep fighting after they had been pushed beyond all limits.
In this remarkable book, Bishop has pulled together the lives of these men—most of them barely old enough to shave—and bound them together within the epic story of a world at war. His tale begins slowly, outlining the birth of fighter pilots during World War I and exploring the world of the RAF before the outbreak of hostilities. Faster and faster the story spirals until we, side by side with these boy pilots, are swept onto the battlefronts of France and, eventually, the desperate Battle of Britain.
Although he never loses sight of the overall picture, Bishop manages to portray the human theme with a singular energy and pathos that leaves the reader’s heart aching as each plane finds a grave alongside all those that fell the day before. Wonderfully researched and documented, Fighter Boys is a definitive look into the lives of a most extraordinary group of men.
But at the heart of England’s renowned fighter pilot corps were ordinary men, who had to learn to deal with the stress and the fear of flying into battle, who had to cope after watching friends and brothers being shot from the sky, who had to keep going, to keep fighting after they had been pushed beyond all limits.
In this remarkable book, Bishop has pulled together the lives of these men—most of them barely old enough to shave—and bound them together within the epic story of a world at war. His tale begins slowly, outlining the birth of fighter pilots during World War I and exploring the world of the RAF before the outbreak of hostilities. Faster and faster the story spirals until we, side by side with these boy pilots, are swept onto the battlefronts of France and, eventually, the desperate Battle of Britain.
Although he never loses sight of the overall picture, Bishop manages to portray the human theme with a singular energy and pathos that leaves the reader’s heart aching as each plane finds a grave alongside all those that fell the day before. Wonderfully researched and documented, Fighter Boys is a definitive look into the lives of a most extraordinary group of men.
March 23, 2016
This was one of the first histories of the Battle of Britain which I started to read, and it was a work which I put aside, came back to, and put down again, and eventually finished about a month or two later. Many books I stop reading are never finished so it is partly a testament to the qualities of this work that I returned to it several times. It provides valuable insight into the lives of the pilots, analysing social and psychological dimensions. One of the most memorable sections focuses on the struggle of many to overcome the terror of facing a vastly numerically superior enemy. Another section discusses the irony of many of the pilots' experiences of mortal combat contrasted with their lack of sexual experience. Through these details, the fragility of the pilots' humanity was excellently conveyed. Although many parts of this work were fascinating, there was a certain lack of narrative coherence in the structure which meant that I was not sufficiently motivated to continue reading in places, but which also meant that it was relatively easy to re-commence my reading. In retrospect, I think interspersing the reading of this book with complementary reading of pilots' biographies, oral histories, and chronological accounts was an excellent way to build up a more nuanced picture of the pilots and the Battle of Britain.
July 5, 2012
Nearly 3000 fighter pilots fought for the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain. 18% of them died during the German air offensive of 1940, and another 27% had been killed by the end of the war. Rather than writing another account of the battle from a tactical or strategic perspective, Bishops writes a sort of group biography of the Fighter Boys. The battle itself gets fair treatment, for sure, but this is a history of the pilots, not the battle.
The English Army and Navy were historically a reflection of their society’s classes. Commissions went to the nobility and to the rising gentry. Private soldiers and seamen were from the working classes. The RAF’s fighter pilots were a new thing. Pilots were traditionally officers, but the technical skills need to fly and fight meant that family of origin couldn’t play as prominent a role in their selection. Most pilots were from well off families who could afford a public school (what in American would be called a “private school”), but many came up via technical schools. The relative egalitarianism of the pilot ranks were part of the stage being set for a post-war society.
Bishop surveys the wealth of diaries, interviews, and memoirs left behind by the the pilots. He gives us their impression of training and battle. He lets of ride along as they party, go on leave, and fall in love. He gives us a glimpse of their camaraderie and the loss they felt (and did not feel) when a fellow pilot was killed. The breadth and depth of the source materials allows Bishop to paint a convincing portrait of the pilots who dealt Hitler his first real loss and who allowed Britain to remain the European center of Allied activity against Germany.
The English Army and Navy were historically a reflection of their society’s classes. Commissions went to the nobility and to the rising gentry. Private soldiers and seamen were from the working classes. The RAF’s fighter pilots were a new thing. Pilots were traditionally officers, but the technical skills need to fly and fight meant that family of origin couldn’t play as prominent a role in their selection. Most pilots were from well off families who could afford a public school (what in American would be called a “private school”), but many came up via technical schools. The relative egalitarianism of the pilot ranks were part of the stage being set for a post-war society.
Bishop surveys the wealth of diaries, interviews, and memoirs left behind by the the pilots. He gives us their impression of training and battle. He lets of ride along as they party, go on leave, and fall in love. He gives us a glimpse of their camaraderie and the loss they felt (and did not feel) when a fellow pilot was killed. The breadth and depth of the source materials allows Bishop to paint a convincing portrait of the pilots who dealt Hitler his first real loss and who allowed Britain to remain the European center of Allied activity against Germany.
March 23, 2011
The Battle of Britain is one of the mythologised events that everyone growing up in Britain knows something about: the Spitfires, the Hurricanes, 'the Few'. Even today I still get a curious tingle down my spine when I see a Spitfire overheard - there's just something about those planes, and a large part of that is because of this myth, a myth that Churchill deliberately created almost before the fighting had even begun. He was a man who understood how important myth and legend can be, especially when stiffening morale and defiance.
This is more of an anecdotal history than a systematic recitation of facts and figures. It draws on personal testimony, diaries and interviews from the pilots themselves, and as such it really does bring the era to life in a very personal and honest way. It omits a great deal of technical and mechanical information, so if you're looking for information about planes and formations and tactics, this is not the book for you.
One of the things Bishop particularly highlights is this idea of the pilots as heroes, as something extraordinary, more so than other combatants in the war. Again, this is all part of 'the Few' myth, but it's not something the pilots themselves would have agreed with. He cites many examples of pilots themselves considering the soldiers on the ground as far braver, or the bomber pilots, or the civilians below. The fighter pilots saw themselves as doing their duty, no more or less than anyone else during the war. That we consider them heroes is another matter entirely.
This is more of an anecdotal history than a systematic recitation of facts and figures. It draws on personal testimony, diaries and interviews from the pilots themselves, and as such it really does bring the era to life in a very personal and honest way. It omits a great deal of technical and mechanical information, so if you're looking for information about planes and formations and tactics, this is not the book for you.
One of the things Bishop particularly highlights is this idea of the pilots as heroes, as something extraordinary, more so than other combatants in the war. Again, this is all part of 'the Few' myth, but it's not something the pilots themselves would have agreed with. He cites many examples of pilots themselves considering the soldiers on the ground as far braver, or the bomber pilots, or the civilians below. The fighter pilots saw themselves as doing their duty, no more or less than anyone else during the war. That we consider them heroes is another matter entirely.
October 14, 2025
Churchill made his famous speech to the House of Commons on August 20, 1940, in which he said, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” He was, of course, referring to the 2,917 pilots of the Royal Air Force who repelled hordes of German bombers that summer in what became known as “The Battle of Britain.”
Not only did the RAF suffer terrific losses in the air that summer, their airfields were also bombed until they almost had no planes left. Then an unfortunate miracle happened. Several misguided German bombs fell on London which provoked a retaliatory English raid on Berlin. This infuriated Hitler so much that he ordered his air force to cease their attacks on RAF airfields and begin bombing London by night - an action that allowed the RAF to rebuild its squadrons and attack the German bombers successfully. By the autumn of 1940, the Germans abandoned their plans to invade England, and slowly the war returned to Europe and Germany’s ultimate defeat.
The RAF fighter pilots were mostly just high-spirited, romantic, teenage boys and men in their early twenties. 544 of them died in 1940, another 795 before the war ended in 1945, an attrition rate of 46%.
This excellent book is a documentary of many of the lives of these patriotic young men during that time taken from letters and official records. It tells of Spitfires and Hurricanes and ME-109’s and their dogfights. It has pictures of the smiling participants and their machines. In some places it is graphic, grim, and grisly.
But overall it is an inspiring story of valor and sacrifice.
Not only did the RAF suffer terrific losses in the air that summer, their airfields were also bombed until they almost had no planes left. Then an unfortunate miracle happened. Several misguided German bombs fell on London which provoked a retaliatory English raid on Berlin. This infuriated Hitler so much that he ordered his air force to cease their attacks on RAF airfields and begin bombing London by night - an action that allowed the RAF to rebuild its squadrons and attack the German bombers successfully. By the autumn of 1940, the Germans abandoned their plans to invade England, and slowly the war returned to Europe and Germany’s ultimate defeat.
The RAF fighter pilots were mostly just high-spirited, romantic, teenage boys and men in their early twenties. 544 of them died in 1940, another 795 before the war ended in 1945, an attrition rate of 46%.
This excellent book is a documentary of many of the lives of these patriotic young men during that time taken from letters and official records. It tells of Spitfires and Hurricanes and ME-109’s and their dogfights. It has pictures of the smiling participants and their machines. In some places it is graphic, grim, and grisly.
But overall it is an inspiring story of valor and sacrifice.
July 29, 2018
Brilliant book full of information,,,,,,,,,,,
Fighter Boys is about the Battle of Britain Fighters. would read this again and again. wonderful book.
Fighter Boys is about the Battle of Britain Fighters. would read this again and again. wonderful book.
September 19, 2018
A book with the voice of those who took part in the Battle of Britain. Absolutely authentic, poignant, replete with great courage and tragedy. The last chapter is particularly moving. The Author traces the history of Fighter Command as it struggled to prepare itself against what was coming despite, at time, contrary demands of Churchill. As the toll mounts, Air Marshal Hugh Dowding, at Fighter Command tries to keep up the strength of his squadrons knowing fully well that the great German Effort was yet to come. Between him and Air Commodore Keith Park, they organise, hone tactics, the early warning and reporting systems, so that when 'Eagle Day' arrives, Fighter Command is just about ready. And as has often happened, once they have saved the day, they are discarded. History has, however, been kind to them. It is the Fighter Boys, from all walks of life, who step up to save Britain who are the real heroes. As one of them mentioned, when flying above the green fields of Britain, the protective instinct was so great that they were willing to throw away their lives, remaining debonair, at times diffident, laughing, reckless and always ready to go to it. A unique breed. Britain wont forget them and so must we not if we value pure courage and love of our land
May 18, 2019
Outstanding book, and well worth the read. Really succeeds in putting the reader into the heads of the young men fighting the air war above Britain ...
January 1, 2024
The variety of schools, rank, wealth and privilege made fighter command the most diverse elite in the British military. The RAF was required to be a meritocracy. A lot of working-class people ended up commanding upper class pilots. The Auxiliary Air Force was the stuffiest and snobbiest of all branches of the RAF (Whites was its club of choice).
The secret to being a great pilot was avoiding sharp movements, being able to relax and feeling the plane with your buttocks.
Moral, not straight shooting carried the RAF (many of whom were poorly trained, or were pushed through with little training).
British/French fighters had one wing painted black and the other white to differentiate themselves from the Luftwaffe.
Once Clementine/Winston were inspecting a Spitfire and Clementine was about to press the fire button, when Winston was in front of the plane’s guns. Churchill often inflated figures on German casualties and the general description of battle (much like Mr Johnson)
Many pilots nearly lost their lives falling asleep when they were about to land through extreme exhaustion. Others fell into vomiting/shaking and extreme nightmares. Others had floods of tears when going to sleep, yet they all KBO. Others developed twitches that when spotted by other people, the person would twitch back as to alert the person that they were twitching (it was polite etiquette).
PG 242, a description of a German officer taking notes on which British Officers treated him well for when the Germany invited Britain (copied by Dads Army?)
PG 275. Lyme bay mentioned when saying pilots went off to celebrate a successful day. The first Air Raid by the Luftwaffe at night on London was actually a navigation mistake, which led to an uncontrollable chain of events. Churchill responded by bombing Germany and from then on Germany put more resources toward bombing London.
Lord Downing was promptly sacked on 25 November 1940, the reason being that he was exhausted and that the war had entered a new phase. He also struggled to form relationships with people and fell out with Churchill.
After the Battle of Britain many pilots actually lost their lives attempting pointless missions over France to attack enemy outposts, while others got office jobs and missed the thrill of battle.
The secret to being a great pilot was avoiding sharp movements, being able to relax and feeling the plane with your buttocks.
Moral, not straight shooting carried the RAF (many of whom were poorly trained, or were pushed through with little training).
British/French fighters had one wing painted black and the other white to differentiate themselves from the Luftwaffe.
Once Clementine/Winston were inspecting a Spitfire and Clementine was about to press the fire button, when Winston was in front of the plane’s guns. Churchill often inflated figures on German casualties and the general description of battle (much like Mr Johnson)
Many pilots nearly lost their lives falling asleep when they were about to land through extreme exhaustion. Others fell into vomiting/shaking and extreme nightmares. Others had floods of tears when going to sleep, yet they all KBO. Others developed twitches that when spotted by other people, the person would twitch back as to alert the person that they were twitching (it was polite etiquette).
PG 242, a description of a German officer taking notes on which British Officers treated him well for when the Germany invited Britain (copied by Dads Army?)
PG 275. Lyme bay mentioned when saying pilots went off to celebrate a successful day. The first Air Raid by the Luftwaffe at night on London was actually a navigation mistake, which led to an uncontrollable chain of events. Churchill responded by bombing Germany and from then on Germany put more resources toward bombing London.
Lord Downing was promptly sacked on 25 November 1940, the reason being that he was exhausted and that the war had entered a new phase. He also struggled to form relationships with people and fell out with Churchill.
After the Battle of Britain many pilots actually lost their lives attempting pointless missions over France to attack enemy outposts, while others got office jobs and missed the thrill of battle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2024
I'm glad to know the stories of the pilots; it's important to about *who* fought and died as much as why or how they did. But I found this a slower goer to read, thick with details and not quite any governing sense of why they were told when.
Almost linear, almost chronological, which superseded going the route of "telling one chap's biography and moving on." I think that was a good decision but it also made for a lot of hopping around between people, names, places, and parts both touched on before and unknown -- which made for a bit of a muddle.
For that, I wasn't ever confused or put out. It was simply a lot to keep track of and didn't always work in the telling. I'm adding in that these aren't "my" boys; I wouldn't feel sentimental jingoism if this book was about Americans either, but there's no stirrings of pride and recognition and stiff-upper-lip-necessity while reading to patch over what were some shortcomings for me.
There's a quintessentially British quality to it. And that's not a criticism or a surprise, but I think it hindered the material just a bit; let it down. Even with Bishop not repeating the old propaganda numbers and lines, it feels very fronted, and not delved into, despite the sources and intentions. I figure some of that is time, some of that no one will ever admit everything from their time at war, and Bishop's own voice getting in the way.
It's an interesting and good perspective on telling military events. There's an almost Ken Burns "letters from home, a grayed man reminiscences, archival footage plays, and then a diary entry is read" tenor to it all. I think it'd play well that way too, although that's not to lessen Bishop's efforts and output here by saying it'd be better done/as someone else.
It lacked a cohesion for me, and very little of it was about the Battle of Britain (even with the 'about the pilots, not the battle' angle considered). Lots of details and snippets about the flyers, impressions of their war, which mostly comes together and builds a sense of things as it was for them. Worth picking off the thrift store shelves for a buck and spending time with, certainly.
Almost linear, almost chronological, which superseded going the route of "telling one chap's biography and moving on." I think that was a good decision but it also made for a lot of hopping around between people, names, places, and parts both touched on before and unknown -- which made for a bit of a muddle.
For that, I wasn't ever confused or put out. It was simply a lot to keep track of and didn't always work in the telling. I'm adding in that these aren't "my" boys; I wouldn't feel sentimental jingoism if this book was about Americans either, but there's no stirrings of pride and recognition and stiff-upper-lip-necessity while reading to patch over what were some shortcomings for me.
There's a quintessentially British quality to it. And that's not a criticism or a surprise, but I think it hindered the material just a bit; let it down. Even with Bishop not repeating the old propaganda numbers and lines, it feels very fronted, and not delved into, despite the sources and intentions. I figure some of that is time, some of that no one will ever admit everything from their time at war, and Bishop's own voice getting in the way.
It's an interesting and good perspective on telling military events. There's an almost Ken Burns "letters from home, a grayed man reminiscences, archival footage plays, and then a diary entry is read" tenor to it all. I think it'd play well that way too, although that's not to lessen Bishop's efforts and output here by saying it'd be better done/as someone else.
It lacked a cohesion for me, and very little of it was about the Battle of Britain (even with the 'about the pilots, not the battle' angle considered). Lots of details and snippets about the flyers, impressions of their war, which mostly comes together and builds a sense of things as it was for them. Worth picking off the thrift store shelves for a buck and spending time with, certainly.
February 11, 2025
This is a good history book that follows the pilots of RAF Fighter Command in 1940. It begins with a fairly lengthy section on the development of the RAF, and then covers the Battle of France and Battle of Britain.
This is mostly social history. It's not focused on the decision-makers, the tactics, or the machines; it's eyes are only for the pilots, and it's told primarily through reference to their autobiographies, diaries, and interviews. As such, the book gives a lot of insight into the lives of the pilots of Fighter Command; while giving you just enough narrative history to keep you aware of the situation in which those anecdotes took place. Together, the anecdotes build up to a fairly complete picture.
However, at times it is difficult to keep up with the sheer number of names that are thrown at you. Bishop doesn't pick out any 'main characters' to follow, and instead it feels at times as though you're hearing an anecdote from each and every pilot.
Furthermore, the book is focused pretty exclusively on the Commonwealth pilots. The Polish pilots in particular don't feature all that much, despite playing an important role in large numbers. This is more of a quibble than a flaw, however, as one book can only do so much without becoming bloated.
Overall a good book and a valuable insight.
This is mostly social history. It's not focused on the decision-makers, the tactics, or the machines; it's eyes are only for the pilots, and it's told primarily through reference to their autobiographies, diaries, and interviews. As such, the book gives a lot of insight into the lives of the pilots of Fighter Command; while giving you just enough narrative history to keep you aware of the situation in which those anecdotes took place. Together, the anecdotes build up to a fairly complete picture.
However, at times it is difficult to keep up with the sheer number of names that are thrown at you. Bishop doesn't pick out any 'main characters' to follow, and instead it feels at times as though you're hearing an anecdote from each and every pilot.
Furthermore, the book is focused pretty exclusively on the Commonwealth pilots. The Polish pilots in particular don't feature all that much, despite playing an important role in large numbers. This is more of a quibble than a flaw, however, as one book can only do so much without becoming bloated.
Overall a good book and a valuable insight.
October 5, 2017
I gave up on this book - I dont know why it didnt hold my interest as I am a bit fan of books set in wartime and the RAF in particular.
I got about half way through and whilst it may be a great historical and factual record of events, it lacked the human element for me. This may have emerged if I had stuck with it but I am afraid I couldn't keep going.
I got about half way through and whilst it may be a great historical and factual record of events, it lacked the human element for me. This may have emerged if I had stuck with it but I am afraid I couldn't keep going.
April 8, 2020
Well researched and put together novel. Gave an excellent sense of who comprised fighter command. Sprinkled in some strategic and operational stuff along with the human element.
Had a good chapter that focused on the Germans which was nice.
Overall, the quotes from the pilots were well weaves into the overall narrative. At times I didn’t notice they were quotes.
Had a good chapter that focused on the Germans which was nice.
Overall, the quotes from the pilots were well weaves into the overall narrative. At times I didn’t notice they were quotes.
February 8, 2021
This was my 2nd attempt with this book and I made it all the way through this time. I guess I was expecting a Stephen Ambrose experience and this was not up to that level. The first half was hard to get into but once he got into the stories of the people it was much more interesting. There were several mis-spellings and grammatical errors in the text as well.
July 8, 2023
I loved this from start to finish. It was well written very descriptive of both the proud men and women of the RAF during world war 1 and 2 who tirelessly defended our country.
The book contained many stories which included many happy moments as well as some very sad ones also as many pilots lost their lives on both sides.
The book contained many stories which included many happy moments as well as some very sad ones also as many pilots lost their lives on both sides.
January 28, 2024
Fascinating insight into the emotions and psychology behind the pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain. You get just enough of the military history and development of the planes & strategies to give a good framework, but the focus remains squarely on the stories of the pilots. Sometimes the stories are overdone and repetitive, but it still is a solid book.
April 2, 2018
I wanted to like this book. Having had a lifelong fascination with WW2 and especially the Battle of Britain, I really, really wanted to like this book. But it was just soooooo ploddddddding. A book about flight ought to soar; this book just sort of shambled along.
October 31, 2019
The Battle Of Britain has been described and glorified, embellished, distorted, exaggerated and misrepresented, however, this book gets down to the true facts and has been well researched. If you want the true facts presented in a absorbing fashion, this is your book.
December 10, 2019
I was moved by the sacrifice and the humanity AND the Times they lived in. Must have been frightening. A true portrait of courage, not only of the flyers but of all who cared for them and the institutions that made their exploits possible.
October 8, 2022
A collection of short bios of many RAF fighter pilots, up to and during the Battle of Britain. This is not a history of the battle - read one of those before cracking this one open, it's very specialized.
June 5, 2024
A fantastic book about the Battle of Britain from the perspective of the airmen who fought it.
A must read for anyone interested in World War II.
Refreshingly readable without any pretense or retrospective wokeness.
A must read for anyone interested in World War II.
Refreshingly readable without any pretense or retrospective wokeness.
January 18, 2025
If you enjoy reading books about World War 2, this story of the Battle of Britain is the most detailed history you will find.
Incredible detail, lots of excerpts from fighter pilots diaries will bring the battle to life.
Incredible detail, lots of excerpts from fighter pilots diaries will bring the battle to life.
May 19, 2018
Excellent book, full of information and facts, history at its best.
The difference between the fighter pilots and bomber crews is fascinating.
A book well worth reading.
The difference between the fighter pilots and bomber crews is fascinating.
A book well worth reading.
January 8, 2019
Well written. Goes in depth into the lives of the men who were the RAF.
August 11, 2020
The summer of 1940 and all that was at stake is clearly and meticulously laid out here in this excellent documentation of the Battle of Britain. A must for history buffs
April 17, 2023
Confirms my long standing opinion that if I could be transported back in time to fight in any war, it would be as a RAF pilot around the time of the Battle of Britain.
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September 26, 2025September 2025
Very well-researched. So many stories about pilots.
Very well-researched. So many stories about pilots.
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