BATTLE OF BRITAIN (1940) - Respecting THE FEW.

[Spitfire]

Hi gents, I am trying to tack down a copy of Hugh Dundas: "Flying start" from 1990. Anybody read it? Any comments?
Thank you.

 

[Smithy]

I don't have it Søren but I got it out from the library years ago. Was very good although it's mostly his post-BoB exploits. Well respected bloke and worth having a read of his book.

Should be a copy floating around at abe.

 

[Spitfire]

I am halfway through James Holland: The Battle of Britain now.
What a book!!!!:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap
Holland has really done his homework and has a much broader perspective: The u-boat war, The role of the Royal navy, the industrial problems with building - not only enough planes - but all other warmaterial.
The politics and the leaders courage, mistakes and personal fouls. On both sides - including US.
I can only recommend this book.

 

[KilroyCD]

Hi gents, I am trying to tack down a copy of Hugh Dundas: "Flying start" from 1990. Anybody read it? Any comments?
Thank you.

Soren, if you can find a copy you will not be disappointed. I have a copy of the book which is signed by Hugh "Cocky" Dundas. He was a delight chap, and I had the pleasure of meeting him in 1990 at a B of B seminar. If you find a copy and read it you'll quickly find out he was quite the character during the war.

 

[Spitfire]

Soren, if you can find a copy you will not be disappointed. I have a copy of the book which is signed by Hugh "Cocky" Dundas. He was a delight chap, and I had the pleasure of meeting him in 1990 at a B of B seminar. If you find a copy and read it you'll quickly find out he was quite the character during the war.

Hi Kilroy - After my post I managed to got my hands on a copy, just haven't got around to read it yet. Must be next in line after james Holland. Good to have something to look forward to, eh?

 

[Smithy]

I am halfway through James Holland: The Battle of Britain now.
What a book!!!!:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap
Holland has really done his homework and has a much broader perspective: The u-boat war, The role of the Royal navy, the industrial problems with building - not only enough planes - but all other warmaterial.
The politics and the leaders courage, mistakes and personal fouls. On both sides - including US.
I can only recommend this book.

I've started my copy and am enjoying it as well although I'm not very far through at this stage.

He seems to have included a lot about 609 Sqn but I suppose that it to be expected as he based the squadron parts of "The Burning Blue" on 609 and David Crook's memoir.

He's got a nice writing style as well.

 

[The Lonely Navigator]

To Spitfire:

How far into discussion w/ regards to the U-Boat war does Holland go? It may be a book that would interest me as well.

 

[Spitfire]

To Spitfire:

How far into discussion w/ regards to the U-Boat war does Holland go? It may be a book that would interest me as well.

He writes several pages on Prien and even more on the blocade of UK - just to mention some of it
Being an expert you might know most of it, but his book gives a much broader overview than just aeroplanes, takeoffs and kills. Even goes very deep into the warindustrial buildup of all armed forces on both sides and the politics behind it.

 

[The Lonely Navigator]

Oh - that sounds like a book definitely worth getting then. With regards to the industrial buildup and the politics - It sounds like The Great Naval Game only in the time period of WWII. The Great Naval Game is just like that, the only difference is that it deals with the time period of the 1890's into WWI.

Thanks

 

[Smithy]

Just received the new illustrated edition of Stephen Bungay's "The Most Dangerous Enemy" today and it is simply wonderful.

The text has been edited and reduced from the original 2000 edition but the new version has a stack of new photos, diagrams and and is beautifully laid out.

I didn't agree with everything that Bungay wrote in the original TMDE but the scale of his research is never in doubt and it is essential reading for BoB enthusiasts.

New readers could get away with just owning this new edition and owners of the original should pick this up for the breadth of new photos and diagrams. All in all, very highly recommended.

 

[kiltie]

Any of you read a book called With Wings Like Eagles? It's written by Michael Korda and looks to have been released early last year.
I picked it up the other day, along with a couple of other books and, at the moment, it's pretty low on the priority list ( doing one called Masters of the Air that I don't want to just breeze through ). Just wondering if I should move it up in the queue.

 

[Smithy]

I've got it, although to be honest I haven't read it cover to cover, rather I read bits and pieces and picked at it. My impressions are, not a bad book, not a history nor a narration of the BoB as such, but a study of the major figures and the nature of the defence that Britain had established.

Oh, and it's got a cracking photo of 610's Spits on the cover

 

[kiltie]

Mixed fortunes are to be expected with my new books; a lot of impulse buys. Had a funny experience in a bar the other night. My wife and I were talking in broad terms about WWII in the Pacific. I remembered this thread and told her: "You need to get a specialty...something to focus on." Anyway, we're getting a little and, on a lark, get the bartender involved in our conversation. As luck would have it, the bartender is a Masters in History with an accent on the British Empire and a former combat Marine relatively recently discharged ( he'd fought in Iraq around '04, I think ). He's got a grip on military history...
Soooo...Nothing quite brings one's ignorance into shocking relief like that. The result was a groggy, cloudy trip to the bookstore the next day and too much money spent.
The BoB book and Masters of the Air are what I managed to escape with, whilst the wife had to hire a porter to carry out her new PTO library ( and some horrifying looking book about Nazi doctors... ). The moral of the story being: Don't engage in historical topics with Masters of History while half in the bag. Only slightly less important: don't attempt to compensate for your ignorance the next morning when you're still a little hazy.

 

[Spitfire]

Just received the new illustrated edition of Stephen Bungay's "The Most Dangerous Enemy" today and it is simply wonderful.

The text has been edited and reduced from the original 2000 edition but the new version has a stack of new photos, diagrams and and is beautifully laid out.

I didn't agree with everything that Bungay wrote in the original TMDE but the scale of his research is never in doubt and it is essential reading for BoB enthusiasts.

New readers could get away with just owning this new edition and owners of the original should pick this up for the breadth of new photos and diagrams. All in all, very highly recommended.

Just received my copy this morning. Looking really good.

 

[Corky]

Deadly skies: The bloody truth about the Battle of Britain 70 years on

Deadly skies: The bloody truth about the Battle of Britain 70 years on

Rarely in history has a battle been so mythologised as the conflict that took place in the skies above southern England between 10 July and 31 October 1940. But the truth about the Battle of Britain - and the brave young airmen who fought it - is far more complex, ruthless and bloody than we often care to remember.

By Robert Fisk

Click HERE to continue reading the article

 

[Edward]

Interesting article, thanks for posting.

 

[Spitfire]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Phantomfixer]

Yes, good article.

 

[Hereward]

So not only Gerry did naughty things in WWII.

 

[kampkatz]

Political ideas lead to war. That fact is an inherent human trait. There will always be wars and rumors of wars(as said by the purest pacifist in history).