German Flak Defences vs Allied Heavy Bombers: 1942-45

The Allied bomber offensive against Germany during World War II was a massive industrial war that resulted in over one million tons of bombs dropped, close to 300,000 civilians killed, 700,000 wounded, and over 3,500,000 industrial and residential structures destroyed. The German flak arm played a significant role in the defence of the Third Reich, accounting for at least half of the American aircraft shot down over Germany and reducing bombing accuracy. This detailed study of the German flak defences and their adversaries, the Allied heavy bombers, includes full-colour illustrations and is the definitive guide to the overlooked conflict.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 80 pages
Publication date: 31 October 2019
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Since the end of World War II, the strategic bombing of Germany has been the subject of numerous studies, books, and documentary films. With over one million tons of bombs dropped, close to 300,000 civilians killed, 700,000 wounded, and over 3,500,000 industrial and residential structures destroyed, the Allied bomber offensive was a massive industrial war. The air battle that raged over Germany has often been portrayed as a clash between Allied and German fighters, but historians have often overlooked the impact of German anti-aircraft defenses (flak). While flak is often dismissed as ineffective and a waste of resources, it played a significant role in the defense of the Third Reich. According to the RAF Official History, flak accounted for 1229 of 3302 aircraft lost by Bomber Command between 1942 and April 1945. Additionally, flak's strategic role extended beyond simply shooting down aircraft; it also forced bombers to drop their ordnance sooner or from a higher altitude, thus reducing bombing accuracy. This detailed study of the German flak defenses and their adversaries, the Allied heavy bombers, explores both of these roles in depth. With full-color illustrations, including cockpit scenes and armament views, this is the definitive guide to the often-overlooked conflict between Allied planes and German anti-aircraft defenses.

Weight: 262g
Dimension: 249 x 186 x 6 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781472836717