The Narrow Margin: The Battle of Britain and the Rise of Air Power, 1930-1940

by Derek Wood and Derek Dempster

Book Overview

The Battle of Britain saved the country from invasion. If the RAF had been defeated all the efforts of the British Army and the Royal Navy would hardly have averted defeat in the face of complete... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0090021606
• ISBN13: 9780090021604
• Release Date: August 1969
• Publisher: Arrow Books
• Length: 361 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.

Customer Reviews

The Classic Account of the Battle of Britain

"The Narrow Margin", first published in 1961 and periodically updated and reissued since, is the classic account of the Battle of Britain. The defeat by an undermanned British Royal Air Force (RAF) of the German Luftwaffe offensive to gain air superiority over Britain in 1940 likely staved off a German invasion and kept Britain in the war. Authors Derek Wood and Derek Dempster provide a methodical account of the air battle, beginning with the retooling of the British and German air forces in the 1930's in preparation for conflict. Each side made choices about the types of aircraft they would develop that shape their successes in the Second World War. The second part of the book discusses the Fall of France in 1940 and Britain's frantic preparations after the Dunkirk evacuation to build up the defenses of the home island. Part three is a day by day account of the actual air battles between July and October 1940, tracing the shifting tactics and objectives of the two sides. This book is a factual account, packed with an excellent selection of photographs, graphics, maps, and appendices. Those readers looking for a romantic account of a few handfulls of embattled British fighter pilots standing off the undefeated might of the Luftwaffe will have other alternatives to this volume, which focuses on the practical necessities of efficient early warning, the comparative values of different aircraft, the availability of trained pilots, and the use of effective tactics. Incidentally, "The Narrow Margin" was the basis for the 1969 movie "The Battle of Britain." This book is highly recommended to students of the Battle of Britain and the Second World War.

Never, have so many , owed so much , to so few

Never in the field of human conflict ,have so many, owed so much, to so few. That's how Sir Winston Churchill, remembered the brave pilots of The Royal Air Force, for their courage during the Battle of Britain in 1940. This excellent book tells the stories warts and all about how britain just survived this great air battle , which was intended to destroy the RAF prior to invasion by Nazi armed forces in operation Sealion 1940. This book was also the basis for the film Battle of Britain. It details all the intrigue behind the walls of RAF fighter command between Dowding and Park on one side and Leigh-Mallory and Bader on the other side in a controversy about tacticts and stratergy. (it's a wonder the RAF won)