Battle of Britain Illustrated [Hardcover]

Paul F. Jacobs (Author), Robert H. Lightsey (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0071385452 | ISBN-13: 978-0071385459 | Publication Date: September 24, 2002 | Edition: 1

Illustrated with art, technical drawings, maps and period photographs of one of history's most famous battles, this volume provides a retelling of the Battle of Britain. The authors link four major perspectives: historical, tactical, technical and artistic.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

WITNESS BRITAIN’S “FINEST HOUR"

Austria and Poland had fallen, followed by Norway. The Netherlands and Belgium were overrun. Then France fell and Britain stood alone — the only obstacle to Hitler’s total dominance of Western Europe.

Arguably, it was the turning point of modern history.

In Britain during that “Spitfire Summer” of 1940, 2353 brave young flyers of the Royal Air Force, and 574 airmen from Commonwealth and other countries, took to the sky day after day to challenge the might of Hitler’s Luftwaffe. For nearly one in five of the young British flyers, it would be their last summer on Earth.

Reach and Power

In this work of reach and power, Paul Jacobs and Robert Lightsey have taken a fresh and captivating look at the first major air battle in history. Through the innovative use of timelines, they explore the battle from four perspectives: historical, technical, tactical, and artistic. The complex interrelationship of history, technology, and tactics on both sides of the English Channel during the hellfire summer of 1940 is presented in a stunning, visual style. Battle of Britain Illustrated provides you with a unique and unparalleled historical and military perspective on a battle that fully deserved Winston Churchill’s magnificent accolade: it was truly Britain’s “finest hour.”

“The print equivalent of a multimedia product.” -- Brian D. O’Neill, author of the bestselling Half a Wing, Three Engines, and a Prayer

"The Battle of France is over. The Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization—upon it depends our own British life and the long continuity of our institution and our Empire." -- Winston Churchill, June 18, 1940, from his “Finest Hour” speech

Below them, London was a firestorm. In the air in front of them were hundreds of Hitler’s bombers and fighters bent on the complete destruction of Britain.

This was daily life for the undertrained young pilots and crews defending Britain in the first major air battle in history, the Battle of Britain.

Had the Royal Air Force failed, as many expected they would, Hitler’s sweep of Europe would have been complete.

But they did not fail.

This dramatic chronicle of the events from July 10 to October 31, 1940, when Britain stood alone against Hitler’s Luftwaffe, shows you how and why they succeeded, against all odds.

This extraordinary record is the product of the combined efforts of two former Air Force officers - one an artist and engineer, the other a pilot and program manager - to provide a unique account of what many consider the most important battle in history.

Battle of Britain Illustrated provides:
* 140 original artworks detailing important moments in the Battle and surrounding events, rendered in oil, ink, and graphite
* Military perspectives on tactics and technology, and their massive impact on all subsequent warfare
* Unique illustrated timelines, permitting easy grasp of sequences, confluence of events, and choices and consequences
* Technical drawings that bring you close to weaponry, aircraft, and avionics

An unparalleled achievement, and the product of years of love, devotion, work, and study, Paul Jacobs’ and Robert Lightsey’s Battle of Britain Illustrated is a book truly worthy of its subject: one of the most important battles in human history.

About the Author

Paul Jacobs is an aerospace engineer in Alexandria, Virginia, specializing in stealth technology and flight testing. A career Air Force officer, he graduated from West Point and served with the 82nd Airborne Division in the US Army. After earning a masters degree in aerospace engineering, he returned to active duty with the US Air Force. He was stationed at Edwards AFB, where he graduated from the Air Force Test Pilot School. He participated in the initial flight testing of the B-1, B-2, KC-135R, and X-29 Forward Swept Wing aircraft. He completed his Air Force career as a professor at the Defense Systems Management College where he taught Systems Engineering. He is also a widely recognized aviation artist. He has published aviation art prints and has held one-man shows of his work. He remains actively engaged as a commission artist and illustrator.

Robert Lightsey is a professor and Chairman of the Technology and Engineering Department at the Defense Acquisition University, near Washington, D.C. A graduate of the Air Force Academy and a career Air Force officer, he won a Distinguished Flying Cross while flying as a Forward Air Controller in Vietnam. His career then turned from flying and operational assignments to engineering and project management. He has worked on aircraft, simulators, and weapons at various times in his career in Research and Development. He retired from the Air Force as a Colonel. He has over 4,000 hours of flying time in fighters, trainers, and cargo aircraft.. Dr. Lightsey holds a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering and a doctorate in engineering management. He has worked in the development of military aircraft and related weapons systems for over twenty-five years.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional; 1 edition (September 24, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071385452
• ISBN-13: 978-0071385459
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,082,566 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything You Wanted to Know About the Battle of Britain, January 6, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Battle of Britain Illustrated (Hardcover)

This is a very comprehensive review of the Battle of Britain, the campaign which saved Europe from an indefinite period of darkness, oppression, and inhumanity. Without the courage and resilience of the British people and the courage, competence, and sacrifice of the young pilots and crews of the RAF from whom so much was demanded Hitler's legions would have stood triumphant over a defeated Europe. The level of detail about the technological and tactical development of aerial combat and strategic bombing from WWI to WWII, including radar, propellers, engines, gasoline, machine guns, gunsights, will attract aviation 'wonks' and the address of the broader political imperatives which led to war will attract the historian and political scientist. Mr. Jacobs' unbelievable sketches throughout add very helpful imagery of the aircraft which fought the campaign. I was intrigued, too, by the description of the influence of American aviation developments in the building of the German and British airfleets. I wish, though, the authors had addressed in more detail the effect of the early British breaking of German communication codes. A good read!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Its All Here-The Biggest Air Battle Yet, June 25, 2006

By 

Ronald E. Hart "b2ron" (Oregon) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Battle of Britain Illustrated (Hardcover)

The expression: "Turning Point of WWII", is a cliche no doubt, but it may apply to the Battle Of Britain airwar in 1940. Jacobs and Lightsey have done an excellent job of detailing Britain's struggle against the German Luftwaffe.There is just enough technical detail to show this is a well researched book, but not too many statistics and numbers to overwhelm the reader. Paul Jacobs' original and innovative drawings add another dimension to the text.
This book is a super package; the paper, printing, and high quality will provide a long life for a book that will be referred to often. Aviation buffs as well as history lovers will enjoy this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A dense summary of Battle of Britain, July 7, 2007

By 

M. Frattola "allamag" (Genova Italy) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Battle of Britain Illustrated (Hardcover)

Nice little book, it could be considered a quick summary of the Battle of Britain. Diagrams, drawings and timelines are very usefull. Sometimes it repeats the same thing over and over, but once (or if) you get used to it, it's very enjoyable.