Customer Reviews

NARROW MARGIN: The Battle of Britain and the Rise of Air Power 1930-1949 (Pen & Sword Military Classics)

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"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.