Customer Reviews

Night Fighter

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
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From his trip through pre-war Germany, until he 'graduates' from flying intercepts, Jimmy Rawnsley puts you in the cockpit with one of the RAF's finest pilots, John Cunningham ( later, Sir John).Beginning with the earliest versions of the British Airborne Intercept Radars, through the technological innovations of the weapon, this book puts you in the cockpit with a well trained aircrew. It's one of my favorite reads.

When I was growing up, I read all of the World War II "I was there!" paperbacks that filled a six foot long shelf in my parents' bedroom.

This one was the best of them all.

As a boy I read Night Fighter and was enthralled with it as a sort of real life Biggles adventure. In my twenties, as a pilot, I read it and was fascinated by the description of wartime aircraft and the constant struggle between measure and counter-measure in radar technology and aerial tactics over Britain. In my late thirties I picked it up again and discovered its human dimensions: its frank yet compelling account of the experience of being engaged in a total war where he and those like him had little real expectation of survival. Now, as an author, I'm deeply impressed with its language and composition, and of how it could be so satisfying a read to me on so many levels. By far my favorite WWII book.

This was my first book on night fighters during WWII, and l loved it. I had no idea how these pilots physically flew these aircraft at night, let alone find and kill enemy aircraft. I particularly liked the change-of-pace of this book being from the navigator's point of view instead of the pilot's.

I've flown in an F-16 at night and can't fathom how pilots performed these feats without modern navigation, radar, and night vision technology. These pilots had guts.

This book sheds light on the crucial work that the night fighting squadrons undertook. It highlights the stress and tension of their work and their own practice and uncertainty of their tactics. Whilst there is a massive amount of detail missing from the life of 85 squadron, the book is essential reading. Then how could it cover so much?

Those close to 85 squadron, believe that they did not get the recognition they deserved. Mainly because of the secrecy surrounding the technology and because they were attached to a bomber group. If you dig deeper there are numerous stories of action and heroism. Wing Commander Bill Maguire DFC for example shot two intruders down within twelve minutes with radar and control co-ordination - not in the book but there is plenty of further reading worth taking on. (Fighter Squadron at War by Brookes covers more of 85 Squadron and Final Flights by Ian McLachlan has a chapter on a recovered JU188 shot down by Maguire).

A must read? Yes.

If you just thought the Spitfire or Hurricane did "everything"...this could open up a completely new dimension. For the veteran historian, it will be a valuable part of the research.

The author gives a comprehensive account of RAF night fighter operations from the beginning of World War II to the end, The narrative of the action is well written (with the assistance of professional screenwriter) and many insights into wartime service life are offered.

Overall, it stands out as an informative record of the RAF's defensive operations during World War II.