Bomber Commands night offensive against Nazi Germany, which lasted for nearly six years, was one of Britains major contributions to the Allied effort during the Second World War. But the decision to conduct its main operations at night only came about following heavy losses by day, when its pre-war medium bombers had been found lacking in modern air warfare. The Luftwaffe, too, had its early problems. Initially without a dedicated night fighter, it was ill-equipped to defend the Reich, and so the stage was set for what would become one of the most critical strategic encounters of the war. Things had to change on both sides. Soon there came new and more capable aircraft, in ever-increasing numbers, coupled with new tactics and technology, as each side strove to gain the upper hand. It became a fascinating encounter between the crews of Bomber Command and the Luftwaffes night fighter force, the Nachtjagd, with no shortage of courage and heavy losses on both sides. Amongst the epic encounters were Bomber Commands Thousand Bomber raids, the attack on the German V-weapons research establishment at Peenemnde, the campaigns against the industrial Ruhr, Hamburg and Berlin, and the disastrous raid on Nuremberg. This new publication consolidates accounts from both sides and from all ranks of service in an effort to provide a comprehensive account of some of the most ferocious nocturnal engagements of the Second World War. AUTHOR: Peter Jacobs is a former RAF Wing Commander and the author of several books. He is the author of an Aviation Heritage Trail series, following Airfields of 11 Group, Airfields of the D-Day Invasion Force; 2nd Tactical Air Force in South-East England in WWII and Southern and West Country Airfields of the D-Day Invasion Air Force; 2nd Tactical Air Force in Southern and South-West England in WWII. His other recent titles for Pen and Sword include Daring Raids of World War Two; Heroic Land, Sea and Air Attacks and Setting France Ablaze; The SOE in France During WWII. 60 b/w images
