TO COMMAND THE SKY PB (Smithsonian History of Aviation and Spaceflight Series) - Softcover

MCFARLAND STEPHEN L

4.12

24 ratings by Goodreads

9781588340443: TO COMMAND THE SKY PB (Smithsonian History of Aviation and Spaceflight Series)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1588340449 ISBN 13: 9781588340443

Publisher: Smithsonian, 2002

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To Command the Sky is a scholarly record of the fight for domination of the skies over western Europe during World War II. It also explains the technical details of the tactics used to defeat the Luftwaffe. This book is important for serious students of World War II or military aviation.

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From Publishers Weekly:

The concept of strategic bombing (eliminating the enemy's war-making ability by destroying his industrial base) dominated American air operations until 1944, when it was replaced by the quest for air superiority, or control of the skies. In this untold WW II story McFarland, who teaches history at Auburn University, and Newton ( The Perilous Sky ) suggest that the turning point occurred with Gen. James Doolitte's command decision that U.S. fighters, instead of protecting American bombers directly, would henceforth seek out and destroy German fighters. With the German training establishment unable to replace losses in its fighter arm, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower could tell his D-Day invasion troops, ``If you see fighting aircraft over you, they will be ours.'' This latest entry in the Smithsonian History of Aviation series argues persuasively that the campaign for control of European skies ranks in importance with such epic confrontations as those of Midway and Stalingrad.

Review:

“A thoroughly documented, exuberantly written, objective, scholarly record of the costly but essential fight for domination of the skies over western Europe during World War II. Authors McFarland and Newton are historians thoroughly familiar with the documents . . . and they mined these valuable collections to write this superior book. They also understand the fundamentals of modern air combat operations. This book does a better job than any other I have examined of exploring the personalities who were charged with the responsibility for making the strategic bombing doctrine effective. McFarland and Newton also master the technical details of the tactics used to defeat the Luftwaffe. . . . To Command the Sky is an indispensable addition to the bookshelf of any serious student of World War II or military aviation.” -- Alan L. Gropman, The Journal of American History

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