In The Rise of the Bomber: RAF-Army Planning 1919 to Munich 1938, the second book in the series, author Greg Baughen uses archive material to reassess British air policy in the inter-war years. Gone is the image of a Royal Air Force starved of funds and struggling for survival against a bullying Army and Navy. Instead, Baughen describes how the Air Force set out to replace both the Army and Navy. It blocked the development of a modern air/tank strategy and won government backing for a defense policy built around the bomber – the first weapon of mass destruction.

Yet the time and money invested in the policy achieved nothing. When put to the test in 1938, the equipment proved inadequate and the strategy flawed. The Air Staff had misled the government, deceived itself and left the country defenseless. Yet, all was not lost. Unintentionally, the Air Ministry had been creating the aircraft that might still save the country. . .

“While the subject has been considered before, in a closely reasoned account, well supported by archival material, Baughen develops his narrative with confidence and skill... Baughen’s carefully worked arguments and general fairness in reaching unpalatable conclusions make his book a genuine contribution to this seminal period in RAF history”.

“Meticulously researched, this is a very good study of the development of British airpower between the wars. It is essential background reading for anyone who wants a thorough understanding of the performance of the RAF during the first two years of World War II. Recommended.”