Fighter: The True Story of the Battle of Britain

This is the most valuable summary in print of the RAF's challenge to Nazi Germany's invasion plans for the British Isles. Beginning by describing how 'history is swamped by patriotic myths about the summer of 1940', Deighton invalidates any theories of heroes versus villains in this account. The Nazi war machine swept across Western Europe in a stunning series of victories. Only the English Channel and the RAF remained as the final barriers to invasion. It was the Luftwaffe's burden to remove the second obstacle leaving the first to be crossed with minimal opposition. Deighton's excellent account shows how close the Luftwaffe came to success. In fact, credit for the RAF's accomplishment may well come to rest on the shoulders of one man, Hugh Dowding.

Deighton takes us through the background of weapons development, from radar to the tracer bullet, explaining how the two sides were closely matched in technology. The long-standing dispute over whether the Bf109 or the Spitfire was superior rests only on how far the pilots were prepared to push their aircraft. The number of pilots in opposition are another matter. For every active RAF pilot, the Germans had four fighter pilots or bomber crews, ranging from central France to the Norwegian coast.. Deighton explains how Dowding husbanded his resources, enabling him to keep sending aircraft against the bomber fleets. All logic suggested the RAF should have been destroyed, but Dowding's strategy and pilot skill resulted in postponement of the German invasion.

Deighton brings clarity to this complex period by breaking the story into four main themes. Keeping the daily events of the battle until last, his prepatory chapters show vividly what the pilots faced and what factors led to victory or defeat. Readers of his fiction know how well he presents characters. This historical account also displays that talent admirably. Commanders, pilots, ground forces all come to life in his depiction. There are both good and bad at all levels and he pulls no punches in discussing them all.

To those who feel Fighter is simply 'military history', it must be stressed that the Summer of 1940 was a magnificent expression of human endeavour. Pilot and crew bravery, tenacity in striving for goals on both sides is presented with Deighton's fine prose. Deighton shows that today's world would be drastically different had the Luftwaffe succeeded in its attempt to clear the way for an invasion. This book is a choice selection for an understanding of what the Battle of Britain was all about.

Battle of Britain Brought to Life (16/17 people found this helpful)

I started this book hoping for a potted history of the BoB, as my own was sorely lacking. Yet I dreaded a constant barrage of statistics and technical details. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to find them relegated to mere background detail, as they should be. This allowed me to focus on the men involved, at both the top and in the air.

I praise Deighton for having the honesty to tell a largely English readership that the Battle was seen as having little consequence with German High Command, and in particular Hitler. To be truthful enough to admit that it was almost a propoganda battle, rather than a vital strategic military one was extremely brave. Deighton then delighted me by going on to describe the bitter political wranglings that were occuring in the background on both sides. I could not believe the treatment of Dowding for one.

Although I have read more engaging military accounts of other WWII battles ("Stalingrad" springs to mind), I still enjoyed ploughing through it. A lot of this was due to the logical progression of events leading up to, and during the Battle itself. I recommend this to anyone, who like I did, wanted a clearer idea of why so much was owed by so many to so few.

A competent retelling of the Battle of Britain story (14/19 people found this helpful)

Deighton explains the story well, from setting the stage with the major characters and background, to a detailed post-match analysis. His style is neutral, balanced and critical of the decision makers of the time, and he is not afraid of puncturing a few balloons along the way.

Unfortunately his work lacks originality. I picked up Deighton's book a week after finishing 'Duel of Eagles' by Peter Townsend (first published in 1969), which told exactly the same story in a similar pattern, analysed the facts in the same way and came to exactly the same conclusions! Townsend was a hurricane pilot caught up in the thick of the fighting and his accounts buzz with energy. Not only that, but Townsend cast his net wider, travelling and interviewing in the 1960's participants for whom the battle was still a recent and shattering memory. Uniquely, he weaves the strands of history from the perspectives of himself and his friends, of published history, and also of his wartime adverseries. Townsend went to Germany, tracked down and befriended the very individuals he had exchanged machine gun fire with in 1940, and then made their stories part of his own.

It was hard when reading Deighton's book, not to compare it page by page with Townsend's and I'm afraid Deighton's book suffers. It isn't badly written, but Townsend's just has so much more of the kind of stuff which stirs the soul.

Deighton scores a couple of points: he explains the German command structure very clearly. I hadn't understood it at all from Townsend. He also adds some interesting details about the relative merits of the opposing aircraft armament systems at the time. In every other respect 'Fighter' seems little more than an abridged and sterilised version of 'Duel of Eagles'.

I would strongly recommend 'Fighter', but only if you can't get 'Duel of Eagles'.

Fighter: The True Story of the Battle of Britain

Len Deighton

Reader Reviews:

Three months that changed the world (12/14 people found this helpful)

Battle of Britain Brought to Life (16/17 people found this helpful)

A competent retelling of the Battle of Britain story (14/19 people found this helpful)

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