Batailles Aeriennes No 076

NON-STOP OFFENSIVE: LA LUFTWAFFE SUR LA DEFENSIVE - Combats Aeriens sur le Nord de la France (Juin 1941 - 26 Octobre 1941).

This issue of BATAILLES AERIENNES, dedicated to the first period of what we then called the "Non-stop Offensive" offers a surprising parallel with the news, especially with the continuing air strikes on Syria. Admittedly, the comparison stops there but we can not help thinking about the ineffectiveness of air strikes in the absence of planned ground operations to destroy an opponent. This is what is happening in Syria, where French and her allies can have no intention of dispatching an expeditionary force; similarly, Britain, 75 years ago, was incapable of mounting a ground campaign to drive the Germans out of France. The RAF therefore undertook its "Non-stop Offensive" which took a large toll of men and machines for meagre returns; the Luftwaffe needed only to maintain two fighter wings on French territory to oppose the large formations of British fighters. Despite the fact that the German fighter force in the West was hopelessly outnumbered, the two fighter Geschwader managed to resist effectively.

We continue the chronology started in BATAILLES AERIENNES no 35 " Le RAF contre-attaque" (now sold out), covering the period June 1941 to mid-July 1941. This first 87-page issue which will be followed by two more. Jean-Louis Roba describes the clashes between the Bf 109s of JG 2 and JG 26 with the Hurricanes and Spitfires of 242, 609, 303 and other RAF fighter squadrons illustrated with many period photographs of the machines and aces that fought through this period of dog-fighting over northern France. The text (French language) describes the action day-by-day and is completed with a full list of losses for the period.

Author: Jean-Louis Roba