- A complete list of airfields including unit dates and aircraft operated
- Highly informative and beautifully illustrated with numerous photographs showing the layout and life at Second World War airfields
- An overlooked aspect of the Second World War – until now
- A must-have for military enthusiasts, modellers and those interested in the complexities of aviation during the Second World War
- Released simultaneously with the re-release of John Asmussen’s phenomenal Bismarck: Pride of the German Navy
Shortly after the end of the Second World War, the United Kingdom was described as one vast aircraft carrier anchored off the coast of Europe. During a seven-year period, 500 airfields were constructed to serve the needs first of the RAF and later the USAAF as they carried the war to German-occupied Europe.
The airfields that were constructed took many different forms, from training airfields and advanced landing grounds to grass fighter airstrips and vast complexes used to accommodate heavy bombers.
RAF and USAAF Airfields in the UK charts the history of each Second World War airfield in and around the UK, providing a unique insight into the construction, operational life, and post-war history of each airfield. Alongside detailing the history of each airfield, this work comprehensively records the details of each unit that operated from airfields around the UK. The information provided in this meticulously researched book is supported by some 620 photographs, providing an illustration into the life of each wartime station.
| BOOK ISBN |
9781781558379 |
| FORMAT |
248 x 172 mm |
| BINDING |
Hardback |
| PAGES |
656 pages |
| PUBLICATION DATE |
24 February 2022 |
| TERRITORY |
World |
| ILLUSTRATIONS |
629 black and white photographs |
The late Geoff Mills spent many years researching and photographing RAF and USAAF airfields, and his original intention was to publish a book as a tribute to the brave young airman of the Second World War. The project developed far beyond its original intended format, but the core work in the book remains Mills’ research. A retired postal worker, Mills did not live long enough to see this work in print, in fact, it progress took more than ten years. As well as a tribute to the young airmen, this publication is also a tribute to Mills’ pioneering work.
Born in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1995, Daniel Knowles has been interested in history from a young age. The main focus of his historical interest is the Second World War. In July 2016, he graduated with an Honours degree in History and Politics from the University of Northumbria. His university dissertation was written on the changing perceptions to the wartime role played by RAF Bomber Command.
