Men of the Desert Air Force: 1940–1943 (Heroes of the Skies Book 4)

A gripping, real-life account of the brave pilots who flew over the deserts of North Africa and the Mediterranean between 1940 and 1943.

Perfect for readers of Patrick Bishop, John Nichol, and Paul Brickhill.

The Desert Air Force (DAF) was formed in 1941 by Air Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, created as a fast, mobile, and highly effective tactical air force to support the hard-pressed Allied armies fighting Axis forces in North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean. The outcome of these brutal desert campaigns would prove vital to the Allies’ ultimate victory and the downfall of Hitler and Mussolini’s imperial ambitions.

In this fascinating book, Chaz Bowyer shines a light on the characterful, courageous pilots who made up the DAF — men who displayed extraordinary skill and determination in one of the most inhospitable theatres of war. Drawing on vivid contemporary records and eyewitness accounts, Bowyer reveals the backgrounds of these aviators, the battles they fought, and their remarkable achievements in the face of relentless enemy opposition.

Between 1940 and 1943, the Italian Regia Aeronautica and Germany’s Luftwaffe waged a fierce aerial campaign against the British, who entered the fight under-strength, ill-equipped, and flying outdated aircraft. By 1942, the DAF had become a formidable force of 29 squadrons drawn from the RAF, Royal Australian Air Force, South African Air Force, United States Army Air Force, and other Allied nations — a “true commonwealth of men dedicated to the cause of human freedom,” as Bowyer movingly describes.