RAF Coastal Command was founded as a formation within the Royal Air Force in 1936, at a time when the RAF was restricted into Fighter, Bomber and Coastal Commands.

This enthralling new release from Martin Bowman details all the varied and dynamic operations at sea carried out by RAF Coastal Command against the U-boats and the German Navy during the Second World War. Beginning with the disastrous Norwegian Campaign, it takes in the numerous attacks on the bustling German submarine base at Lorient, the attack on Brest, as well as many other pivotal and memorable events to enliven the history of the sea-lanes during the Second World War. Battles with the U-boats are brought to the fore, with details and experiences not only of the RAF pilots of Catalinas, Whitleys, Hudsons and Sunderlands, but also those of the targeted U-boat crews. In scenes reminiscent of 'Das Boot' German (and Italian) U-boat crews tell of their fears and experiences while under depth-charge attack and fire from above by Liberators, Fortresses, Halifaxes, Sunderlands and Mosquitoes. ??The 'big-game sport' of 'hunting U-boats', as it was termed, is relayed in full and gripping detail, with first-hand accounts from U-boat attackers punctuating Bowman's dramatic prose and resting alongside those of the German submariners. This two-sided history is sure to appeal to all enthusiasts interested in gaining a balanced insight into Second World War naval history.

This book summarises the story of how RAF Coastal Command overcame the German U-boat danger during the Second World War and how the escalation of the U-boat war promoted the development of anti-submarine warfare, leading to victory over this menace in the Atlantic.??At the start of the war, RAF Coastal Command had virtually no real chance of either finding or sinking Germany's submarines, but within a short period of time, new methods of detecting and delivering deadly ordnance with which to sink this underwater threat were dreamt up and implemented. ??It took the men of Coastal Command long hours patrolling over an often hostile sea, in all types of weather, but their diligence, perseverance and dedication won through, saving countless lives of both merchant and navy seamen out in the cold wastes of the Atlantic and contributing much to the final victory over Nazi Germany. This new addition to the Images of War series serves as a tribute to these men, recording their exploits in words and images.

This book reveals the vital contribution that RAF Coastal Command made to the Allies war effort. Although often referred to as the 'Cinderella Service' because by its nature, it did not gain the recognition it deserved and was overshadowed by Fighter and Bomber Commands and considering that it was not given priority in terms of aircraft and equipment, its wartime record was second to none.The two main roles of Coastal Command were anti-submarine work in the Atlantic and anti-shipping operations against enemy warships and merchant vessels. This work looks at every aspect of the command's work, equipment and aircraft and draws upon many first-hand accounts. Lengthy and comprehensive appendices cover Orders of Battle, Commanders, U boats sunk, ships sunk, aircraft losses and casualties.

During World War II the aircraft and crews of RAF Coastal Command played a vital role of patrolling and defending the waters around Great Britain against enemy air and naval forces. These included everything from long-range fighters and patrol aircraft, like Junkers Ju88 and Focke Wulf Fw200 Kondor, to marauding U-boats, E-boats and warships.

At the start of World War II, few thought the U-boat would be as devastating as it proved to be. But convoys and sonar-equipped escorts proved inadequate to defend the Allies' merchantmen, and the RAF's only offensive weapon was the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft. For RAF Coastal Command, the first two years of the war were the hardest. Although starved of resources, operating with outdated aircraft and often useless weaponry, they were still the only force that could take the fight to the U-boats. But in these two years, the RAF learned what it needed to win the Battle of the Atlantic. Gradually developing new tactics and technology, such as airborne radar, signals intelligence, and effective weaponry, the Allies ended 1941 in a position to defeat Dönitz's growing fleet of U-boats. This book, the first of two volumes, explains the fascinating history of how the RAF kept the convoys alive against the odds, and developed the force that would prevail in the climactic battles of 1942 and 1943.

An alphabetical account of the part in the Second World War played by the Kipper Fleet as it was known in the RAF. Coastal Command often lacked resources compared with other home commands, giving it its other nickname of the Cinderella Service. Its main role was defensive that of protecting Britains vital sea borne supply lines in home waters as well as in the Mediterranean, the Middle East and around the coasts of Africa.Coastal Command also acted in an offensive capacity, particularly in the so-called Battle of the Barges in 1940 which helped deter Hitler from invading the UK, and in the Mediterranean and the Baltic, attacking German shipping. Coastal Command, however, is most usually remembered for the war against the U-boats, one that was eventually won.From A to Z this well-illustrated book tells the story of the gallantry, the achievements, the losses, the VCs, the aircraft and much else about RAF Coastal Command.

The "forgotten offensive" of the title is RAF Coastal Command's offensive against German sea-trade between 1940 and 1945. The fortunes of the campaign are followed throughout the war, and its success is then evaluated in terms of the shipping sunk, and the impact on the German economy.

First in a companion series to the acclaimed Bomber Command and Fighter Command Losses series, detailing losses suffered by coastal squadrons operating from UK bases under Coastal Command control as either full units or detachments from other RAF commands. Each chapter is prefaced by a brief description of the coastal campaign for the period under review. Appendices include squadron bases.

Roy Nesbit's highly illustrated history of Coastal Command's 217 Squadron the squadron in which he served gives a first-hand insight into the hazardous low-level missions the squadron flew against enemy shipping and ports during the Second World War. He chronicles the squadron's operations from the outbreak of war when it patrolled in Avro Ansons over the Western Approaches to the English Channel. Then came the most intense period of its wartime career when, flying Beauforts, it concentrated on minelaying and attacks on shipping along the west coast of German-occupied France. It also mounted daring raids on huge U-boat bunkers and other enemy installations. The story of these dangerous operations, in which many aircraft were lost and airmen were killed, makes up the most memorable section of the narrative. But Roy Nesbit takes the squadron's story right through to the later years of the war when, after a short and even more dangerous period flying from Malta in order to sink enemy shipping in the Mediterranean, it was based in Ceylon and was re-equipped with Beaufighters for the battle against the Japanese. In addition to telling the story of the squadron and the men who served in it, the narrative describes the conditions endured by the French people in the ports 217 attacked, and it covers the raids launched against German coastal bases after the squadron had moved to the Far East. An Expendable Squadron will be absorbing reading for anyone who has a special interest in the history of Coastal Command, in the aircraft 217 Squadron flew, and in the experience of combat flying seventy years ago.