Britain's Shield: Radar And The Defeat Of The Luftwaffe

2010 is the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and also the 70th anniversary of another finest hour - that of Radar. The bravery and skill of the pilots and the qualities of their aircraft would have been in vain if they had not been part of a complex and sophisticated air defence system based on radar. Its five-year development is one of the most remarkable scientific accomplishments of the 20th century, one which has been somewhat overlooked. Many studies of radar have focused on the development of the technology, with little focus on the creation of the larger system for integrating radar into the nation's air defences. This work relates radar's development with diplomatic and air policy concerns of the period and shows how a technological miracle was accomplished. Churchill's role is also re-appraised, indicating that his influence was often counter- productive to the development of effective air defences.