The RAF Air/Sea Rescue Service in the Second World War : rare photographs from wartime archives / World War, 1939-1945

Franks, Norman L. R.,

The RAF Air/Sea Rescue Service in the Second World War : rare photographs from wartime archives / Norman Franks. - 135 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm. - Images of war. . - Images of war. .

SECOND WORLD WAR. When the Second World War began in 1939 it was thought that it would be fought along the same lines as the First World War, with the Allied air forces operating from both Britain and France. With the fall of Britain's Northern European Allies in May 1940, all that changed. From then onwards, RAF aircraft operating over enemy and enemy-held territory necessitated flights across both the North Sea and the English Channel. This meant that aircrew in difficulties would be forced to come down in both of these bodies of water. Therefore it was essential that some form of rescue service be made available to fish these airman from the water. But there were no aircraft in existence at that time that were designed for such a task: initially all that could be done was to use land 'planes to help locate anyone in the water, drop a dinghy to them, and then guide a boat to their position.

9781473861305 1473861306


Great Britain. Royal Air Force. Air/Sea Rescue Service --History.


World War, 1939-1945--Search and rescue operations.

D810.S45 / G738 2016

940.54/4941