24 HORUS

摘要

THIS is the story of 24 hours on the Channel Front in 1941. It opens at dawn on May 8 and narrates all air combats that took place until sunrise on the 9th. The day was to be a busy one for the Royal Air Force and Luftwaffe, coming during a period of transformation when Britain's air strategy turned from defensive to offensive. During the opening months of 1941 the majority of Luftwaffe day fighter units had returned to their bases on the Kanalfront, having taken a rest in the Reich. They firmly believed that mass daylight raids on Britain would begin anew as soon as weather permitted and that the postponed invasion would come to fruition in Spring. By June, however, all heavy night raids had ended. And far from repulsing mass attacks the RAF was sending out twice daily bomber raids against targets in France, sometimes escorted by up to 250 fighters on a single mission! The way was paved with danger and difficulty; the struggle for initiative costly in lives and aircraft. For many, May 8 was not just another day....