Author(s): Chaz Bowyer and Armand Van Ishoven

Aircraft & Air Forces

This edition combines two books first published in 1974 as 'Hurricane at War' and 1977 as 'Messerschmitt Bf 109 At War' 1937 -8 was a turning point in the history of military aircraft, as bothe The Hawker Hurricane and the Messerschmitt Bf 109 entered service with their respective air forces. The Hurricane was the RAF's first monplane fighter, so that the original 600 produced were a godsend during the Battle of Britain, in which the Hurricane destroyed more enemy aircraft than did any other British type, including the Spitfire. Its formidable fighter opponent was the Luftwaffe's Me 109 It accounted for two thirds of Germany's wartime output of single seat fighters, and its overall performance was reckoned to be better than the Hurricane's, but it met its match with the Spitfire. Lavishly illustrated with many photographs from private collections, some published here for the first time.