The Royal Air Force: Re-Armament 1930 to 1939: Royal Air Force – an Encyclopaedia of the Inter-War Years – Vol II (The Encyclopedia of the Inter-War Years Book 2)

Volume II covers the RAF during 1930–1939, a period when the League of Nations weakened amid rising dictatorships in Germany and Italy and Japanese expansion. Britain, still recovering from World War I, found its RAF significantly behind other major powers in aircraft design, relying on biplanes based on World War I technology. As the decade progressed, it became clear the RAF needed to develop new aircraft, engines, and increase production to counter Axis aggression, despite initial government hesitation. This comprehensive reference examines all aspects of RAF history during these pre-war years. It documents the development of new equipment including radar, monoplane fighters, metal construction techniques, and heavy bombers. The period represents a time of rapid advancement in aviation science that, for Britain, established the foundations for later military success.