Military Model Scene

Title: The Ruhr 1943
Author: Richard Worrall
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-4728-4656-3

Air Campaign 24 from Osprey Publishing, and the RAF's brutal fight for Germany's industrial heartland. A 96-page soft-cover book, with plenty of archive photos, along with battlescene artwork, birds's-eye views, maps and diagrams all in addition to the informative text. As explained in the Introduction, after Arthur Harris had become Commander-in-Chief of Bomber Command, he pursued his aim to target the German industrial heartland of the Ruhr plus additional centres of armaments production. The starting campaign in 1942 suffered from some problems but there were significant changes to the renewed offensive in 1943.
After the scene setting of the Introduction there is a chronology of significant events, followed by an examination of both the Attacker's and the Defender's Capabilities. These include things such as the use of new bombers by the RAF, and new technology such as Oboe, Gee and the Pathfinders. On the German side, there was the Kammhuber Line with the night-fighters, along with extensive Flak defences. Then, along with some helpful maps, a look at the Campaign Objectives for the RAF. The main section details the Campaign itself, adding detail of particular missions and targets, including some of the 'special' operations that were flown. Everything is then rounded off with a 9-page Aftermath and Analysis, which makes for more interesting reading.
An interesting and informative book, which gives what I think is a useful and balanced look looking at the importance of 1943 as a part of the longer/wider bombing campaign of Germany during WW2. Some events in the Bomber Command history of WW2 have attracted some controversy since the war, but little of it has been aimed at the long running campaign to knock-out the industrial centres which supplied the German war machine. Another interesting and good value book from Osprey and author Richard Worrall.
Thanks to Osprey for the review copy.

Robin