The Ruhr 1943
THE RAF’S BRUTAL FIGHT FOR GERMANY’S INDUSTRIAL HEARTLAND

AIR CAMPAIGN 24

Air Campaign 24, The Ruhr 1943, is a 96 page paperback book of this important air campaign of World War II that is available from Osprey Publications.

This illustrated study explores, in detail, the RAF’s first concentrated air campaign of World War II against one of the hardest and most important targets in Germany – the industrial heartland of the Ruhr that kept Hitler’s war machine running.

Goring Confers With Hitler And Speer In August 1943

Between March and July 1943, RAF Bomber Command undertook its first concentrated bombing campaign, the Battle of the Ruhr, whose aim was nothing less than the complete destruction of the industry that powered the German war machine. Often overshadowed by the famous ‘Dambusters’ single-raid attack on the Ruhr dams, the Battle of the Ruhr proved much larger and much more complex. The mighty, industrial Ruhr region contained not only some of the most famous and important arms makers, such as the gunmakers Krupp of Essen, but also many other industries that the German war economy relied on, from steelmakers to synthetic oil plants. Being such a valuable target, the Ruhr was one of the most heavily defended regions in Europe.

City Of Cologne Towards The End Of The Battle For The Ruhr

This book examines how the brutal Ruhr campaign was conceived and fought, and how Bomber Command’s relentless pursuit of its objective drew it into raids on targets well beyond the Ruhr, from the nearby city of Cologne to the Skoda works in Czechoslovakia. Drawing on a wide-range of primary and secondary sources, this is the story of the first titanic struggle in the skies over Germany between RAF Bomber Command and the Luftwaffe.

1939 Before And 1944 After Bombing of Krupp Works

Contents

• INTRODUCTION
• CHRONOLOGY
• ATTACKER’S CAPABILITIES
  • Bomber Command: prepared for the ‘Main Offensive’
• DEFENDER’S CAPABILITIES
• CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES
  • Attacking the Reich’s Industrial Heartland and its Workers
• ORDER OF BATTLE
  • Bomber Command Order of Battle as at 1800hrs, 27th May 1943
  • Luftwaffe Order of Battle for fighters in Western Europe from Denmark and Northern France, 24 July 1943
• THE CAMPAIGN
• ANALYSIS
• CONCLUSION
• BIBLIOGRAPHY
• INDEX

Side-Profile Of 88mm Flak

Conclusion

The brutal air campaign for the Ruhr in 1943 was one of the turning points of World War II for the Axis and Allies. This is a book that would be of interest to the World War II enthusiast, historian and modeler. The World War II enthusiast and historian will enjoy reading about the history and background of this Air Campaign. The modeler will not only enjoy the history and background but they will acquire all different types of ideas for creating vignettes and dioramas based on this historical situation.

Air Campaign 24,The Ruhr 1943, The RAF’S Brutal Fight for Germany’s Industrial Heartland is a 96-page paperback book that is available from Osprey Publications.

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(The photographs used in this review are copied with the permission of Osprey Publications.)