Catalogue description Air Ministry and Ministry of Defence: Air Historical Branch: Narratives and Monographs

The monographs in this series are predominately historical studies. They include balloon defences from 1914-1945, decoy and deception, flying training 1934-1942, international law of the air 1939-1945, photographic reconnaissance 1914-1945, the expansion of the German Air Force 1933-1945, the Royal Observer Corps and Signals (radar and radio counter-measures).

The narratives, written by staff of the Air Historical Branch, cover most of the campaigns and theatres of the Second World War with the exceptions of the strategic air offensive and the Atlantic. The air defence of Great Britain is studied in five volumes, from the growth of Fighter Command (1936 onwards) to the beginning of the fighter offensive (1940-1941), and the Middle East campaigns are extensively described in eight volumes.

From 1976 Ministry of Defence