One of the more terrifying times for the people of London and southeastern England during WWII was the V weapons barrage. These were the world's first cruise missiles and while not very reliable and not very accurate, they were able to do quite a bit of damage. Basically, they were preset in terms of distance and degree with a simple nose mounted propeller counting off the miles while a compass kept it on target. However, things like wind were able to put it off its intended route, and so fussy was the compass mechanism, that crews had to beat on the fuselage with wooden mallets while the missile was aimed at the target in order to align all the magnetic particles in the steel of the V-1s fuselage prior to firing.

To combat this missile, the first operational British Jet, the Meteor I was brought into play. Now their success against the V-1 was miniscule compared to the large number brought down by the Tempest and the Mustang, but this is because the Meteor did not get into operational service until after the barrage started. It was also a case of only a dozen or so aircraft, compared to the hundreds of Tempests, Spitfires and Mustangs around. Needless to say, it was one of the few that was able to successfully overtake a V-1 at low altitude without having to dive on it and despite problems with gun jamming, the Meteor proved its mettle.

While the author is able to tell us of every mission against the V-1 during August of 1944, the vast majority of the book is on the development of both the Meteor and of the V-1 itself with the V-1 getting more 'press' as it were. We are able to learn about how both the engine and the airframes were developed, as well as the benefits and the shortcomings of them both. We also look at what happened after the barrage from France and how these weapons were used later in the war as well as some post war information.

It all makes up another superb read in the Duel series, a series that has really matured over the years. This is one of the better volumes in this reviewer's opinion, and no matter how much you think you know about the subjects, you will learn more. It is a book I can easily recommend to you not only for the way it is written, but also for its excellent choice of period images and pilot stories.

November 2012

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