A unit rarely written about was the 2nd Tactical Air Force. Prior to 1944 it did not exist and it was realized that a dedicated ground attack operation was needed if the Allies were to be successful in their upcoming invasion of Europe. The result was a major reorganization of the RAF, especially the fighter community, to specialize in this new role. I'm sure that those units who were pulled from the glory of air to air combat and expected to move a lot of mud were less than thrilled about the task. Face it, ground attack gets few headlines, means living in tents, eating cold food and is a generally greater hazard than air to air combat.

This is the first of three volumes that takes a good look at the founding and operations of the 2nd TAF. Author Chris Shores wrote a book on the subject some 30 years ago and since then, there has been enough new information that a complete re-write was in order. This particular volume covers the formation of the 2nd TAF up to the end of June, 1944. This includes the D-Day operations, where the unit was particularly busy!

Done in a diary mode, a complete overview of each day's operations is provided, giving a summary of what took place and listing any air to air victory claims. The book is full of photos of Typhoons, Tempets, Mustangs, Spitfires, Bostons and Mitchells; the main aircraft used by the 2nd TAF. This includes a large number of superbly drawn profiles. There are also highlight stories of various operations and experiences of pilots and crews that add to the flavor of this superbly done book. There are also the usual organization charts so that you can see the development of the 2 TAF as well as how it changed over the months.

The authors have done a superb job of conveying the missions and a sense of the life of units in the 2 TAF during this time. I found the book fascinating and learned a great deal from it. Modelers will find it of particular interest due to the high quality and large photographs and profiles. I was particularly impressed with how ratty the Invasion Stripes were applied to the aircraft. No nice, clear and crisp demarcation lines as is often portrayed on decal sheets. These were obviously hurriedly painted and using nothing more fancy than a brush as there are crooked lines galore! Evidence of this is shown on the cover's Typhoon.

Bottom line is that this is shaping up to be the finest series of books on the subject yet produced. It is fascinating reading and a must for the enthusiast.

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