Facing the Abyss

With 352 years separating the defeat of the Spanish Armada and the Battle of Britain, how could they be similar? Astonishingly, through the introduction of new and innovative designs for their ships and guns, and the fighter aircraft and their command and control system, the English Navy, in 1588, and the Royal Air Force, in 1940, were able to dictate both battles. Their success led to a new type of naval warfare that remained largely unchanged from 1588 until the start of the Second World War and the realization that aerial warfare would dominate many battlefields from 1940 to the present day. Behind the headlines, there lay many fascinating stories including European history, power struggles, the threat of invasion, myths and legends, and heroes and villains. By including the stories behind many of these, the reader will gain a better insight into the rightful place of both battles in history.