Normandy 1944: The 'Transportation Plan' to cut D-Day communications
Jun 2025 · Air Campaign Book 54 · Bloomsbury Publishing
Ebook
96
Pages
infoThis book will become available on June 19, 2025. You will not be charged until it is released.
About this ebook
Packed with illustrations, this is the first book to focus on the 'Transportation Plan', the air campaign to isolate the D-Day beaches from German reinforcements.
As the invasion of Europe grew closer, thought was given to how to use the Allies' substantial forces of heavy bombers in preparation. After much controversy, the plan eventually adopted was the 'Transportation Plan', in which the railway and road networks of France (and hence the German logistical chain) were targeted in order to slow German reinforcements to the Normandy beachhead both before and during the Allied invasion.
In this book, aviation researcher Julian Hale draws on new archive research to explain how this crucial, dangerous and often spectacular campaign was fought. Running from April to July 1944, it would eventually involve heavy and medium bombers of both the RAF and USAAF, with a starring role for the fighter-bombers of the Ninth Air Force. Early attacks by strategic bombers on the French rail nodes were only partially successful at best. In mid-May, the decision was taken to attack bridges and road and rail traffic intensively using fighter-bombers, mainly drawn from the US Ninth.
Illustrated with carefully chosen photos, spectacular battlescene artwork and explanatory maps and 3D diagrams, this is the story of how Allied airpower paved the way for D-Day.
As the invasion of Europe grew closer, thought was given to how to use the Allies' substantial forces of heavy bombers in preparation. After much controversy, the plan eventually adopted was the 'Transportation Plan', in which the railway and road networks of France (and hence the German logistical chain) were targeted in order to slow German reinforcements to the Normandy beachhead both before and during the Allied invasion.
In this book, aviation researcher Julian Hale draws on new archive research to explain how this crucial, dangerous and often spectacular campaign was fought. Running from April to July 1944, it would eventually involve heavy and medium bombers of both the RAF and USAAF, with a starring role for the fighter-bombers of the Ninth Air Force. Early attacks by strategic bombers on the French rail nodes were only partially successful at best. In mid-May, the decision was taken to attack bridges and road and rail traffic intensively using fighter-bombers, mainly drawn from the US Ninth.
Illustrated with carefully chosen photos, spectacular battlescene artwork and explanatory maps and 3D diagrams, this is the story of how Allied airpower paved the way for D-Day.
About the author
Julian Hale read History at Lancaster University and completed an MA on the RFC and RAF in the Middle East during World War I. In 2012, he joined the RAF Museum and catalogued the Jack Bruce Collection. He was the Assistant Curator for the Museum's Centenary Programme until June 2018, and is the author of The Blitz 1940-41 for Osprey.
Graham Turner is an award-winning historical painter and member of the Guild of Aviation Artists.
Graham Turner is an award-winning historical painter and member of the Guild of Aviation Artists.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
