Flak Facts: A Brief History of Flak and Flak Intelligence in the Ninth Air Force, Part 2

ISBN: 1288577249

Author: Flak Section, Headquarters Ninth Air for

Condition: New

In the European Theatre of Operations, flak reached its majority when the back of the German Air Force was broken in the first months of 1944. Enemy antiaircraft artillery replaced enemy aircraft as the major combat risk of Allied air fleets. The Army Air Forces through the efforts of Gen. Arnold's AAA adviser, Maj. Gen. H. R. Oldfield, were quick to note the growing importance of this menace from the ground and to anticipate the developing destructive capabilities of flak weapons. Immediately intelligence and analysis of German technique, equipment, tactics, etc., were intensified, and trained personnel were assigned to all Air Forces to counter the increasingly potent threat of the enemy's ground defenses. Results of this counter-flak program were a major factor in enabling Allied air power to retain complete supremacy of the skies. Topics include flak in the Ninth, the enemy and his equipment and methods, flak countermeasures, flak in the campaigns, and the success of flak intelligence.