Bennett and the Pathfinders - Hardcover

Maynard, John

9781854092588: Bennett and the Pathfinders

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1854092588 ISBN 13: 9781854092588

Publisher: Arms & Armour, 1996

From the moment Hitler had swept through most of Europe the only way the war he had begun could be taken back to him was by air. Even then, any bombing campaign the Allies mounted could have been a symbolic irritation to Germany or a significant contribution to its defeat. That it became the latter was, in good part, down to Don Bennett and his Pathfinder Force.
When Arthur Harris took over at Bomber Command in February 1942, raids had already caused the removal of some German resources to air defence, but operational and training losses were unacceptably high, the end result still far from being achieved. Through the spring and summer of that year every mission success seemed to be clouded by losses and inconclusive results.
Only now did the concept of the elite raid leaders become truly formulated. Harris was instructed to form the Pathfinder force and a noted civil pilot of prewar days, whose navigational skills had been tested on many a long flight, was chosen to head it - a small, tough, uncompromising Australian, Wing Commander Donald C. T. Bennett.
The new squadron, boasting its own badge and such determination and vigour from its leader - quickly promoted to Air Vice Marshal - worked fast to perfect means of sky-marking and ground marking which, used in concert with skilled piloting and navigation, led Bomber Command to new accuracy and subsequent success.

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