Fighter Command and Control: Greatest Secret of Allied Air Power

It was the spring of 1936, and dark storm clouds of war had gathered over Europe. But few noticed. The American public was isolationist, and the British, still recovering from World War I, were slow to recognize the Nazi menace. Winston Churchill would not become Prime Minister until 1940. One of the few leaders who did understand the threat at this time was RAF Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding, who implemented a revolutionary air defense system that played a critical role in Allied victory and gave my father a terrific job in the Army Air Corps.

On June 13, 1936, Dowding became head of fledgling Fighter Command and immediately began preparing for the Battle of Britain. That battle would not occur until four years later.

Fighter Command was the world's first effective air defense system. Fighter Control was a subsystem of Fighter Command. It consisted of trucks with radio and radar equipment allowing ground-to-air communication between controllers and pilots.

Radar was a key component of Fighter Command. It transformed the war more than any other invention.

In 1936, the RAF had three commands: Bomber Command, Coastal Command, and Fighter Command. Every Command wanted radar, but Dowding lobbied hardest for it and won.

Under Dowding's diligent supervision, Fighter Command was mostly complete by early 1939. That summer, improved recruiting increased British pilot reserves, but there was still a severe shortage. In September 1939, Dowding estimated that he needed 53 fighter squadrons to defend England. He only had 34.

The Battle of Britain began on July 10, 1940. It was the only World War II campaign fought entirely in the air.

At this time, the RAF had only 704 aircraft, including 620 Spitfire and Hurricane fighters. The Germans had 1,290 fighters and 1,392 bombers.

Radar enabled the RAF to locate the Luftwaffe by bouncing short radio waves off incoming enemy aircraft and listening to the resulting echoes. Thus radio and radar operators had preternatural ability to "see" the Germans.