During the early years of the war, the United States deployed two numbered air forces to England in 1942 and 1943, in preparation for the air war against Germany in Europe. The Eighth Air Force, along with its operational components, arrived in England in early 1942. The Ninth Air Force first deployed to Africa in support of ground operations in North Africa and later Sicily and Italy. In October 1943 the Ninth moved to England to join the Eighth in preparing for the Normandy invasion.

This documentary film examines the struggles and high casualties in the early stages of the air war as the United States suffered from short range fighter deficiencies, overwhelming Luftwaffe air power, effective German anti- aircraft batteries, and limited aircraft inventories in the bomber and fighter groups on station in England. Soon that would change.

This is the story of increasing Allied successes as overpowering numbers of new aircraft and additional bomber and fighter groups arrived in England to make a difference in the skies over Europe. Watch as the Luftwaffe began to disappear and Allied tactical and strategic operations defeated the German war machine.

Length 58 minutes