Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire will forever be linked with the early years of aviation through the de Havilland Aircraft Company at Hatfield, Handley Page Ltd at Radlett and the British Airship Company at Cardington. When the Second World War began in 1939, however, there was only one operational RAF airfield - at Cranfield.

This quickly changed; the first wartime-built airfield opened at Hunsdon early in 1941 and eight more followed.

Detachments of Bomber Command, Fighter Command, the Pathfinders and the American 'Mighty' Eighth Air Force were all stationed locally, while RAF Tempsford was to become renowned for its clandestine sorties on behalf of S.O.E. (the Special Operations Executive). Existing airfields such as Cardington, manufacturing barrage balloons; Hatfield where the women ferry pilots (including Amy Johnson) were based; Henlow former home of the Officers' Engineering School, and Luton where the flying training school was based, all played their part in the war effort.

This book describes the history of each airfield - both RAF and USAAF - and highlights the major operations and raids carried out from them. The effects of the war on the daily lives of the people of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, and the constant dangers they suffered, are also detailed.

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