Sunderland Vs U-Boat: Bay of Biscay 1943-44

An illustrated examination of the role played by the Sunderland as an antisubmarine aircraft during the Battle of the Atlantic, focusing on the key battles of the Biscay campaign in 1943-44.

The Sunderland is an iconic British aircraft of World War II, and the only RAF Coastal Command type to perform frontline service throughout the conflict. Its prime target - the German U-boat - was a deadly adversary to Allied warships and other oceangoing vessels, but proved vulnerable to detection and air attacks from the radar-equipped Sunderland. This book examines the respective advantages and drawbacks of these two maritime predators by providing a vivid analysis of their historic engagement during the Biscay campaign in 1943-44.

Drawing upon first-hand accounts of this famous duel, Mark Lardas tells the story of how highly skilled Sunderland crews took the fight to an often elusive enemy and helped RAF Coastal Command defeat the U-boat threat. Maps, tactical diagrams, photographs and specially commissioned artwork bring the action to life as the Sunderland's losses - and eventual victory - in the Bay of Biscay play out in fascinating, insightful detail.


About the Author
Mark Lardas, educated as a naval architect, worked for more than 30 years as an engineer, space navigator and technical writer in the space, aviation and energy industries. He has an abiding interest in aerospace, maritime, naval, and military history, with an emphasis on ship construction and engineering from the ninth to the twenty-first centuries. He is the author of more than 25 published books on these subjects.