The Birth of British Airpower

This book examines the formation of the British Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force through the lens of the relationship between Chief of the Air Service Hugh Trenchard and his close friend, confidant, and fellow leader Maurice Baring. The author finds that without the critical intellectual interplay between Trenchard and Baring, aviation on the Western Front would have been far less successful, and the likelihood of an independent air service much smaller. Dye does a fabulous job of arguing that virtually every great military commander has a trusted aide as a subordinate who makes all the difference in the success or failure of their endeavors--the discussion showing common threads of this concept is particularly illuminating. Over the course of the book, he brings in the other key subordinates from Trenchard's staff--but ultimately, Baring is the constant in terms of supporting Trenchard, and the way their relationship developed is fascinating. This work also analyzes organizational leadership, the formation of complex military units, and the role of aviation in modern warfare.