The author (or publisher) has selected a rather unfortunate title for this work. The amplifying sub-title covers the subject quite adequately, although the term ‘fighting’ is, perhaps, superfluous.

The subject of armour for crew or vulnerable parts of an aircraft might seem, to some, as being a highly specialised subject but it is, nonetheless, an important one in the overall history of military aviation. 

In this well-researched book, the author divides the history into three main sections, covering the early period up to 1918, the inter-war years and finally the early months of WWII. There is an appendix which summarises developments later in the war. A subject such as this is not the easiest to research, this reviewer can testify that such information has to be sought in many places and literally dug out of diverse matter. Most of Fox’s sources are primary, with secondary material extracted from published books and contemporary journals. However, much of the published material listed in the bibliography is rather dated. This is a minor point. The bulk of the book deals with the inter-war years and the early WWII period and this reviewer must admit that he found these sections to be the most interesting. A great deal of official correspondence is reproduced (possibly for the first time) between senior RAF personnel, the Air Ministry and manufacturers. Some of it is surprising and all of it is intriguing. What is surprising are the views expressed in correspondence between some well-known members of the RAF hierarchy on the need for armour, the old argument that the weight involved would adversely affect performance persisted for some time.

The book is liberally illustrated with photographs, drawings and tabulated information. A vast amount of information is provided at a moderate price and presented in an easily digested for. This is a good buy.