Airlines at War: British Civil Aviation, 1939-1944

This history of WWII aviation shines a light on the pilots and crew of the British civilian airlines who made significant contributions to the war effort.

Shortly after the outbreak of war, the British Overseas Airways Corporation was formed through the amalgamation of Imperial Airways and British Airways. Directed by the Secretary of State for Air, BOAC began as the transport service for the Royal Air Force.

The BOAC's air routes crisscrossed the world, from the Arctic to South Africa, a...