Aces of Jagdgeschwader Nr III
Aces of Jagdgeschwader Nr III

Author: Greg VanWyngarden

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2016-01-20

Total Pages: 254

ISBN-13: 1472808452

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Royal Prussian Jagdgeschwader Nr III was the third of Germany's vaunted fighter wings to be formed during World War 1. Commanded by the Pour le Mérite winner and well-respected ace Hauptmann Bruno Loerzer for its entire existence, it was composed of the celebrated Jasta 'Boelcke', along with Jagdstaffeln 26, 27 and 36. Equipped largely with the new Fokker triplane, these four units would play an important role in the Kaiserschlacht as part of the 17. Armee. As Germany's fortunes waned in the summer of 1918, the aces of JG III nonetheless did their best to stem the tides of British, French and later American aircraft they encountered. Aces such as Carl Bolle, Paul Bäumer, Heinrich Bongartz, Hermann Frommherz, Rudolf Klimke and the infamous Hermann Göring all carved their names in the record books flying in this formidable formation. This book examines the tactics, achievements and personalities of one of the deadliest of Germany's aerial units.

Aces of Jagdgeschwader Nr III
Aces of Jagdgeschwader Nr III

Author: Greg VanWyngarden

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2016-01-20

Total Pages: 100

ISBN-13: 1472808444

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Royal Prussian Jagdgeschwader Nr III was the third of Germany's vaunted fighter wings to be formed during World War 1. Commanded by the Pour le Mérite winner and well-respected ace Hauptmann Bruno Loerzer for its entire existence, it was composed of the celebrated Jasta 'Boelcke', along with Jagdstaffeln 26, 27 and 36. Equipped largely with the new Fokker triplane, these four units would play an important role in the Kaiserschlacht as part of the 17. Armee. As Germany's fortunes waned in the summer of 1918, the aces of JG III nonetheless did their best to stem the tides of British, French and later American aircraft they encountered. Aces such as Carl Bolle, Paul Bäumer, Heinrich Bongartz, Hermann Frommherz, Rudolf Klimke and the infamous Hermann Göring all carved their names in the record books flying in this formidable formation. This book examines the tactics, achievements and personalities of one of the deadliest of Germany's aerial units.

Jagdgeschwader 53 ‘Pik-As’ Bf 109 Aces of 1940
Jagdgeschwader 53 ‘Pik-As’ Bf 109 Aces of 1940

Author: Chris Goss

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2017-02-23

Total Pages: 100

ISBN-13: 1472818725

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Boasting pilots who had been blooded in the Spanish Civil War, Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53) 'Pik As' or 'Ace of Spades' achieved great success in the skies over France and Britain in 1940. It was infamous amongst its opponents for the quality and calibre of its aces – men such as Werner Mölders, Hans-Karl Mayer and Rolf Pingel. These aces won numerous Knight's Crosses for their exploits in 1940, credited with 258 victories, with 51 pilots being killed or captured. This study follows these pilots of JG 53 into battle, telling the stories of their victories, losses, and ultimate fate. Containing 36 profile illustrations depicting the drastic change in appearance of their aircraft over time, and complemented by thorough research, this book is a welcome addition to Osprey's popular Aircraft of the Aces series.

Jagdgeschwader 1 ‘Oesau’ Aces 1939-45
Jagdgeschwader 1 ‘Oesau’ Aces 1939-45

Author: Robert Forsyth

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2017-12-28

Total Pages: 97

ISBN-13: 1472822935

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Formed shortly after the outbreak of World War 2, and equipped with Messerschmitt Bf 109Es, Jagdgeschwader 1 was initially tasked to defend the regional North Sea and Baltic coastal areas and Germany's main port cities and naval bases. The greatest task for JG 1 though came after 1942 in its defence of the Reich against the US Eighth Air Force's B-17s and B-24s, bearing the brunt of defence against increasingly regular, larger and deep penetrating USAAF daylight bomber raids with fighter escort. Levels of attrition subsequently grew, but so did experience among the leading aces, who were often the subject of propaganda films and literature. Many of Germany's most famous World War 2 aces flew with JG 1 including Herbert Ihlefeld (132 victories), Heinz Bär (220) and Walter Oesau (127), piloting Bf 109Es, Fw 190s and the Heinkel 162 jet fighter. Packed with photographs and profile artwork and revealing first-hand accounts, this is the compelling story of the Luftwaffe fighter pilots who battled to defend the skies of Germany.

‘Richthofen’s Circus’
‘Richthofen’s Circus’

Author: Greg VanWyngarden

Publisher: Osprey Publishing

Published: 2004-07-25

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781841767260

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Undoubtedly the most famous of any nation's aviation units in World War 1 was the legendary Jagdgeschwader Nr 1, or 'The Flying Circus' as its respectful foes labelled it. Germany's first true fighter wing, it would always be associated with its first commander, the charismatic and revered Manfred von Richthofen. JG 1 was formed in July 1917, and for sixteen months the unit's young pilots in their colourful aircraft battled for aerial dominance of the Western Front. From its ranks emerged many of Germany's most successful airmen, including the Red Baron's brother Lothar; Ernst Udet; Werner Voss; Erich Löwenhardt and Hermann Göring. This book charts the World War I experiences of JG 1.

Dolphin and Snipe Aces of World War 1
Dolphin and Snipe Aces of World War 1

Author: Norman Franks

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-11-20

Total Pages: 97

ISBN-13: 1782007261

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This book focuses on the combat careers of the last of the famous Sopwith fighters to enter service during World War 1, the Dolphin and the Snipe, both of which were built on the strong scouting heritage of the Pup and Camel. The Dolphin featured the unique negative-staggered biplane wing arrangement, which provided the pilot with the best possible tactical view forward for seeking out his enemy. Used extensively on the Western Front, the Dolphin proved very effective in combat, with a substantial number of British aces scoring kills with the fighter. The Snipe was built as the successor of the highly successful Camel, and entered service with the fledgling Royal Air Force in the summer of 1918. As Norman Franks explores in this illustrated volume, although seeing just a few months of action before the Armistice, the Snipe nevertheless proved its superiority over virtually all other fighters.

Bf 109D/E Aces 1939–41
Bf 109D/E Aces 1939–41

Author: John Weal

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-10-20

Total Pages: 101

ISBN-13: 1782005641

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The period covered in this volume was considered to be the 'glory years' for the Jagdwaffe fresh from the experience gained in the Spanish Civil War and for the Bf 109 in particular. Many famous pilots scored their first kills in the classic dogfights staged over Poland, Western Europe, the Channel and finally southern England. Some 40 Knight's Crosses were awarded in 1940 alone. However, after sweeping all before them in support of the Blitzkrieg across continental Europe, the Bf 109E pilots were to suffer badly during the Battle of Britain, the result of poor tactics inflicted upon them by the Luftwaffe High Command, and their mount's less then generous range.

Aces Falling
Aces Falling

Author: Peter Hart

Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson

Published: 2008-10-02

Total Pages: 411

ISBN-13: 0297855700

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How the age of the great WWI aces came to an end in the skies over the Western Front At the beginning of 1918 the great aces seemed invincible. Flying above the battlefields of the Western Front, they cut a deadly swathe through the ranks of their enemies, as each side struggled to keep control of the air. Some were little more than boys when they started to fly, yet they were respected and feared as some of the deadliest killers in the sky. But as the press of fighting increased with the great offensives of 1918, nervous stress and physical exhaustion finally began to take their toll - and one by one the aces began to fall. This book charts the rise and fall of the WWI aces in the context of the vast battles that were taking place in 1918. It shows the vital importance of reconnaissance, and how large formations of aircraft became the norm - bringing an end to the era of the old, heroic 'lone wolves'. As the First World War came to a close very few of the aces survived. This epic history of the final year of the air war is both a chronicle of the ways in which 1918 changed aerial combat forever, and a requiem for the pioneers of aerial combat who eventually became the victims of their own brilliant innovations.

Bf 109 Aces of North Africa and the Mediterranean
Bf 109 Aces of North Africa and the Mediterranean

Author: Jerry Scutts

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-11-20

Total Pages: 100

ISBN-13: 1782007385

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Totally outnumbered throughout their short two-year sojourn in the Western Desert, the crack fighter pilots of the handful of Jagdgeschwader in-theatre fought an effective campaign in support of Rommel's Afrika Korps against the British and American forces. Relying almost exclusively on the Luftwaffe's staple fighter of World War 2, the Messerschmitt Bf 109, the battle-hardened aces used the aircraft's superior performance to achieve incredible scores against the Allies. Similarly, once pushed out of North Africa, these units continued to take the fight to the RAF and USAAF from makeshift bases in northern Italy.

Early German Aces of World War I
Early German Aces of World War I

Author: Greg VanWyngarden

Publisher: Osprey Publishing

Published: 2006-10-31

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781841769974

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One of the "top picks for specialized military holdings" - California Bookwatch The Fokker Eindecker (monoplane) can truly be said to have begun the age of fighter aviation. With the development of its revolutionary synchronised system that enabled the machine gun to fire through the propellor, Fokker E I pilots caused consternation in the Allied air services as they began to reap a harvest of victims in the summer of 1915. While the first victory with a Fokker E-type is now believed to have been earned by Kurt Wintgens on 1 July 1915, it was the exploits of Max Immelmann and Oswald Boelcke that made the machine legendary. These men, along with others such as Parschau and Hohndorf, received the adulation of the German public along with such honors as the first awards of the coveted Blue Max. They created the tactics and principles of German fighter aviation as they did so, developing doctrine that is still relevant to today's fighter pilots. However, by the end of 1916, the glory days of the lone hunter and his Fokker Eindecker were over. They were replaced by a succeeding generation of biplane fighters which would be flown in new formations - the Jagdstaffeln or 'hunting groups'. The story of these first Fokker and Halberstadt biplane fighters and their pilots concludes this volume. RELATED TITLES German Air Force 1914-1918 (Elite) Fokker Dr 1 Aces of World War I (Aicraft of the Aces) American Aces of World War I (Aircraft of the Aces)