Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich
Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich

Author: Donald Caldwell

Publisher: Pen and Sword

Published: 2012-02-27

Total Pages: 819

ISBN-13: 1473813476

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A day-by-day account of Nazi air operations in WWII by the coauthor of The Luftwaffe over Germany, winner of an Air Force Historical Foundation Award. Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich is a detailed, comprehensive daily reference to the air operations flown by the Luftwaffe. During the Second World War, German air defenses struggled to cope with the threat posed by the American 8th and 15th Air Forces, which were charged with destroying Germany’s critical war industries and wresting control of the air over the Reich from the Luftwaffe. This unique volume includes a brief narrative and a table of statistics detailing every mission of every Luftwaffe unit defending the Greater German Reich or the western occupied zone against strategic raids by the USAAF; tables of monthly sorties, losses and victory claims by the USAAF and the Luftwaffe over the Reich and the western occupied zone; and combat accounts by Luftwaffe pilots. This “tremendous piece of work,” is based on documents in the German, American and British government archives and German pilot logbooks and interviews from the author’s extensive collection (Aeroplane Magazine). Caldwell is well known for his balanced presentations and the clarity of his writing. This book is a must-have for anyone with a serious interest in World War II aviation history. “Highly recommended, and quite likely to be remembered as one of the most important new books of the year.”—Stone & Stone “Such a staggering quantity of information would be overwhelming in less capable hands. But Caldwell spices up his tight narrative with excellent photos and informative captions.”—Aviation History

Defense of the Third Reich 1941–45
Defense of the Third Reich 1941–45

Author: Steven J. Zaloga

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-10-20

Total Pages: 66

ISBN-13: 1849085943

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Starting in 1940, Germany was subjected to a growing threat of Allied bomber attack. The RAF night bombing offensive built up in a slow but unrelenting crescendo through the Ruhr campaign in the summer of 1944 and culminating in the attacks on Berlin in the autumn and early winter of 1943-44. They were joined by US daylight raids which first began to have a serious impact on German industry in the autumn of 1943. This book focuses on the land-based infrastructure of Germany's defense against the air onslaught. Besides active defense against air attack, Germany also invested heavily in passive defense such as air raid shelters. While much of this defense was conventional such as underground shelters and the dual use of subways and other structures, Germany faced some unique dilemmas in protecting cities against night fire bomb raids. As a result, German architects designed massive above-ground defense shelters which were amongst the most massive defensive structures built in World War II.

Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe
Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe

Author: Jeremy Dixon

Publisher: Pen and Sword Military

Published: 2023-12-30

Total Pages: 350

ISBN-13: 1399030744

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The German fighter pilots of the Second World War are among the undoubted heroes of the conflict, their reputation for flying skill, single-minded determination and solitary courage hasn’t diminished or been clouded by controversy over the years. Their daring and commitment, often displayed when, towards the end of the war, they were fighting against the odds, matches that of any of the other air forces they fought against. This detailed, highly illustrated reference book, which covers the exploits of the most famous and successful individuals among them, shows just how effective and undaunted they were. All the Luftwaffe day fighter pilots who flew single-seater aircraft and won the Knight’s Cross during the war are featured. The entries give information about their early lives and pre-war careers and record how many aircraft they shot down, the type of aircraft involved and where and when the combat took place. Included are accounts of particular actions which led to the award of the Knight’s Cross, and the fate of these remarkable pilots later in the war and in the post-war world is described too. Jeremy Dixon’s book will be fascinating reading and reference for anyone who is interested in the aviation history of the Second World War.

Fw 190 Defence of the Reich Aces
Fw 190 Defence of the Reich Aces

Author: John Weal

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-10-20

Total Pages: 150

ISBN-13: 1782005110

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The Defence of the Reich campaign completes Osprey's coverage of the German aces that flew the Fw 190 during World War 2. Renowned aviation author and artist, John Weal, presents the last volume of Fw 190 Aces not previously covered in the Aircraft of the Aces series. From mid-1942 until the end of the war, German fighter pilots were deployed in the defence of the homeland in an effort to halt the near-constant bombing raids by Britain and America. This book tells their story, from the moment when the Luftwaffe began to retreat to the dying days of the Reich. Using previously unpublished photographs, this book charts the story of the men who earned their status as aces while fighting a hopeless battle to protect the land and the people they loved.

Strategy For Defeat: The Luftwaffe, 1933-1945 [Illustrated Edition]
Strategy For Defeat: The Luftwaffe, 1933-1945 [Illustrated Edition]

Author: Williamson Murray

Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing

Published: 2015-11-06

Total Pages: 883

ISBN-13: 178625770X

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Includes the Aerial Warfare In Europe During World War II illustrations pack with over 200 maps, plans, and photos. This book is a comprehensive analysis of an air force, the Luftwaffe, in World War II. It follows the Germans from their prewar preparations to their final defeat. There are many disturbing parallels with our current situation. I urge every student of military science to read it carefully. The lessons of the nature of warfare and the application of airpower can provide the guidance to develop our fighting forces and employment concepts to meet the significant challenges we are certain to face in the future.

The First and the Last
The First and the Last

Author: Adolf Galland

Publisher:

Published: 2018-10-10

Total Pages: 344

ISBN-13: 9781728666150

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Adolf "Dolfo" Joseph Ferdinand Galland was a German Luftwaffe General and one of the greatest flying aces of World War II. He flew 705 combat missions, and fought on the Western and the Defence of the Reich fronts. On four occasions he survived being shot down, and he was credited with an astonishing 104 aerial victories, all of them against the Western Allies. He is a legend of air combat, and this is his heroic story. First published in 1954, this is a reprint of the original edition and not any revised version. It was a best-seller in 14 languages and sold three million copies. It was also very well received by the British and American airforces as a frank and honest statement of how the war was won and lost in the air. Time magazine called this book "The clearest picture yet of how the Germans lost their war in the air."

Bf 109 Defence of the Reich Aces
Bf 109 Defence of the Reich Aces

Author: John Weal

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-01-20

Total Pages: 150

ISBN-13: 1780963491

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This volume tells the story of the daylight air battles over Germany through the eyes of the Bf 109 aces involved. It traces the development of the aerial defence of the Reich from its small beginnings to arguably the most savage and costliest campaign in the history of aerial warfare. The Luftwaffe pilots explain their tactics and relate their experiences – in the early days, waiting for short-ranged Allied fighters to turn back before attacking the bombers, the see-saw battle for aerial supremacy that followed, the advent of the P-51 and its devastating effect, the growing might of the heavy bomber streams and the final desperate measures against overwhelming odds. The story is predominantly that of the Bf 109's struggle to defeat the US Eighth Air Force, although latterly both the 'mediums' of the US Ninth Air Force and the 'heavies' of RAF Bomber Command were also active by day over Germany.

I Flew for the Fuhrer
I Flew for the Fuhrer

Author: Heinz Knocke

Publisher: Casemate Publishers

Published: 2012-03-19

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 1783030763

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“Reading like a novel, this primary source is a valuable look at the ‘other side’ of World War II aviation.”—Gazette665 Heinz Knoke was one of the outstanding German fighter pilots of World War II and this vivid first-hand record of his experiences has become a classic among aviation memoirs, a bestselling counterbalance to the numerous accounts written by Allied pilots. Knoke joined the Luftwaffe on the outbreak of war, and eventually became commanding officer of a fighter wing. An outstandingly brave and skillful fighter, he logged over two thousand flights, and shot down fifty-two enemy aircraft. He had flown over four hundred operational missions before being crippled by wounds in an astonishing ‘last stand’ towards the end of the war. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross for his achievements. In a text that reveals his intense patriotism and discipline, he describes being brought up in the strict Prussian tradition, the impact of the coming of the Nazi regime, and his own wartime career set against a fascinating study of everyday life in the Luftwaffe, and of the high morale of the force until its disintegration. In a postscript provided for this edition, Heinz Knoke writes of the struggle to survive after the war in Germany, and his building of a new life. Now that the Berlin Wall has been torn down, his memoirs are set in a new perspective, both a valuable contribution to aviation literature and a moving human story.

Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe 1939–42
Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe 1939–42

Author: Neil Page

Publisher: Casemate

Published: 2020-07-30

Total Pages: 128

ISBN-13: 1612008496

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A pictorial history of Hitler’s fighter pilots that “will be of great interest to aircraft modelers and aviation historians alike” (AMPS Indianapolis). Military and aviation history enthusiasts have always been interested in the fighter pilots of Hitler’s Luftwaffe. Around five hundred Luftwaffe fighter pilots were awarded the Knight’s Cross, accumulating huge numbers of missions flown. A similar number achieved more than forty victories—more than the two leading USAF and RAF fighter pilots. Indeed, some of their stories are extraordinary. Fighting from the Arctic Circle to the North African deserts, from the Caucasus in the East to Normandy in the West, the German fighter pilot flew and fought until he was shot down, “flown out,” wounded, or killed in action. A handful survived from “first to last.” This first volume of Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe traces the story of the Luftwaffe’s day fighter arm (der Tagjagd) from its inception to 1942. Organized campaign by campaign, this chronological account interweaves brief biographical details, newly translated personal accounts, and key moments in the careers of a host of notable and lesser-known Luftwaffe aces.

German Night Fighters Versus Bomber Command, 1943–1945
German Night Fighters Versus Bomber Command, 1943–1945

Author: Martin W. Bowman

Publisher: Pen and Sword

Published: 2016-06-19

Total Pages: 402

ISBN-13: 1473849802

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This new volume from Martin Bowman examines the closing years of the Second World War, as the tide turned against the German and Axis forces. It includes riveting first-hand accounts from German fighter pilots caught up in some of the most dramatic night time conflicts of the latter war years.Viewing Bomber Command's operations through the eyes of the enemy, the reader is offered a fresh and intriguing perspective. Set in context by Bowman's historical narrative, these snippets of pilot testimony work to offer an authentic sense of the times at hand.