The second volume of this “excellent” overview of Germany’s World War II fighter pilots, filled with photos, maps, and aircraft profiles (Air Power History). This volume of Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe traces the story of the Luftwaffe’s day fighter arm from 1942 through to the end of the war in Europe, covering missions over Russia in 1943, over the West and the Reich, the Eastern Front and the Mediterranean. 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. Fully illustrated with 200 contemporary photographs, maps, and profiles of the aircraft flown by these aces, this is a visual delight for anyone with an interest in the day fighter aces of the Luftwaffe.

This book examines the reality behind the myths of the legendary German fighter aces of World War II. It explains why only a small minority of pilots - those in whom the desire for combat overrode everything - accounted for so large a proportion of the victories. It surveys the skills that a successful fighter pilot must have - a natural aptitude for flying, marksmanship, keen eyesight - and the way in which fighter tactics have developed. The book examines the history of the classic fighter aircraft that were flown, such as the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the Focke Wulf Fw 190, and examines each type's characteristics, advantages and disadvantages in combat. The accounts of the experiences of fighter pilots are based on archival research, diaries, letters, published and unpublished memoirs and personal interviews with veterans. The pilots included are Werner Molders, Gunther Rall, Adolf Galland, Erich Hartmann and Johannes Steinhoff.

An account of leading German WWII fighter pilots.

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.

World War II air war companion to Panzer Aces and Panzer Aces II In-the-cockpit accounts of aerial dogfights by some of Germany's deadliest pilots ever to take to the skies This exciting book tells the combat biographies of seven Luftwaffe aces: three day-fighter pilots, one night-fighter pilot, one close-support pilot, and two bomber pilots. This mix of well-known and less famous pilots includes Heinz Bär, who had 221 victories and was an ME 262 ace; Otto Kittel, the fourth-highest Luftwaffe ace with 267 kills; Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, a leading night-fighter ace with 121 kills; Wilhelm Batz, whose two-year combat career ended with 237 kills in the elite JG 52; Otto Weiss, a close-support pilot in the Hs 123 and Hs 129; Joachim Helbig, who flew the Ju 88 bomber over Malta; and Ludwig Havighorst, who served first with the infantry and then the Luftwaffe, where he flew fifty bombing missions over Stalingrad.

A fully illustrated account of the Day Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe from 1942 to 1945.

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.

A full account of the German airmen who achieved ace status by destroying Allied bombers. Viermot Aces' were pilots who shot down five or more USAAF and RAF bombers during the daylight Defence of the Reich missions from May 1942 through to VE Day. This book tells the complete story of the men and the planes that challenged the great bomber offensive. Flying a number of different aircraft including the Bf 110G, Me 210 and the Me 410, they fought their desperate battles against the numerous machine guns of B-17s and Lancasters. This book also covers the 'jet aces' that flew the Me 262 jet-powered interceptors in the closing days of the war to wage a desperate last-ditch fight against the endless Allied bomber fleets.

DIVDIVFor the first time, four German WWII pilots share their side of the story./divDIV/divDIVFew perspectives epitomize the sheer drama and sacrifice of combat more perfectly than those of the fighter pilots of World War II. As romanticized as any soldier in history, the WWII fighter pilot was viewed as larger than life: a dashing soul waging war amongst the clouds. In the sixty-five-plus years since the Allied victory, stories of these pilots’ heroics have never been in short supply. But what about their adversaries—the highly skilled German aviators who pushed the Allies to the very brink of defeat?/divDIV/divDIVOf all of the Luftwaffe’s fighter aces, the stories of Walter Krupinski, Adolf Galland, Eduard Neumann, and Wolfgang Falck shine particularly bright. In The German Aces Speak, for the first time in any book, these four prominent and influential Luftwaffe fighter pilots reminisce candidly about their service in World War II. Personally interviewed by author and military historian Colin Heaton, they bring the past to life as they tell their stories about the war, their battles, their lives, and, perhaps most importantly, how they felt about serving under the Nazi leadership of Hermann Göring and Adolf Hitler. From thrilling air battles to conflicts on the ground with their own commanders, the aces’ memories disclose a side of World War II that has gone largely unseen by the American public: the experience of the German pilot./div/div