An extensive history of the rise and fall of Nazi Germany’s air force. In his thoroughly researched study, John Killen examines German air power between 1914 and 1945, from the early days of flying when Immelmann, Boelke, Richtofen, and other First World War aces fought and died to give Germany air supremacy, to the nightmare existence of the Luftwaffe as the Third Reich plunged headlong to destruction. Here are the aircraft: the frail biplanes and triplanes of the Kaiser’s war; the great Lufthansa aircraft and airships of the turbulent Thirties; the monoplanes designed to help Hitler in his conquest of Europe. Here are the generals who forged the air weapon of the Luftwaffe: the swaggering Goering, the playboy Udet, the ebullient Kesselring, and the scapegoat Jeschonnek. Here, too, are the pilots who tried to keep faith with their Fatherland despite overwhelming odds: Adolf Galland, Werner Molders, Joachim Marseille, and Hanna Reitsch. Not least are the actions fought by the Luftwaffe from the Spanish Civil War to the Battle of Britain, through the bloody struggle for Crete, and the siege of Stalingrad to the fearful twilight over Berlin. “A good, readable account of the rise and fall of the Luftwaffe that covers all of the main fronts on which it fought, and examines the reasons for the eventual failure as well as providing a readable narrative.” —History of War

This photo-history of Schnellkampfgeschwader 210 and Zerstrergeschwader 1 Wespengeschwader in the years 1941-1944 shows for the first time in a single volume the many personalities, and the varied Messerschmitt and Junkers aircraft types flown by these units. Drawing photographic content from mainly private sources, this work fills a gap in the overall documented history of the Luftwaffe in World War II.

This stunning pictorial record of the German Air Force, from its establishment in the 1930s through service in World War II from 1939 to 1945, features a wealth of rare images complemented by dramatic and thoroughly researched text. 250 photos.

One of the most significant innovations in modern warfare has been the appearance and development of air power, a technology which demanded technical and financial investment on a whole new scale and which ultimately changed the fundamental nature of war itself. This book covers the history and development of the German air force from 1935 to 1945, with descriptions and illustrations of almost all of the Luftwaffe's airplanes, including fighters, jet fighters, dive-bombers, ground attackers, medium and heavy bombers, jet bombers, seaplanes, flying boats and carrier planes, transport and gliders, reconnaissance and training aircrafts, helicopters, and many futuristic projects and other rarities.

Definitive account of the last great Luftwaffe attack of World War II Gripping stories of Fw 190s and Bf 109s in combat Contains hundreds of eyewitness accounts and rare photos In the early morning of January 1, 1945, as the Battle of the Bulge smoldered to an end, the German Luftwaffe--assumed to be starved of fuel and fighting spirit--launched a massive, surprise, low-level strike on Allied airfields throughout France, Belgium, and Holland, an operation code-named Bodenplatte. More than 900 German aircraft took to the skies and attacked the vulnerable fields, destroying 200 Allied aircraft and damaging 150 more. In a pyrrhic victory, the Luftwaffe lost 271 fighters, with many more damaged, and 213 pilots--irreplaceable losses at this stage of the war.

-- Invaluable Luftwaffe reference book -- Fully revised and greatly extended from the original Luftwaffe Handbook 1939-1945 This is the reference book that anyone interested in World War II aviation should have on hand. This single volume presents a remarkable range of data, from the organization of the Luftwaffe High Command to details of unit identification markings on aircraft. Based on the Luftwaffe Handbook 1939-1945, long out of print, it has been fully revised and extended to almost double the original length by aviation historian Alfred Price. Lists of the strengths, serviceability states, and equipment of units at significant points throughout the war, as well as details of operational tactics of the different units are included.

A bold reimagining of the Luftwaffe’s successes during World War II At the outbreak of World War II the Luftwaffe was considered by many to be the world’s most powerful air force. Driven by the new strategy of blitzkrieg, or lightning war, it stormed across Europe in a very short time. Opposing air forces were swept aside as the Luftwaffe blasted a path for the panzers and protected their flanks as they raced for the sea. Flushed with victory, its formidable reputation apparently justified, the Luftwaffe regrouped in occupied Western Europe for a final showdown with its one remaining enemy—Britain. Supremely confident, the odds seemed to be on their side. But in the summer of 1940 they suffered a dramatic defeat during the Battle of Britain, and by May 1945 the Germans had surrendered to the Allies and the Third Reich collapsed. What went wrong? How could things have been different? What if Göring, the brilliant yet flawed Luftwaffe commander, had died prematurely in September 1940? What radical alterations in the pattern of command would have transpired? What if a Luftwaffe strategic bomber force had become a reality? In this engagingly written and thought-provoking addition to the world of alternate history, aviation enthusiast Mike Spick asks these very questions, envisaging an altogether different series of events that culminate in a dramatic new conclusion to the war. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

Luftwaffe Pictorial provides a fascinating pictorial study of the legendary German Airforce. There are over 500 photographs of aircraft and personnel from the early days in the mid-thirties to April 1945. Many of the photographs are from a private collections and are published here for the first time. There are dozens of intriguing first time wartime accounts of battles and strategy from the viewpoint of the Luftwaffe pilots.

This illustrated WWII history reveals the full range of experimental military aircraft that the Third Reich nearly flew into combat. From jet planes and high-altitude aircraft to radar-equipped fighters configured to deliver chemical weapons, numerous secret Luftwaffe planes reached prototype stage during the Second World War. Had these innovative aircraft made it into combat, the course of the war could have gone very differently. Renowned aviation expert Manfred Griehl explores these projects through an informative and fascinating selection of images, including numerous wartime photographs. Despite the Allied authorities' ban on research, countless aircraft were designed and tested by the Luftwaffe and German manufacturers before World War II. The research went ahead at secret evaluation sites in Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and the USSR. Though this work continued after the outbreak of war, many projects were never completed, often because the developers simply ran out of time. This definitive guide reveals the remarkable range of planes that the Third Reich failed to complete.

During World War II, aviation was among the largest industrial branches of the Third Reich. About 40 percent of total German war production, and two million people, were involved in the manufacture of aircraft and air force equipment. Based on German records, Allied intelligence reports, and eyewitness accounts, this study explores the military, political, scientific and social aspects of Germany's wartime aviation industry: production, research and development, Allied attacks, foreign workers and slave labor, and daily life and working conditions in the factories. Testimony from Holocaust survivors who worked in the factories provides a compelling new perspective on the history of the Third Reich.