Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe

The most successful fighter pilots of all time spring to vibrant life again in this revised and updated edition of the classic account of Germany's greatest aces in action. Ride into combat with such Luftwaffe luminaries as ace of aces Erich Hartmann, Gunther Rall, Gerhard Barkhorn and dozens of others as they provide first-hand accounts of the German fighter arm's epic battle for the skies over Europe, Africa, and Russia. Accurate pen portraits illuminate outstanding fighter leaders and tutor like Werner Molders, Adolf Galland, "Macky" Steinhoff and many more, who invested the Luftwaffe Fighter Arm with its characteristic spirit and vigor. Legendary air heros like Marseille, and mercurial "Star of Africa", are shown in hundreds of photos from German collections. Personal combat accounts appear against the backdrop of Reichsmarschall Hermann Goring, who undermined his own pilots. From early aerial ascendancy, followed by its triumphant assault on the Red Air Force, the Luftwaffe Fighter Arm was inexorably crushed by overwhelming Allied air power. Unquenchable courage, devotion to the defense of their country's civilians, and unmatched combat skills were of no avail. The great aces, even in Germany's revolutionary Me 262 jet fighter, could not win, yet they fought to the final hour in an unforgettable combat saga. All of it is here, exactly as it was lived by the German aces. This book is considered by surviving Luftwaffe aces to be their monument. Also included are data lists covering all known Luftwaffe aces, night fighter aces, jet aces, and tops & firsts.