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Aces of the Luftwaffe
Authors: Peter Jacobs
Publisher: Pen & Sword Military Books
This book is an examination of the campaigns fought by the Luftwaffe from the Spanish Civil War to the final days of the Reich. Complete with illustrations, it provides an overview of a very interesting aspect of military history.
The author is well qualified to write a book about military aviation, having spent a full career with the Royal Air Force. In this book he focuses on what he refers to as the “opposite end of the telescope” by offering the perspective of the ‘enemy’. Released in 2014, the book highlights the experiences of many German fighter pilots. Despite not containing any detailed biographical information about individuals, the book leaves the reader in no doubt as to the triumphs and tribulations of those who served between 1935 and 1945. In doing so, it is ideal anyone with a broad interest in the subject area.
Written across 181 pages, Jacobs offers a chronological telling of the Luftwaffe story;
including key sections on Blitzkrieg, North Africa and the final days of defence in the German Reich. Within each section, there is a good effort to include as much factual information as possible, including statistical information and written testimony. The Battle for Britain is a particularly worthy chapter within the book, as the drama of what unfolded in the skies over Europe is vividly explained in a manner that is both informative and harrowing.
The reader is left in no doubt about the individual and collective sacrifice of pilots on both sides of the war. Perhaps most interesting about the book however is the deliberate (and necessary) attempt to frame the story of the Luftwaffe within the wider narrative of World War Two. In doing so, the reader is able to better understand the prominent role of aviation within the conflict. This is particularly useful when many other books (not always intentionally) neglect the significance of the Luftwaffe in their telling of World War Two.
Also, at the end of the book, there is a very useful and somewhat interesting series of appendices. The information contained within this section includes details of pilots, areas of operation and medals awarded; a quite useful point of reference for anyone wishing to use the book as a starting point for potential research.
Overall, this book would be of particular interest for those looking to acquire an insight of World War Two that is different from the traditional allied perspective offered in so many contemporary histories. Although, this is not a ground-breaking piece of work by any means, it is an interesting and valid account, well worthy of reading.
The author is well qualified to write a book about military aviation, having spent a full career with the Royal Air Force. In this book he focuses on what he refers to as the “opposite end of the telescope” by offering the perspective of the ‘enemy’. Released in 2014, the book highlights the experiences of many German fighter pilots. Despite not containing any detailed biographical information about individuals, the book leaves the reader in no doubt as to the triumphs and tribulations of those who served between 1935 and 1945. In doing so, it is ideal anyone with a broad interest in the subject area.
Written across 181 pages, Jacobs offers a chronological telling of the Luftwaffe story;
including key sections on Blitzkrieg, North Africa and the final days of defence in the German Reich. Within each section, there is a good effort to include as much factual information as possible, including statistical information and written testimony. The Battle for Britain is a particularly worthy chapter within the book, as the drama of what unfolded in the skies over Europe is vividly explained in a manner that is both informative and harrowing.
The reader is left in no doubt about the individual and collective sacrifice of pilots on both sides of the war. Perhaps most interesting about the book however is the deliberate (and necessary) attempt to frame the story of the Luftwaffe within the wider narrative of World War Two. In doing so, the reader is able to better understand the prominent role of aviation within the conflict. This is particularly useful when many other books (not always intentionally) neglect the significance of the Luftwaffe in their telling of World War Two.
Also, at the end of the book, there is a very useful and somewhat interesting series of appendices. The information contained within this section includes details of pilots, areas of operation and medals awarded; a quite useful point of reference for anyone wishing to use the book as a starting point for potential research.
Overall, this book would be of particular interest for those looking to acquire an insight of World War Two that is different from the traditional allied perspective offered in so many contemporary histories. Although, this is not a ground-breaking piece of work by any means, it is an interesting and valid account, well worthy of reading.
Reviewed by Paul Hamilton
Follow Paul on Twitter @_PaulHamilton
Follow Paul on Twitter @_PaulHamilton