Books

German Aircraft of the Second World War
British Naval Aircraft Since 1912 (Putnam Aviation Series)
The 100-Gun Ship Victory (Anatomy of the Ship)
Nelson to Vanguard: Warship Design and Development 1923-1945 (Chatham's Distinguished Design)
Nelson's Blood: The Story of Naval Rum (Bluejacket Books)
Shackleton's Forgotten Men: The Untold Tragedy of the Endurance Epic (Adrenaline Classics)
Scott, Shackleton, and Amundsen: Ambition and Tragedy in the Antarctic (Adrenaline Classics (Paperback))
Napoleon's Glance: The Secret of Strategy
Denial and Deception: An Insider's View of the CIA from Iran-Contra to 9/11
Tex Johnston: Jet-age Test Pilot
No Higher Honor: The U.S.S. Yorktown at the Battle of Midway
Jewish Women in Greco-Roman Palestine: By Tal Ilan
Guantanamo: The War on Human Rights
Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Charting the Future of Teaching the Past (Critical Perspectives on the Past S.)
Chronicles of the Age of Chivalry
The Twilight of the Intellectuals: Culture and Politics in the Era of the Cold War
British Chimney Sweeps: Five Centuries of Chimney Sweeping
A Short History of the World
The Philosophers' Secret Fire: A History of the Imagination
Forgotten Crimes: The Holocaust and People with Disabilities
The Politics of Hate: Anti-semitism, History, and the Holocaust in Modern Europe
A History of Zionism
Merchant Writers of the Italian Renaissance
Capital Dilemma: Germany's Search for a New Architecture of Democracy
The Lost Border: The Landscape of the Iron Curtain

The Last Flight of the Luftwaffe: The Fate of Schulungslehrgang Elbe, 7 April 1945

Average customer rating:

Get it in the UK
Unique but not thorough.
I was there, I rate it 4 stars.
A little-known episode of history typifies true courage.

The Last Flight of the Luftwaffe: The Fate of Schulungslehrgang Elbe, 7 April 1945
Adrian Weir
Manufacturer: Arms & Armour
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1854093002

Customer Reviews:

Get it in the UK.......2000-06-27

It's cool, if a little too "the throats of the mighty 1200 bhp engines broke the silence of the english countryside that had only heard the tweeting of small birds for the last 2000 years..." in places. An fantastic story of hopeless bravery and waste; maybe Hollywood would like to put a "Das Boot" spin on it...

ITS IN PRINT IN THE UK - TRY ORDERING FROM AMAZON.CO.UK

Unique but not thorough........2000-06-10

The only existing book referring to the highily secret suicidal Operation "Werewolf" mounted by the Luftwaffe on 7 April 1945. Almost overlooked by history until now and passed in silence even by the few surviving men who organized it or took part in it, the suicidal ramming operation comes at last to light by Adrian Weir in this fairly researched book. Contains every step of the operation from recruiting the 180 gallant volunteers who decided to give their lives in a last-attempt-strike against the U.S. bombers, to the very moment of the attack and the fate of the survivors. Still the book is somewhat biased, trying to favour the paranoic plan of his controvercial inspirator and decorated Luftwaffe officer, Oberst Hajo Herrmann. The author has done a very good job on the subject but misses several details of the operation that can be confirmed by other books such as the sick ambitions of Oberst Herrmann to preserve his name in history whatever the cost. Although among the 180 inexperienced young pilots fresh from the flying schools who took part in it were some decorated veterans, the author fails to give further valuable information about their previous record and feats, which could be easily obtained from other Luftwaffe sources. Still, as i said, it is the only existing book up to now on a hidden subject that even the survivors wouldn/t reveal its bitter details. A must for every Luftwaffe enthousiast.

I was there, I rate it 4 stars........1999-04-18

Overall it is a well-researched book. But the author bought into some tales that did not originate from reliable sources and were overly dramatized by others, possibly due to the "fog of war". For example, on page 141, he writes that aboard E-Z GOIN' the pilots controlled their altitude by shifting the crew between the nose and the tail. Whenever I am asked to confirm that long-standing tale,I reply, "Certainly it's true! And you should have seen me controlling traffic when another B-17 interrupted our first landing attempt and we had to 'go-around' in order to land safely." There are a few other disconnects but all war stories improve with age. I often say to people, "Give me a few more years and I'll have you believing I was Charles Lindbergh."

A little-known episode of history typifies true courage........1999-01-28

This scholarly and well-researched account of the last ditch effort by a band of Luftwaffe pilots to ram American bombers from the skies is fascinating. What strikes this reader most is how the motivation of these pilots dispels so many of the myths that German pilots were motivated by a fanatical allegiance to their Fuhrer. On the contrary, these courageous men flew for the same reasons allied pilots flew -- to save their homeland and families. In fact, they exhibited more courage than some of the American fighter pilots who shot several bailed Schulungslehrgang Elbe pilots as they were helplessly dangling from their parachutes! The sacrifice and courage of these Luftwaffe pilots against all odds is human drama more visceral than any fiction could hope to depict.

The Luftwaffe Album: Fighters and Bombers of the German Air Force 1933-1945

Average customer rating:

A book of mixed quality
Good Source of Information on Luftwaffe
The Luftwaffe Album

The Luftwaffe Album: Fighters and Bombers of the German Air Force 1933-1945
Joachim Dressel , and Manfred Griehl
Manufacturer: Arms & Armour Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

An unprecedented photo collection - over 600 photos in one volume Photos drawn from personal archives as well as national and international collections Ideal for modellers looking to source close-up detail Commentary on the design and deployment of each aircraft type

Customer Reviews:

A book of mixed quality.......2001-09-22

This is a book that will be great if you allready have another book about the Luftwaffe to complement it. While it has Pictures and short descriptions of every aircraft in the Luftwaffe except a few very early types that are grouped under their own chapter.

This book isn't really as exact as I expected if contains no tech sheet on any aircraft describing it's performance. The text can be very frustrating at times when is say the next model has a greater bomb load but don't tell how big that bombload is.

However the vast number of aircraft described in it makes up for some of that and although it's 2 books bolted together as one (1 about Fighters and 1 about Bombers) it has a nice weight in your hands and looks very nice in the bookshelf.

Good Source of Information on Luftwaffe.......2000-07-14

This book starts with describing how the Luftwaffe was founded back in the 1920s and includes all the aircraft used from the beginning to the end. A very comprehensive account of the relatively short life span of the Luftwaffe.

The aircrafts were divided into 6 groups - single engine fighters, twin engine fighters, high-altitude fighters, night fighters, jet aircraft and rocket aircraft. It contains a large collection of rare Luftwaffe aircraft photographs some of which were never put to production.

This is a good book on the Luftwaffe and should satisfy a lot of Luftwaffe and military historians.

If this book can come with colour-plates of the aircraft like those from the Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces series, then I will give it full mark. However, it is still worthwhile to get one.

The Luftwaffe Album.......1999-10-27

I found this book to be quite helpful for studying the types of aircraft flown by the Luftwaffe during World War Two. However, it lacked information on the pilots. Altogether, I would say it's a great book and worth the money.

The Messerschmitt Bf110: Over All Fronts 1939-1945

Average customer rating:

The Messerschmitt Bf110: Over All Fronts 1939-1945
Holger Nauroth , and Werner Held
Manufacturer: Schiffer Aviation History
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Over 6000 made for a variety of uses including assault and night-fighter., 7 3/4" x 10 1/2"

Flak: German Anti-Aircraft Defenses, 1914-1945 (Modern War Studies)

Average customer rating:

Top notch- not for everyone
German flak defence review
The definitive study!

Flak: German Anti-Aircraft Defenses, 1914-1945 (Modern War Studies)
Edward B. Westermann
Manufacturer: University Press of Kansas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Why Air Forces Fail: The Anatomy of Defeat
Red Storm over the Balkans: The Failed Soviet Invasion of Romania, Spring 1944 (Modern War Studies)
Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway
In the Skies of Europe: Air Forces Allied to the Luftwaffe 1939-1945
The German Way of War: From the Thirty Years' War to the Third Reich (Modern War Studies)

ASIN: 0700611363

Book Description

Air raid sirens wail, searchlight beams flash across the sky, and the night is aflame with tracer fire and aerial explosions, as Allied bombers and German anti-aircraft units duel in the thundering darkness. Such "cinematic" scenes, played out with increasing frequency as World War II ground to a close, were more than mere stock material for movie melodramas. As Edward Westermann reveals, they point to a key but largely unappreciated aspect of the German war effort that has yet to get its full due.

Long the neglected stepchild in studies of World War II air campaigns, German flak or anti-aircraft units have been frequently dismissed by American, British, and German historians (and by veterans of the European air war) as ineffective weapons that wasted valuable matériel and personnel resources desperately needed elsewhere by the Third Reich. Westermann emphatically disagrees with that view and makes a convincing case for the significant contributions made by the entire range of German anti-aircraft defenses.

During the Allied air campaigns against the Third Reich, well over a million tons of bombs were dropped upon the German homeland, killing nearly 300,000 civilians, wounding another 780,000, and destroying more than 3,500,000 industrial and residential structures. Not surprisingly, that aerial Armageddon has inspired countless studies of both the victorious Allied bombing offensive and the ultimately doomed Luftwaffe defense of its own skies. By contrast, flak units have virtually been ignored, despite the fact that they employed more than a million men and women, were responsible for more than half of all Allied aircraft losses, forced Allied bombers to fly far above high-accuracy altitudes, and thus allowed Germany to hold out far longer than it might have otherwise.

Westermann's definitive study sheds new light on every facet of the development and organization of this vital defense arm, including its artillery, radar, searchlight, barrage balloon, decoy sites, and command components. Highlighting the convergence of technology, strategy, doctrine, politics, and economics, Flak also provides revealing insights into German strategic thought, Hitler's obsession with micromanaging the war, and the lives of the members of the flak units themselves, including the large number of women, factory workers, and even POWs who participated.

This book is part of the Modern War Studies series.

Customer Reviews:

Top notch- not for everyone.......2006-11-16

Westermann is a professor at the School for Air & Space Studies in Montgomery, Alabama, and is another of the Showalter-style of disciples. This book is very specialized, and thus not for the average WWII buff. However, if you have any interest in the subject this is great military history, touching upon social, economic & political aspects of air defense as well as standard military history stuff. It necessarily has some discussion of fighter defense as well as flak, and that discussion is well-handled and interesting enough to make me think the author should have gone on to write a companion book on the air/fighter defense aspect.

German flak defence review.......2006-03-24

Good scholarly review of the subject. Goes into the politics, economics, and effectiveness of the German flak defences. The author's case for the effectiveness of the flak arm is very persuasive. Would have been nice to have had more personal recollections of ex-flak gunners.

The definitive study!.......2005-03-05

FLAK: German Anti-Aircraft Defenses, 1914-1945 by Edward Westermann is the definitive study of Germany's ground-based air defenses. This meticulously researched book takes the reader from the early days of air defense and traces the development of ground-based air defense from its vestigial theoretical roots in WW1 through the learning days of the war in Spain and culminates with a thorough analysis of the effectiveness of ground-based versus fighter air defenses.

Westermann masterfully weaves all aspects of the development of the 88 with the other less-well-known and understood defenses used by Germany such as smoke screens and decoy sites, the high-level of damage to bombers from Flak that increased fighter kills as they pounced on stragglers, the decrease in accuracy from bombers trying to evade Flak, the coordination with night-fighters (the Wild Boars), as well as the development of improved targeting devices such as radar.

Westermann shows that in the early days of the war and indeed into 1942, the Flak arm of the Luftwaffe was taking a heavy toll on Allied bombers. He discusses the evolution of bomber strategy in dealing with the Flak, as well as decisions made by the Luftwaffe that would lead to a decrease in Flak kill averages and a precipitous drop in the effectiveness of all ground-based air defenses from 1943 on due to material shortages, bomber technology, allied countermeasures, and less skilled Flak crews such as women and children replacing trained units.

The book is a dense study filled with graphs and charts that help show the effectiveness of Flak versus fighters (and indeed shows that both were most effective when used in tandem), yet it is an easy read that is very logically laid-out.

For myself this book was an eye-opener. My grandfather was in Flak from 1938-1945. He began as a range-finder (Entfernungsmesser) operator on 88s preparing for sea-lion, and later became a radar operator. This probably saved his life. As more and more Flak men were pulled into line units to fight on the ground in Russia and elsewhere, the skilled radar operators stayed on the Western Front to monitor the daily fleets of aircraft flying to Germany and they provided what little early-warning the Luftwaffe would have until everything collapsed. It gave me a better understanding of my grandfather's service as well as an appreciation for what Westermann terms the world's most advanced air-defense network at the time.

Average customer rating:

Luftwaffe in Focus
The Personal Story of a Kanaljager

Spitfire on my Tail
Ulrich Steinhilper
Manufacturer: Crecy Publishing Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Sniper on the Eastern Front: The Memoirs of Sepp Allerberger, Knight's Cross

ASIN: 1872836003

Book Description

Ulrich describes his 150 grueling missions as a fighter pilot par excellence, until being shot down and captured over England in October 1940.

Customer Reviews:

Luftwaffe in Focus.......2004-10-22

This is an excellent account from a German fighter pilot (Ulrich Steinhilper) who was shot down and taken prisoner in the Battle of Britain. The book not only shows what it was like to train, serve and fight in the Luftwaffe, but also gives an insight into Nazi Germany. Steinhilper takes us back to his childhood and family where his parents were labelled social climbers and were subsequently discriminated againsnt by jealous members of the community. Steinhilper then takes us through his acceptance and training in the luftwaffe, including an encounter with SS bullies and training for the Nurnberg rally where the new fledgling Luftwaffe was keen to out do the army. The book also shows how ill prepared the Luftwaffe was in the Czechoslvakia crisis, but how Hitlers bluff worked.

The book gives a subjective insight into some big names within the Luftwaffe like Galland and Wick. Steinhilper had a strained relationship with Galland where Galland and his Spanish Civil War vetrans (referred to as 'Spainards'in the book) were set in their ways and were againsnt radio communication in fighters. Steinhilper could see the benefit of radio communication in fighters and tried to develop its use and acceptance. Tragically for the Luftwaffe, its potential was not fully developed and fighters were not able to directly communicate with bombers or Air Sea Rescue. This was yet another reason for the result of the Battle of Britain.

Steinhilper talks about his experiences during the Battle of Britain, his missions, victories and also incorporates copies of his letters sent home. What becomes apparent is how the Luftwaffe slowly became demoralised and tired because of the dwindling numbers within their ranks, fatique and channel disease. As the book states 'there is no doubt in Ulrich's mind that the RAF broke the back and spirit of the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain'. This is an essential read for anyone with an interest in the Luftwaffe or Battle of Britain.

The Personal Story of a Kanaljager.......1998-12-04

Steinhilper was one of the pre-war trained cadre of Luftwaffe officers, an elite officer corps within the Wehrmacht. Through his first book he takes us through his trials and tribulations. From childhood to eventually becoming an officer of the Luftwaffe. His case for the radio in fighters is of course very strong and the controversy remains as to who did or did not impede its developement. His criticism of the "Spaniards" is also very telling, and judging from his personal experiences with them he does have some points of complaint. However, it seems hard at times to see that so many of the Spaniards would behave in such a way. Steinhilper's relationship with Galland illustrates this story. One is however tempted to think that had Steinhilper been the protege of Werner "Daddy" Moelders, things might have been different. Moelders was one of the Luftwaffe's most gifted officers. A tactican of the highest order( The "Oswald Boelcke" of the Second World War), a record holding pilot ( highest scorer of the Condor Legion, 14 kills, and the first pilot to have 100 confirmed victories) But above all, a teacher, who, less concerned with personal victories, was more concerned about teaching young pilots to survive in the air. He was the youngest general of the luftwaffe, upon Udet's death. But, that is a 'might have been', nevertheless, Steinhilper survived all and became one of the kanaljager. His descriptions of war in all its tragedies and disasters is very telling. The loss of comrades as the days went by and the frustation with indecision in the high command. And eventually his own crash in England. An excellent autobiography.

Hitler's Squadron: The Fuehrer's Personal Aircraft & Transportation Unit, 1933-1945

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Hitler's Squadron: The Fuehrer's Personal Aircraft & Transportation Unit, 1933-1945
C. G. Sweeting
Manufacturer: Brassey's Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Hitler's Secret Headquarters: The Fuhrer's Wartime Bases from the Invasion of France to the Berlin Bunker

ASIN: 1574882872

Book Description

 Details the aircraft and missions of Adolf Hitler's personal aircraft transportation squadron  An unparalleled reference guide to some of the legendary aircraft of the era, including the Junkers Ju 52/3m, the Focke-Wulf FW 200 Condor, and the Junkers Ju 290

 Contains rare photographs of Hitler's personal planes and of life inside the inner circle of the Third Reich

Adolf Hitler was the first head of state to have his own personal pilot and airplane. His interest in aviation as a propaganda weapon as well as transportation led him to order the establishment of a special air squadron, the Fliegerstaffel des Fuehrers. To command this unique unit, he chose Hans Bauer, veteran World War I combat ace and pioneering airline pilot. During the 1930's and World War II, the Fuehrer's own pilot and special aircraft flew the famous and the infamous. Baur flew Hitler, his inner circle, and visiting dignitaries throughout Europe, to Hitler's secret headquarters and to the far-flung battlefields of the Eastern Front.

HITLER'S SQUADRON provides an in-depth look at the Fuehrer's custom-built airplanes. The aircraft used in the Squadron were the Junkers Ju 52/53m, D-2600; the Focke-Wulf FW 200 Condor; and the Junkers Ju 290, a true "flying fortress." Sweeting also discusses the remarkable wartime history of these types of aircraft,, beyond their service in Hitler's squadron, including their full combat role. Other unique topics include an explanation of the complex German numbering systems and designations, German civilian and military pilot licensing, a secret wartime plan to link Germany and Japan by a secure air corridor, and fascinating facts about Hitler's hidden wartime headquarters behind the front of Russia.

Luftwaffe X-Planes: German Experimental and Prototype Planes of World War II

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Luftwaffe X-Planes: German Experimental and Prototype Planes of World War II
Manfred Griehl
Manufacturer: Greenhill Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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HITLER'S MIRACLE WEAPONS: The Secret history of the Rockets and Flying Crafts of the Third Reich Volume 2 - From the V-1 to the A-9; Unconventional short- ... weapons (Hitler's Miracle Weapons)
Germany's Secret Weapons in World War II
Soviet Secret Projects Bombers Since 1945 (Secret Projects)
Hitler's Flying Saucers: A Guide to German Flying Discs of the Second World War
Jet Planes of the Third Reich: The Secret Projects - Volume 1

ASIN: 1853675776

Book Description

Renowned German aviation specialist Manfred Griehl has collected a unique and valuable selection of photographs of Luftwaffe projects that never made it into battle. They remained on the drawing board or at prototype stage because either they were deemed unsuitable or, as is the case with most of those in this selection, the developers simply ran out of time and the projects never went into production. This fascinating insight into the aviation science of the Third Reich includes rare photographs of Germany?s secret planes.

Average customer rating:

top-notch research, but it ain't poetry
Great book that provides valuable insights
The "official" history
good book
A FIRST CLASS TREATMENT OF JAGDGESCHWADER 26

Jg 26: Top Guns of the Luftwaffe
Donald L. Caldwell
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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JG26 WAR DIARY VOLUME ONE: 1939-1942 (JG 26 War Diary, 1939-1942)
Luftwaffe Aces: German Combat Pilots of World War II (Stackpole Military History Series)
The Luftwaffe War Diaries: The German Air Force in World War II
Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstorer Aces of World War 2 (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces No 25)
Bf 109 Defence of the Reich Aces (Aircraft of the Aces)

ASIN: 0517570394
Release Date: 1991-11-12

Book Description

This is the story of the JG 26 pilots, or "Abbeville Kids." A microcosm of World War II exists in the rise and fall of this famous fighter wing--whose slashing attacks always seemed to come from the best position--from its founding during Hitler's military buildup, through its glory days in the first years of the war--when its bases in northen France were to be avoided at all costs--right up to the grim, final hours of the Third Reich.

From the Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

top-notch research, but it ain't poetry.......2006-08-17

there is a big emphasis on statistics and historical documentation. there are, however, some superb personal narratives welded into the text. like others I DO wish there had been more. this is one of the best historical accounts of a fighter squadron ever written. not great for beginners, but for any serious enthusiast of the Luftwaffe I'd say this is a required reading.

Great book that provides valuable insights.......2006-07-03

into the best German fighter group in WWII. Sometimes I wished there was more focus on the stories form the pilots instead of just summaries and the book seems to lose energy toward the end. Still, the descriptions of operations and especially the sections taken from pilots memoirs are great.

The "official" history.......2006-05-30

This book is truly great. JG26 is done, now we can only hope and wait for similar works about the other JGs

good book.......2003-07-26

This book was a very interesting book. I enjoyed reading it. The author went into extensive detail describing the organization of a luftwaffe fighter unit. If you enjoyed this book the author published a pictorial history of this unit, I would recommend it.

A FIRST CLASS TREATMENT OF JAGDGESCHWADER 26.......2003-06-18

I echo the sentiments of all the other reviewers in lauding this book. This is AN ABSOLUTE GEM for anyone with an interest in World War II aerial combat. Comprehensive, well-researched, and highly readable, "JG 26: Top Guns of the Luftwaffe" should be considered as the standard work about one of the premiere German fighter units that saw combat almost exclusively in Europe between 1939 and 1945.

Last Talons of the Eagle: Secret Nazi Technology Which Could Have Changed the Course of World War II

Average customer rating:

Not worth the paper it is printed on
Last Talons of the Eagle
An education
Such an Interesting Book

Last Talons of the Eagle: Secret Nazi Technology Which Could Have Changed the Course of World War II
Gary Hyland , and Anton Gill
Manufacturer: Trafalgar Square Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

Much has been written about the doodlebugs, V2 rockets, and other advanced technologies that the Nazis used to terrorize Europe during World War II. But there is a less well-known story: under the barrage of Allied bombing, German scientists were secretly devising plans for an incredible battery of weapons that had the potential to drastically affect the outcome of the war. There were designs for a hypersonic space plane-a manned V1 flying bomb from which the hapless pilot would eject moments after aiming his craft at an Allied target-and plans for aircraft that consisted only of wings. There were dozens of other prototypes that were technologically way ahead of their time-against which the Allies would have been helpless. Exhaustively researched and grippingly written, Last Talons of the Eagle shows how history might well have been very different had these craft ever flown.

Customer Reviews:

Not worth the paper it is printed on.......2003-10-09

I cannot believe I paid money for this book. There book is filled with factual errors and misrepresentations. I will not be so bold as to call them outright lies, but the information is wrong. I finished it just to see if it got better but it didn't. The book perpetuates myths left over from the war and more that have been fabricated since. There are no notes to check the authors' reputed "sources," the research is shoddy, and the text is laughable. This should be in the section under histical fiction - not history. As a historian I would suggest that the authors stick to sculpture and theatre (see bios)! I was very dissapointed with this book but not surprised at the content from two amateurs.

Last Talons of the Eagle.......2002-07-26

This is a great book for anyone with an interest in WW2 German technology.Europe would have been a much different place if the Nazi leadership had decided not to interfere with research and development of the German Luftwaffe. I would recommend this book as a starting point for research,or an introduction to collecting books on this subject.It is by no means exhaustive in it's coverage of German technology,but it is nonetheless a very interesting and surprising read.I gave this book three stars for the content alone, and if I have any critisism it was that it should have covered a greater range of subjects ie.Panther tanks fitted with night vision etc.,and more photos and drawings.This is a book that deserved a A4 size hardbound format but I gave a extra star for it's presentation.

An education.......2001-06-25

A well written and researched book.Packed with facts and astonishing information on Germany's, ahead of their time aircraft, and the beurocracy that surrounded them. This book certainly proves that necessity is the mother of invention. What would have happened had the German efforts come to fruition? We can perhaps only ever have an incling on how close they were to success. Heartily recomended!

Such an Interesting Book.......2000-06-17

Wow. Reading this makes me ponder the lost opportunities the Nazi's had, and thankfully squandered.

Lots of great information and photographs in the book. I suggest this to anyone interested in WWII aviation, aviation history or German air power.

A very interesting aspect to this book is that our current (I write this on June 16, 2000) stealth capabilities were all tested german aircraft 60 years ago!

Like I said, happily, they lost.

German Jet Engine and Gas Turbine Development, 1930-45

Average customer rating:

Fantastic!

German Jet Engine and Gas Turbine Development, 1930-45
Antony L. Kay
Manufacturer: Crowood
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Frank Whittle: Invention of the Jet (Revolutions in Science)
Genesis: Frank Whittle and the Invention of the Jet Engine

ASIN: 184037294X

Book Description

Developmental history of German jet engine including original design plans, photographs of prototypes, technical diagrams and graphs. It begins with the theoretical work of early designers but concentrates on turbojet, turboprop, ducted fan and hybrid types of engines and their applications in aircraft. Also included are pure gas turbine design used in tanks, military land vehicles and naval vessels.

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic!.......2006-02-15

The title is an understatement, Kay covers every single development in this area in Germany, even oddball designs I'd never heard of. I've seen books with encyclopedic lists of engines, I've seen books with oodles of details on a single design, but I've never seen a book that has BOTH. And even those encyclopedic ones don't cover some of the engines he has in here.

I can't recommend it enough -- if you're interested in the history of jet power, just buy it, you won't be disappointed.

Now, I wonder if I can convince him to publish a follow-up volume on British engines?

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