The Rise and Fall of The German Air Force 1933-45

This facsimile reprint of an official, formerly restricted publication relates the operational history of the Luftwaffe during the Second World War, in addition to its origins and build-up during the Nazi period of the 1930s. Based on German documents and statistics, either captured during the war or subsequently recovered from the scattered archives of the Luftwaffe, it provides a clear and concise narrative:


The reconstruction of the German Air Force—secret beginnings, Hitler's influence, the Spanish Civil War, and the prelude to World War.
The German Air Force on the eve of European War—strength, equipment, production, manpower, organization, and combat doctrines.
The first flush of tactical success—from Warsaw to France.
The first failure—Britain and the Atlantic.
Hitler's Continental policy—the invasion of the Balkans, the Crete landings and the German Air Force in Italy.
The Mediterranean Campaigns, 19411942—Malta, the Western Desert and the Tunisian campaign.
The Russian Campaign—the First Phase, lune 1941-December 1942.
The Holding Campaign in the West, 1941-43—air defence against night bombing and air operations over Great Britain.
The German Air Force at the end of 1942 —diminished resources, production, manpower and supply problems, yet a growing burden of operational commitments.
The Russian Campaign in 1943-44—recovery after Stalingrad, the last of the Blitzkrieg and the Luftwaffe's failure in Russia.
The Mediterranean Campaign 1943-1944 —Sicily and the Allied invasions of Italy.
The Defence of the Reich, 1943-44—the Allied day and night bombing offensives and the night-fighter war.
The German Air Force on the eve of the second front, January-June 1944—the Allied attack on the German aircraft industry, jet aircraft and preparations to meet the Anglo-American invasion.
The Invasion and the flying bombs.
The crippling of the Luftwaffe— fuel resources and the desperate defence of the German oil industry.
The Eastern Front—the Russian advance into Poland.
The final defence of Germany.





Published by Arms and Armour Press 1983 1st edition. 425pp illustrated with photos and maps, 16x25 very good including d/j.

(Reprinted from the official Air Ministry operational history published in 1948, this was also published by the Public Record Office in 2000)








Note:
"Long" descriptions, where shown, may have been taken from the book's dust jacket notes, and as such are relevant to the date of publication (e.g. any references to "new edition" "previously unpublished photographs" etc.) and not the present.

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