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Eagle Days: Life and Death for the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain
By the summer of 1940, Great Britain watched as France succumbed to the might of Adolf Hitler's forces. Her forces driven off the continent, many rescued from capture at Dunkirk, only the Royal Air Force, supported by the country's newly established radar system, now stood in the way of the country being invaded. Herman Goering had promised his Fuhrer his air force would sweep the British skies of all opposition to allow Operation Sea Lion, the invasion of southern England, to commence. The intense aerial combat over the coming months across the English Channel and the countryside of southeast England would not reflect the optimism of Nazi propaganda.
Researching and blending a diverse range of primary sources together (Luftwaffe air crews' personal letters and diaries), with official combat reports, and contemporary German newspapers, Victoria Taylor weaves a rich, multifaceted tapestry of the military, political, social and cultural influences that shaped the German air force's mentality and morale during the Battle of Britain.
Eagle Days transforms the Luftwaffe's historical role during the RAF's 'Finest Hour' from a cartoonish antagonist to a multidimensional, flawed-yet-formidable opponent. The narrative contains not just the voices of the air crews who conducted the fighting, but uniquely never-before-translated primary source material of other contemporary eyewitnesses, (Luftwaffe's paratroopers, anti-aircraft gunners and air signalmen). Eagle Days will offer all fans of this period a refreshing, comprehensive and exciting new account of the Luftwaffe's real experiences during the Battle of Britain.
Researching and blending a diverse range of primary sources together (Luftwaffe air crews' personal letters and diaries), with official combat reports, and contemporary German newspapers, Victoria Taylor weaves a rich, multifaceted tapestry of the military, political, social and cultural influences that shaped the German air force's mentality and morale during the Battle of Britain.
Eagle Days transforms the Luftwaffe's historical role during the RAF's 'Finest Hour' from a cartoonish antagonist to a multidimensional, flawed-yet-formidable opponent. The narrative contains not just the voices of the air crews who conducted the fighting, but uniquely never-before-translated primary source material of other contemporary eyewitnesses, (Luftwaffe's paratroopers, anti-aircraft gunners and air signalmen). Eagle Days will offer all fans of this period a refreshing, comprehensive and exciting new account of the Luftwaffe's real experiences during the Battle of Britain.
432 pages, Hardcover
Published July 29, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 24, 2025
This Kindle edition was graciously provided by NetGalley. Victoria Taylor's book; "Eagle Days: Life and Death for the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain" offers an interesting look at the fabled Battle of Britain from the German perspective. This in not just another account of the air battle as seen from the pilots of the opposing forces flying in their bombers and fighters but a new and engaging story of the battle as experienced by members of the Luftwaffe.
'Luftschlacht um England' (Air battle for England) is told from the Luftwaffe air crews' personal letters and diaries, official combat reports, and contemporary German newspapers along with other various sources. The book offers a number of first-hand accounts from the German pilots, both fighter and bombers, but also from members of the ground staff, flak crews and other areas of the Wehrmacht.
The author also analyses what this battle and the aftermath meant to the German forces and covers a range of subjects including Luftwaffe war atrocities - Nazi human experimentation including medical experiments on prisoners to cover a range of areas of particular interest to German aircrews (altitude sickness, hyperthermia, etc).
Another interesting subject discussed by the author was the making of the 1969 blockbuster movie; The Battle of Britain, and how ex-Luftwaffe crews and RAF pilots assisted in the technical aspects. Also mentioned was how issues arose over the topic of alleged machinegunning of parachuting RAF pilots and RAF shooting down German Red Cross seaplanes over the Channel. In the end these divisive matters were left out of the movie.
The author covers the idea that grew out of this battle of the 'Knights of the air' and chivalry of the opposing combatants along with various other topics including the early RAF bomber offensive against Germany the subsequent German Blitz against London.
All in all this book is a very decent and engrossing account of the Luftwaffe's campaign against Britian during 1940-41, and it was interesting to read of this famed battle from the other side. I am sure anyone who enjoys military or aviation history will enjoy this book.
'Luftschlacht um England' (Air battle for England) is told from the Luftwaffe air crews' personal letters and diaries, official combat reports, and contemporary German newspapers along with other various sources. The book offers a number of first-hand accounts from the German pilots, both fighter and bombers, but also from members of the ground staff, flak crews and other areas of the Wehrmacht.
The author also analyses what this battle and the aftermath meant to the German forces and covers a range of subjects including Luftwaffe war atrocities - Nazi human experimentation including medical experiments on prisoners to cover a range of areas of particular interest to German aircrews (altitude sickness, hyperthermia, etc).
Another interesting subject discussed by the author was the making of the 1969 blockbuster movie; The Battle of Britain, and how ex-Luftwaffe crews and RAF pilots assisted in the technical aspects. Also mentioned was how issues arose over the topic of alleged machinegunning of parachuting RAF pilots and RAF shooting down German Red Cross seaplanes over the Channel. In the end these divisive matters were left out of the movie.
The author covers the idea that grew out of this battle of the 'Knights of the air' and chivalry of the opposing combatants along with various other topics including the early RAF bomber offensive against Germany the subsequent German Blitz against London.
All in all this book is a very decent and engrossing account of the Luftwaffe's campaign against Britian during 1940-41, and it was interesting to read of this famed battle from the other side. I am sure anyone who enjoys military or aviation history will enjoy this book.
June 8, 2025
A fresh perspective on the Battle of Britain is hard to find, but Eagle Days manages to find a new angle. The author is a young historian who made her PhD work on the political and ideological outlook of the German Luftwaffe. This gave her an excellent starting position to study the Battle of Britain and the later “Blitz” from a neglected perspective: The perceptions and morale of the Germans, military and civilian, throughout this period. It is interesting as well as an enjoyable read.
Naturally, the thoughts of the Germans, as expressed in letters, diaries, newspaper articles and official reports, were diverse, and we are given a kaleidoscopic overview, full of long quotes from these sources. Most Luftwaffe aircrew were young men, which implied that they had been teenagers when Hitler came to power and had been exposed to years of Nazi propaganda and indoctrination. Many of them were also given a lot of confidence in their own strength by their participation in the highly successful campaigns in Poland, Scandinavia and France, an important background which the author summarises. This study also reveals that the Luftwaffe began their assault on Britain with a lot of men who were already stressed and exhausted. As the battle progressed, psychological problems increased, including an increasing suicide rate. Fortunately for these men, Luftwaffe medical services tried to provide good care to victims of combat stress disorders.
Taylor expands her study beyond the aircrew fighting in the battle itself, to the experiences of German civilians and air defence personnel, and the trainees at flying schools. These are largely what you would expect — there are no big surprises there, and the German public was initially confident of victory. Early RAF bombing of German cities, inaccurate as it was, did undermine confidence in the German leadership. (Later on, as Overy documented, the Nazis would use their monopoly on emergency services and assistance to victims to reinforce the dependency of the population on the regime.)
The author tries to assess the importance of the battle, using both a post-war perspective and a contemporary German perspective. She shows that in 1941, German propaganda largely succeeded in obfuscating the defeat. The Luftwaffe had suffered significant attrition — and recovery was slow, also because the Army had first call on industrial capacity during the preparations for the attack on the USSR. Nevertheless the German public came to see it as a disappointment more than a defeat. (That the RAF’s first attempts to exploit its improved position were tactically and strategically misguided must have helped to soothe any concerns.) Only later, when the Reich came under increasingly heavy air attack, did the German leadership have much reason to regret its failure in 1941.
There are a few glitches, such as misspellings of names, or errors in technical details. They don’t detract from the substance of the book. I am a bit dubious about Taylor’s tendency to portray Göring, who she clearly despises, as a buffoon. For sure the man had plenty of ridiculous sides, and he proved to be an incompetent leader of the Luftwaffe, but this has too often been allowed to overshadow the complicity of the second man of the Nazi regime in its crimes. Stylistically, the author’s use of emotive language can veer towards purple prose, though there is some good wordplay in here too.
In her concluding chapters, Taylor explores how the memory of the battle was shaped. It is a memory full of contradictions, as often personal respect and friendship between former enemies have pushed to the back the harsh realities of the political and ideological conflict. The Luftwaffe was largely the creation of the Nazi “Third Reich” (a small illicit air arm already existed during the Weimar Republic) and many of its veterans went to suspicious lengths to cleanse their biographies of any mention of its ideology. The conclusion offered by Taylor is that we should try to have it both ways, and benefit from the reconciliation between former enemies without forgetting the crimes in which the Luftwaffe was complicit. If this is tricky and contradictory, it nevertheless reflects the realpolitik that allowed men like Kammhuber and Steinhoff to continue their careers after the war.
Naturally, the thoughts of the Germans, as expressed in letters, diaries, newspaper articles and official reports, were diverse, and we are given a kaleidoscopic overview, full of long quotes from these sources. Most Luftwaffe aircrew were young men, which implied that they had been teenagers when Hitler came to power and had been exposed to years of Nazi propaganda and indoctrination. Many of them were also given a lot of confidence in their own strength by their participation in the highly successful campaigns in Poland, Scandinavia and France, an important background which the author summarises. This study also reveals that the Luftwaffe began their assault on Britain with a lot of men who were already stressed and exhausted. As the battle progressed, psychological problems increased, including an increasing suicide rate. Fortunately for these men, Luftwaffe medical services tried to provide good care to victims of combat stress disorders.
Taylor expands her study beyond the aircrew fighting in the battle itself, to the experiences of German civilians and air defence personnel, and the trainees at flying schools. These are largely what you would expect — there are no big surprises there, and the German public was initially confident of victory. Early RAF bombing of German cities, inaccurate as it was, did undermine confidence in the German leadership. (Later on, as Overy documented, the Nazis would use their monopoly on emergency services and assistance to victims to reinforce the dependency of the population on the regime.)
The author tries to assess the importance of the battle, using both a post-war perspective and a contemporary German perspective. She shows that in 1941, German propaganda largely succeeded in obfuscating the defeat. The Luftwaffe had suffered significant attrition — and recovery was slow, also because the Army had first call on industrial capacity during the preparations for the attack on the USSR. Nevertheless the German public came to see it as a disappointment more than a defeat. (That the RAF’s first attempts to exploit its improved position were tactically and strategically misguided must have helped to soothe any concerns.) Only later, when the Reich came under increasingly heavy air attack, did the German leadership have much reason to regret its failure in 1941.
There are a few glitches, such as misspellings of names, or errors in technical details. They don’t detract from the substance of the book. I am a bit dubious about Taylor’s tendency to portray Göring, who she clearly despises, as a buffoon. For sure the man had plenty of ridiculous sides, and he proved to be an incompetent leader of the Luftwaffe, but this has too often been allowed to overshadow the complicity of the second man of the Nazi regime in its crimes. Stylistically, the author’s use of emotive language can veer towards purple prose, though there is some good wordplay in here too.
In her concluding chapters, Taylor explores how the memory of the battle was shaped. It is a memory full of contradictions, as often personal respect and friendship between former enemies have pushed to the back the harsh realities of the political and ideological conflict. The Luftwaffe was largely the creation of the Nazi “Third Reich” (a small illicit air arm already existed during the Weimar Republic) and many of its veterans went to suspicious lengths to cleanse their biographies of any mention of its ideology. The conclusion offered by Taylor is that we should try to have it both ways, and benefit from the reconciliation between former enemies without forgetting the crimes in which the Luftwaffe was complicit. If this is tricky and contradictory, it nevertheless reflects the realpolitik that allowed men like Kammhuber and Steinhoff to continue their careers after the war.
June 22, 2025
In 2018, Victoria Taylor was recognised by the History Hit channel as a rising star in aviation history. With a PhD, MRes, and contributions to TV documentaries behind her, she has now published her debut book, Eagle Days: Life and Death for the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain. As an aviation historian, Taylor’s primary subject has been the Luftwaffe and the deconstruction of its ‘knights of the air’ image. In approaching the Battle of Britain, she has identified the ‘lopsided’ nature of the current historiography of the battle, which has largely concentrated on the British perspective.
Eagle Days draws on a range of contemporary sources such as field letters, diaries, combat reports and operational memoranda to present a more complete picture of the Luftwaffe, arguing that without an understanding of the psychological make-up of the rank and file of the force, an appraisal of its objectives and operational culture is not possible. The text is presented in four parts following the development of the Luftwaffe and the teething troubles it encountered during the Spanish Civil War and the build-up to Poland and the Second World War, the French campaign and the attacks on Dunkirk leading to the Battle of Britain itself.
This book offers several intriguing insights. Among these are the visit of a Luftwaffe delegation to York in 1937 for the International Air Meeting, and the reciprocal visit of RAF Marshal Hugh Trenchard to Berlin. Additionally, it highlights the growing tensions between Luftwaffe pilots and Hermann Göring. This tension is exemplified by an incident involving fighter ace Johannes Steinhoff and Göring during the Polish campaign, which led Steinhoff to perceive Göring as lacking expertise and being an "obvious amateur". By the autumn of 1939, many perceived Göring as a liability.
Victoria Taylor’s Eagle Days is an outstanding debut that exhibits exceptional writing and seamlessly integrates thorough scholarship with engaging storytelling. The book sheds light on a frequently misunderstood aspect of World War II, providing readers with a nuanced perspective on the Luftwaffe. It also demonstrates that even the most well-known historical events can be revisited with fresh insights.
Eagle Days draws on a range of contemporary sources such as field letters, diaries, combat reports and operational memoranda to present a more complete picture of the Luftwaffe, arguing that without an understanding of the psychological make-up of the rank and file of the force, an appraisal of its objectives and operational culture is not possible. The text is presented in four parts following the development of the Luftwaffe and the teething troubles it encountered during the Spanish Civil War and the build-up to Poland and the Second World War, the French campaign and the attacks on Dunkirk leading to the Battle of Britain itself.
This book offers several intriguing insights. Among these are the visit of a Luftwaffe delegation to York in 1937 for the International Air Meeting, and the reciprocal visit of RAF Marshal Hugh Trenchard to Berlin. Additionally, it highlights the growing tensions between Luftwaffe pilots and Hermann Göring. This tension is exemplified by an incident involving fighter ace Johannes Steinhoff and Göring during the Polish campaign, which led Steinhoff to perceive Göring as lacking expertise and being an "obvious amateur". By the autumn of 1939, many perceived Göring as a liability.
Victoria Taylor’s Eagle Days is an outstanding debut that exhibits exceptional writing and seamlessly integrates thorough scholarship with engaging storytelling. The book sheds light on a frequently misunderstood aspect of World War II, providing readers with a nuanced perspective on the Luftwaffe. It also demonstrates that even the most well-known historical events can be revisited with fresh insights.
October 27, 2025
A terrific first book from Victoria, who I've been following on Twitter for some time for just this kind of insight into the Luftwaffe.
She's mentioned more than once the myth of the clean Luftwaffe, riffing off the great myth of the clean Wehrmacht. Spoiler alert, no one was clean.
She's done admirable work outlining the attitudes, ideas and performance of the Luftwaffe during the run up, in the middle of, and aftermath of the Battle of Britain, and it's a critical view of the other side of what we often picture as the brave and outnumbered RAF standing Alone (not really) to protect the home shores against the Hun.
In reality as Taylor indicates, July-October 1940 combined RAF skill and home-field advantage against a Luftwaffe badly led at the very top and faced with a challenge they didn't have the resources or ability to pull off. She makes one point in particular I think is critical - Nazi success in the War up to that point was largely based on the power of speed and combined arms. Ground, air, and to some extent sea power coming together to defeat the Allies.
Britain was not going to be the same situation regardless of the Luftwaffe's own abilities, and without the additional arms of Army and Navy there was no way the air service could deliver on their promises. The back and forth over the plans for Sealion - itself a lunatic idea and operation - only underlined that air effort against Britain was going to fall short.
The other thing I picked out of this is Nazi attitude (even for those who weren't formally Nazis) about the effort against Britain. I refuse to accept the idea of Luftwaffe personnel being untainted by Nazi ideas, and Taylor's work clearly indicates that the nationalist, racist and warlike attitude that infected top leadership was deeply felt within the ranks as well.
The surprise that Germany would be bombed, or that anyone would resist them is near universal, and I have a hard time buying into the mythology of "knights of the air" when the fight was caused by their own war effort.
A wonderful book and well worth the read.
She's mentioned more than once the myth of the clean Luftwaffe, riffing off the great myth of the clean Wehrmacht. Spoiler alert, no one was clean.
She's done admirable work outlining the attitudes, ideas and performance of the Luftwaffe during the run up, in the middle of, and aftermath of the Battle of Britain, and it's a critical view of the other side of what we often picture as the brave and outnumbered RAF standing Alone (not really) to protect the home shores against the Hun.
In reality as Taylor indicates, July-October 1940 combined RAF skill and home-field advantage against a Luftwaffe badly led at the very top and faced with a challenge they didn't have the resources or ability to pull off. She makes one point in particular I think is critical - Nazi success in the War up to that point was largely based on the power of speed and combined arms. Ground, air, and to some extent sea power coming together to defeat the Allies.
Britain was not going to be the same situation regardless of the Luftwaffe's own abilities, and without the additional arms of Army and Navy there was no way the air service could deliver on their promises. The back and forth over the plans for Sealion - itself a lunatic idea and operation - only underlined that air effort against Britain was going to fall short.
The other thing I picked out of this is Nazi attitude (even for those who weren't formally Nazis) about the effort against Britain. I refuse to accept the idea of Luftwaffe personnel being untainted by Nazi ideas, and Taylor's work clearly indicates that the nationalist, racist and warlike attitude that infected top leadership was deeply felt within the ranks as well.
The surprise that Germany would be bombed, or that anyone would resist them is near universal, and I have a hard time buying into the mythology of "knights of the air" when the fight was caused by their own war effort.
A wonderful book and well worth the read.
January 7, 2026
Un estudio sobre la vida y muerte del personal de la Luftwaffe antes, durante y tras la Batalla de Inglaterra, en la voz de las mismas personas. Llegaron como ganadores antes de empezar a combatir y se fueron haciéndose los desentendidos. Hombres que amaban a sus familias, hombres que odiaban a quien no conocían, hombres que respetaban a sus enemigos, hombres que disfrutaban ametrallar inocentes. Hombres. Y me quedo con una cita final, especialmente certera un día como hoy en que bad hombres nos empujan a la guerra sin respeto alguno por los países vecinos:
Only by unflinchingly laying bare the ways in which air forces can be persuaded, cajoled, encouraged or coerced into doing the bidding of politicians can we be brutally honest about how such conflicts are able to emerge, despite a general sense of commonality and respect among their aviators. This reminds us, then, of the eternal lesson that political megalomania can usher even seemingly brave, decent and intelligent citizens down the most unsalvageable and unthinkable of roads.
Only by unflinchingly laying bare the ways in which air forces can be persuaded, cajoled, encouraged or coerced into doing the bidding of politicians can we be brutally honest about how such conflicts are able to emerge, despite a general sense of commonality and respect among their aviators. This reminds us, then, of the eternal lesson that political megalomania can usher even seemingly brave, decent and intelligent citizens down the most unsalvageable and unthinkable of roads.
October 17, 2025
An intriguing look at the German air force during the Battle of Britain and the events leading up to the battle. The author's viewpoint is from the German perspective and offers an insight into the thoughts, strategy, and political insider fighting that took place not only within the air force but with their interactions with other organizations. The book does a good job of correcting myths and falsie beliefs from the war. Interwoven in the dialogue are firsthand accounts from the pilots who fought on both sides. Overall, a very informative book, that doesn't read like a textbook. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
October 27, 2025
Eagle Days is captivating, a lot to unpack, and a thought-provoking title that breaks new ground and reassesses old assumptions, without traditional strengths and weaknesses. Taylor’s highly recommended gift to the reader is their reflections on the Luftwaffe. Eagle Days’ unusually reflective approach and destroying old ideas and myths is recommended reading.
See my full review on my Substack:
https://thelensofhistory.substack.com...
See my full review on my Substack:
https://thelensofhistory.substack.com...
September 3, 2025
A brilliant piece of work superbly put together by Taylor. Amazing to read as well and full of history and new light being shed at every corner. It’s 4.5 * for me, mainly due to some careless grammatical errors not picked up the editing team.
September 25, 2025
This is an extremely thorough and well researched book. Shedding new light of the Luftwaffe during the war. Lots of detailed accounts from pilots and ground crew from both sides. War is a horrendous thing, and these men were at the brunt of it of occasions. Very thought provoking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2025
Excellent view of the Battle of Britain from the German viewpoint, excellent use of primary sources.
October 17, 2025
An enjoyable read but a few typos mean my 4 stars are really 3 1/2.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews