Hitler's Spyplane Over Normandy, 1944: The World's First Jet

by Philippe Bauduin, Heather Williams (Translator)

This is the story of the Arado 234, an aircraft that on one day in 1944, in the skies above Normandy, heralded the beginning of a new era in the jet era...For more than a century, the aviation industry has experienced continual change and upheaval. Many individuals have contributed to this field of developmental aviation over the course of time. One of these key players is Heinrich Lbbe, a man who marked the evolution of aerial transportation through his cultivation of technological excellence. From flying lessons given to him by his friend Roland Garros, to the creation of the Arado business, Lbbe made a significant impact and left a lasting legacy.His machines, the first jets in the world, were flown by exceptional pilots such as Horst Gtz and Erich Sommer, known as des moustachus (the moustachioed). In Hitler's Germany, the Arado jets were put to work in a variety of contexts. Perhaps most significantly, they were employed in the task of photo-reconnaissance during the Battle for Normandy, following the iconic landings of June 1944. In this role, they brought back extraordinary images from the invasion beaches, revealing with astounding detail the positions and plans of the allied forces.These images, previously unseen by the public, shed new light on the battle, whilst at the same time proving the Germans' indisputable superiority in the field of jet aviation. The fact that American troops hastened to transfer the Arado AR234 and Messerschmitt 262 to the USA to uncover all their secrets post-war says a lot about how they were viewed in the eyes of the enemy.In addition to many top-secret aerial images, this book is enriched with around twenty photographs from the personal archives of Erich Sommer, the Arado pilot, which have never before been published. The book is packed with both colour and black and white images and represents an impressive pictorial history of the world's first jet.

217 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 9, 2014

Reviews

[Robert Hepple · Rating 2 out of 5]

First published in 2013, 'Hitler's Spyplane over Normandy 1944 - The World's First Jet' is an aviation title based around the story of the use of a prototype Arado 234 by the Luftwaffe to carry out a reconnaissance of the Normandy area on August 2, 1944. This is represented by a small amount of text, and a lot of photos. Not all of which are relevant, and some are repeated for no reason. In addition, there are factual errors as well as a very misleading book title. A quick read with little substance.

[Richard Dodson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would not have read if I did not have a childhood fascination with the Arado 234. It was a sleek WWII jet. Most of the book was the high quality photo’s of the Normandy front. It is a good thing that the German High Command was dysfunctional by then.