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Osprey Men at Arms #229
Luftwaffe Field Divisions 1941–45
Hermann Göring raised the Luftwaffe Field Divisions [LwFD] during 1942, when Nazi Germany was still making spectacular gains but was first feeling the pinch of its losses on the Eastern Front. The Reichsmarschall decided to raise his own divisions for ground service under the command of Luftwaffe officers. On 17 September 1942, Göring called for volunteers from throughout the Luftwaffe for combat duty in the East. Even before that date, however, some Luftwaffe troops were heavily engaged against the enemy in Russia in a ground role. Kevin Conley Ruffner's engaging text tells the fascinating story of the LwFD during World War II.
48 pages, Paperback
First published November 22, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 13, 2024
These men-at-arms books are invaluable for diorama-makers, modelers, wargamers, etc, via their depictions of equipment and primary source photographs of the military in question.
The accompanying information, however, is not well-written, and often loses itself in a mass of statistics. This would be useful in a historic account, but they lack the actual insight into how life and service was for these divisions to make them useful beyond visual reference material.
The accompanying information, however, is not well-written, and often loses itself in a mass of statistics. This would be useful in a historic account, but they lack the actual insight into how life and service was for these divisions to make them useful beyond visual reference material.
July 31, 2011
Good precis on a little known subject.
I'll make a general comment on the increasing utility of the Osprey Men at Arms series in general. Not one of the "older" titles, but still fading into the distant past with a publication date of 1990, this does represent the rise in quality of MAA titles. Volstad's colour plates need not be discussed in detail; these are as good as his always are. Even in 1990 he was raising the bar he himself set with the earlier IN ACTION series of the 1970s.
The text is especially useful in exploring this little known facet of German military history. While the Hermann Goering Division is understandably famous, many historians fail to grasp just how many Luftwaffe ground formations really existed - or what a drain on the German military they represented.
Excellent and concise description of all the divisions, with well written discussion of how they were equipped, why they came to be, and who was responsible for keeping them in the order of battle. Unusual for MAA to concentrate on units that were below average for the most part, but this only speaks to the all-encompasing nature of the entire series as a whole.
A good addition to those interested in this specific area of research; the Feld Divisionen fought on the west, east and southern fronts so anyone wanting to materially add to their understanding of, say, the Eastern Front in particular, will not find this volume a must read.
I'll make a general comment on the increasing utility of the Osprey Men at Arms series in general. Not one of the "older" titles, but still fading into the distant past with a publication date of 1990, this does represent the rise in quality of MAA titles. Volstad's colour plates need not be discussed in detail; these are as good as his always are. Even in 1990 he was raising the bar he himself set with the earlier IN ACTION series of the 1970s.
The text is especially useful in exploring this little known facet of German military history. While the Hermann Goering Division is understandably famous, many historians fail to grasp just how many Luftwaffe ground formations really existed - or what a drain on the German military they represented.
Excellent and concise description of all the divisions, with well written discussion of how they were equipped, why they came to be, and who was responsible for keeping them in the order of battle. Unusual for MAA to concentrate on units that were below average for the most part, but this only speaks to the all-encompasing nature of the entire series as a whole.
A good addition to those interested in this specific area of research; the Feld Divisionen fought on the west, east and southern fronts so anyone wanting to materially add to their understanding of, say, the Eastern Front in particular, will not find this volume a must read.
June 3, 2023
The Wehrmacht of WWII, despite outward appearances, was a hodgepodge of formations from Germany, its allies, and those of a handful of Nazi-supported rump states. Perhaps most surprising was the fielding of of a handful of light infantry divisions by the Luftwaffe that were initially tasked with protection of Luftwaffe airbases.
Their story is fascinating and tragic, and this short volume is an interesting introduction.
Their story is fascinating and tragic, and this short volume is an interesting introduction.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews