The Luftwaffe

The Epic of Flight

by Time-Life Books (Editor)

Traces the history of the German air force during World War II, focusing on flying aces, models of fighters and bombers, and major air battles

Genres: History, Aviation, Military History, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, World War II

176 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1982

Reviews

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book from the March Air Field Museum, Riverside, California. Growing up, my dad had some of the series and I read them all but didn't realize there were more. Over the years, I bought more. Age has not been kind to these books since the glue and binding are now 40+ years old. My copy of The Luftwaffe is falling apart.

Like all Epic of Flight books, these are just primers. They are meant to whet your appetite. Do not take these books as definitive as there are more comprehensive books with updated information. Another reviewer suggested that you also read the books in the series that are contemporaneous to the events: Soviet Air Force, the RAF, and American in the Air War. This is true since this book is from the German perspective.

The Luftwaffe and the Soviet Air Force books have the distinction of covering the Spanish Civil War. Both air forces learned invaluable lessons during that conflict. Lessons including which formations work best, speed and maneuverability, and attack positions.

[Professor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bearing in mind that, like any Time Life book, this is basically a glossy introduction to a subject with some really great photos, this was a solid read. Gave a good overview of the subject, the Luftwaffe, centered on World War Two. Combined with the series books on the American Air Force, the RAF, and the Soviet Air Force, one gets a reasonable account of the use of air power during the Second World War. The only downside was that as an account of the war focused on the Luftwaffe it at times bordered on creepy, especially when discussing Germany's big aces, but the book never quite takes the plunge into Nazi-worship, thankfully.

[Heman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A brief history of the Luftwaffe with lots of tidbits and pictures. Very interesting. I did not know that the Germans had developed a jet bomber (Aarado 234 Blitz) as well as the Messerschmitt 262 jet fighters. There is also a list (with pictures) of failed Nazi airplane projects.
It's interesting how dangerously close the world got to a total fascist domination. If Hitler was not as crazed as he was, he could have taken his enemies out.
The book ends with a picture of Goring after his arrest, wiping his face with a handkerchief. He had said if the allies bomb Berlin he would change his name to Meyer.

[David Vanness · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volumn is library binding.