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Bodenplatte
- Definitive account of the last great Luftwaffe attack of World War II - Gripping stories of Fw 190s and Bf 109s in combat - Contains hundreds of eyewitness accounts and rare photos In the early morning of January 1, 1945, as the Battle of the Bulge smoldered to an end, the German Luftwaffe--assumed to be starved of fuel and fighting spirit--launched a massive, surprise, low-level strike on Allied airfields throughout France, Belgium, and Holland, an operation code-named Bodenplatte. More than 900 German aircraft took to the skies and attacked the vulnerable fields, destroying 200 Allied aircraft and damaging 150 more. In a pyrrhic victory, the Luftwaffe lost 271 fighters, with many more damaged, and 213 pilots--irreplaceable losses at this stage of the war.
576 pages, Paperback
First published July 9, 2004
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December 28, 2020
A benchmark quality volume!
This fantastic by John Manrho and Ron Putz study covers the actions of each Jagdgeschwader in Northwest Europe on the fateful early morning of January 1st, 1945, as the Luftwaffe fighter force embarked on its "death ride" in an attempt to smash the numerically and, at this point, qualitatively superior Allied air forces on the ground. The ill fated mission, codenamed "Bodenplatte", instead resulted in huge and irreplaceable casualties for the Germans.
Each chapter covers a Jagdgeschwader in the West. The chapters begin with a review of the combat activities of the JG throughout December 1944 and the German offensive across the Ardennes, followed by the preparation for "Bodenplatte". The aerial combat on the morning of January 1st 1945 takes center stage, and the chapter closes with analysis of the situation of (usually shattered) JG on the afternoon January 1st.
I own the original Hikoki Publication edition and I can fully understand why this can reach exorbitant prices second hand (I've seen copies sold for over 400 euro). Print quality is great, photographs are reproduced perfectly. The book is with hardcover and binding is very solid. My copy is now over a decade old and it does not show. Note that John Manhro has been publishing updated errata on the 12 O'Clock High forums.
An absolute must-own for anyone interested in aerial warfare in the Second World War, the Luftwaffe, or the war over Northwest Europe in 1944-45.
This fantastic by John Manrho and Ron Putz study covers the actions of each Jagdgeschwader in Northwest Europe on the fateful early morning of January 1st, 1945, as the Luftwaffe fighter force embarked on its "death ride" in an attempt to smash the numerically and, at this point, qualitatively superior Allied air forces on the ground. The ill fated mission, codenamed "Bodenplatte", instead resulted in huge and irreplaceable casualties for the Germans.
Each chapter covers a Jagdgeschwader in the West. The chapters begin with a review of the combat activities of the JG throughout December 1944 and the German offensive across the Ardennes, followed by the preparation for "Bodenplatte". The aerial combat on the morning of January 1st 1945 takes center stage, and the chapter closes with analysis of the situation of (usually shattered) JG on the afternoon January 1st.
I own the original Hikoki Publication edition and I can fully understand why this can reach exorbitant prices second hand (I've seen copies sold for over 400 euro). Print quality is great, photographs are reproduced perfectly. The book is with hardcover and binding is very solid. My copy is now over a decade old and it does not show. Note that John Manhro has been publishing updated errata on the 12 O'Clock High forums.
An absolute must-own for anyone interested in aerial warfare in the Second World War, the Luftwaffe, or the war over Northwest Europe in 1944-45.
Displaying 1 of 1 review