Description
Book SynopsisThe Luftwaffe – the German Air Force – played a crucial role in the Wehrmacht’s blitzkrieg tactics, providing both air cover and air artillery for Germany’s panzer troops on the ground. Germany’s successful invasions of France, the Low Countries, the Balkans and the Soviet Union are due in no small part to the professionalism, dedication and skill of the Luftwaffe.
Broken down by campaign and key battles within each theatre of war, German Luftwaffe in World War II illustrates the strengths and organizational structures of the Third Reich’s Air Force, building into a detailed compendium of information. Full-colour order of battle tree diagrams at Luftflotte, Gruppe and Geschwader level help the reader understand how and where the fighters and bombers of the German Air Force were employed at any given time between 1939–45. Reference tables provide squadron strengths while organizational diagrams show the types and numbers of aircraft employed in specific operations, such as in the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940 and the opening stages of Operation Zitadelle in July 1943.
With extensive organizational diagrams and full-colour operations maps, German Luftwaffe in World War II is an easy-to-use guide to the German Air Force. The book is an essential reference for any serious enthusiast of air warfare in World War II.
Table of ContentsThe Pre-War Luftwaffe
Invasion of Poland: 1939
Denmark and Norway: 1940
France and the Low Countries: 1940
Battle of Britain and the Blitz: 1940–41
North Africa and the Mediterranean: 1941–45
The Balkans and Greece: 1941–45
Eastern Front: 1941–45
Northwest Europe: 1942–45
Maritime Operations: 1939–45
End of the Reich: 1945
Glossary of Key Abbreviations
Acknowledgements
Index
