Aces of the Reich: The Making of a Luftwaffe Fighter Pilot

'During World War II all the top Experten - the aces of the German Luftwaffe - were celebrated like movie stars by Luftwaffe Commander-in-Chief, Hermann Goering, as well as the Nazi regime, the media and the German public. They were the superstars of the nation that had produced the most famous pilot of all: Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron of World War I. Beginning in 1939, the Germans had a lot to be proud of, having produce phenomenal pilots like Erich Hartmann, the Ace of Aces; Gerhard Barkhorn, who played havoc with the Soviet air force; and Gunther Rall, whose marksman ability was legendary. The top scorers of the German Luftwaffe have never been surpassed. Yet, ultimately the Jagdwaffe, the Luftwaffe fighter arm, would be destroyed. Air-warfare historian Mike Spick suggests that von Richthofen's legacy was part of the problem, for the Jagdwaffe pilots all wanted to be the next Red Baron and were more concerned with a high victory score and decorations than anything else. Spick's conclusions are controversial, but in reading this fascinating book, you'll gain tremendous insight into some of the best fighter-pilots the world has ever known, as well as the Luftwffe's rise and fall.' - The Military Book Club 'When a noted military aviation writer like Mike Spick and publisher Greenhill Books produce a book on the evergreen topic of the Third Reich's war machine, one is guaranteed to be able to buy a winner. And so it is with this praiseworthy book ...' - Sid Wigzell Incisive survey of Germany's formidable fighter-pilots Accounts for the Jagdwaffe's unlikely demise Written by a celebrated aviation expert In 1939, The Luftwaffe was arguably the world's best-equipped and -trained air force. Its fighters were second to none, and their pilots had a tactical system superior to any other in the world. In campaigns over Poland, Norway, the Low Countries and France, they carried all before them. Only in the summer of 1940 did they fail by a narrow margin in achieving air superiority over England. In the West, with a mere holding force, they maintained an enviable kill-loss ratio against the RAF, while elsewhere they swept through the Balkans, then decimated the numerically formidable Soviet Air Force. Their top scorers set marks in air combat that have never been surpassed. Yet within three years, and despite the introduction of the jet Me 262, the world's most advanced fighter, the Luftwaffe fighter arm, the Jagdwaffe, had been totally defeated. How did this happen? Air-warfare historian MIKE SPICK explores the question in depth. His most surprising conclusion is that the motivation of the Jagdwaffe was fundamentally flawed. The legend of Manfred von Richthofen, aka the Red Baron - the top-scoring pilot of World War I - which was promoted by Commander-in-Chief Hermann Goering to enhance his own image, became a paradigm. What mattered most to German fighter-pilots was a high victory score and decorations, at the expense of all else. The result was often an unseemly race for the top spot, which had a pernicious effect on the efficacy of German air combat. From the failings of High Command to the scores and decorations of individuals, Aces of the Reich is a compelling study of World War II's most fearsome air force and the skilled pilots who flew with it. Mike Spick's other works include Luftwaffe Fighter Aces and Luftwaffe Victorious.