When World War II began, Germany’s Luftwaffe was the most powerful air force on the battlefield, achieving victory after victory in combination with the German Army. However, as other great powers rose to combat Hitler,the supremacy of the German air force soon began to decline. The German Industry could hardly match the vast production of Allied aircraft. Nevertheless, while “flying till they die”, Luftwaffe pilots continued to write a record of heroism and innovation until the end of the war. This book is the result of a comprehensive study of the uniforms and flight equipment used by the Luftwaffe personnel from 1935 to 1945. From their service and flight uniforms to the flight equipment, gathered from impressive collections of original artifacts. The experiences of the German airmen are shared as well throughout the pages of this book. Although they unfortunately served a dark cause, their achievements cannot be denied.
Each artifact is photographed in detail and presented using high quality, full color photos accompanied by clear explanatory text. More than 1.100 high quality photographs included, 150 of them published for the very first time. The book has been divided into four parts:
The first contains a brief historical introduction and the basic organization of the Luftwaffe. The second part is dedicated to the service and walk-out uniforms, while the flight uniforms, equipment and weapons are explained in the third part. The book ends with an essay of the men behind the machines that includes the story of a German airman as told through his awards and documents. Armchair historians of WWII, serious collectors, libraries and archives, anyone with an interest in military aviation will be enthralled by this fascinating look inside one of the most legendary air forces ever to take to the skies.

Author(s): Cano, Gustavo/Guillen, Santiago
Publisher: Andrea Press
Pages: 360
Language: English
Edition: 1
Year of publication: 2013
Dimensions: large format
Binding: Hardcover
Weight: 1.80 kg