Overview
Operating astride and above the Arctic Circle, Luftwaffe pilots fought an isolated and almost self-contained war facing environmental challenges in freezing skies that set their experiences apart from those of any other pilots in World War 2. Once Nazi Germany had conquered Norway in 1940, just a handful of Gruppen flying the Bf 109 and Bf 110 fighters were able to shatter all opposition and dominate the air in the Arctic Circle. Yet as the dual threats of the RAF and the Red Air Force grew, the Luftwaffe was forced to increase its fighter presence to full Geschwader strength with the formation of JG 5 Eismeer (Ice-sea) in early 1942. The struggle for the frozen skies of the arctic raged on until the end of the war as the embattled JG 5 produced some of the Eastern Front's leading aces, pilots of the calibre of Theodor Weissenberger, Heinrich Ehrler, Walter Schuck, Franz Dörr and Jakob Norz all achieving over 100 kills. Featuring first-hand accounts from the pilots, extensive research from a leading authority on the Luftwaffe, and illustrations of the aircraft in unique winter camouflage, this book is a comprehensive guide to the Arctic Experten and the planes they flew.
Full Product Details
Author: John Weal (Aviation author/artist) ,
Chris Davey (Illustrator) ,
Mark Postlethwaite (Cover Illustrator) ,
Mark Postlethwaite
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Imprint: Osprey Publishing
Volume: 124
Dimensions:
Width: 18.40cm
, Height: 0.70cm
, Length: 24.80cm
Weight: 0.355kg
ISBN: 9781782007982
ISBN 10: 1782007989
Pages: 112
Publication Date: 20 October 2016
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Temporarily unavailable
The supplier advises that this item is temporarily unavailable. It will be ordered for you and placed on backorder. Once it does come back in stock, we will ship it out to you.
Language: English
Reviews
If you are a fan of Bf 109's and Bf 110's as I am you will find this a great addition to your library for not only great color profiles of these aircraft but the history behind the men that flew them. - <i>IPMS/USA</i>
Author Information
John Weal is Osprey’s primary Luftwaffe author and artist. He owns one of the largest private collections of original German-language literature from World War 2 and his research is based on this huge archive. Fluent in German, Weal has spent much time establishing contact with ex-members of the Luftwaffe, from General Staff Officers of the RLM to frontline aircrew. A freelance airbrush artist since the days of the monthly RAF Flying Review, he has illustrated some of the finest Luftwaffe profiles to date. Chris Davey has illustrated more than 30 titles for Osprey’s Aircraft of the Aces, Combat Aircraft, and Aviation Elite Units series. He is one of the last traditional airbrush artists in the business and has become Osprey’s artist of choice for both USAAF fighters and RAF subject matter, proving his undoubted skill when dealing with large aircraft subjects such as the Halifax and Sunderland. Chris is based in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, UK.
