Led by the flamboyant Hermann Goring, himself a fighter ace of World War 1, the Luftwaffe was probably the most glamorous part of the German armed forces during World War 2. With its pilots, such as Adolf Galland, becoming household names for the successes in the skies, the Luftwaffe was pivotal both to the early successes wrought by Germany in the war during the Blitzkrieg assaults on Poland and western Europe. It was, however, the failure of the Luftwaffe to achieve aerial supremacy over the English Channel and southeast England during the Battle of Britain that led to Hitler's decision to cancel the invasion of Britain and, although the Luftwaffe was to achieve further significant victories in the east following the invasion of Russia, Goring's failure to defeat the Royal Air Force and to prevent Allied bombing of Germany were to reduce significantly both his and the Luftwaffe's standing with Hitler.
In his fourth contribution to the highly successful "Collector's Guide" series, noted collector and expert Chris Ailsby examines the wide range of equipment, uniforms, medals and awards specifically associated with the Luftwaffe during World War 2. Alongside the detailed descriptions of the militaria being discussed are photographs and a ratings system designed to allow the user and reader to gauge relative values.
Some 60 years after the end of World War 2, interest in Third Reich militaria remains strong and, inevitably, in any popular area of collecting there is material of doubtful provenance designed to catch out the unwary. The"Collector's Guide" series has proved an essential guide for those interested in the subject and this latest addition to the series will continue to build upon the considerable reputation that the series has built up over the years. Providing the collector with detailed and objective advice, the book should be essential reading for any active collector of Third Reich militaria as well as those interested in the Luftwaffe during the period from 1933 to 1945.
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