LUFTWAFFE A pictorial History

The Versailles Treaty of 1919 imposed very strict limits on German aviation. Military aviation was forbidden and only a few airmail and passenger flights could take place. After Hitler came to power, he began secretly building up his air force. 

The industry that had built up during World War I and which had been left largely idle after Versailles had to restart and manufacture a whole new generation of aircraft. Not only did the hardware have to be designed and built, but pilots, technicians and crews had to be recruited and trained. Under a heavy veil of secrecy, this was achieved in a remarkably short time and by the time that Hitler renounced the Treaty he had the basis of a well-equipped and trained air force equal to any in the World. 

The Spanish Civil War provided a rich training ground and by 1939 the Luftwaffe was well trained and well-equipped. 

Its first major failure of the Second World War came in the Battle of Britain and this had as much to do with the politics behind the force as with the men and machines involved, a scenario that was to continue to the War’s end. 

Throughout the War, the Luftwaffe maintained its technical edge and production levels despite the appalling bombing by aircraft such as the Ta 152, Arado 234, me 262 being the pinnacle of technological achievement. 

In the end it was the pressures of fighting on multiple fronts, the scale of bombing both at night and during the day and the shortage of fuel that left this once proud air force a shadow of its former self. 

Noted Luftwaffe researcher Eric Mombeek has amassed some 400 photographs, many of which are previously unpublished, that show the diversity of aircraft in all theatres and the men that flew them. Each one is carefully captioned to make Luftwaffe: A Pictorial History of interest to historians, modellers and enthusiasts alike. 

Luftwaffe: A Pictorial History uses over 400 rare photographs to show the operations of the German Air Force from the early days before the Spanish Civil War through to the desperate days of 1945. 

Extensively researched captions describe the events, people and aircraft of this formidable force and each section is introduced by first-hand accounts of what it was like to fly and fight in these machines. 

Source: publisher’s summary printed on the cover