For long after the Second World War, the enduring popular image of the Luftwaffe was that of the howling, diving Ju 87 Stuka - a symbol of the impressive, fearsome and aggressive art of Hitler's Blitzkrieg; of mighty air power. The Luftwaffe which emerged in 1933 made Europe tremble but it was a giant whose feet were made of clay. Against weaker nations the Luftwaffe triumphed in many early theatres of the war - in Spain, Poland, France, the Low Countries and the Balkans; but the weaknesses of its leadership and industrial base soon became apparent during the Battle of Britain.
After brief triumphs in the Mediterranean, the Luftwaffe reluctantly turned eastward, but the crusade against Bolshevism quickly exposed yet more fragility - in aircraft, strength and logistics - and, as the Germans began to retreat, the Luftwaffe came under threat on all fronts. In its final year, from May 1944, the Luftwaffe was a spent force, capable only of Tactical air missions, or in desperate defence of the threatened homeland, albeit with very advanced aircraft, such as the jet-powered Me 262. This scholarly history provides detailed insights into the dramatic rise and fall of Hitler's airforce, at one time the most formidable ever. It examines the issue of leadership and the personalities which were responsible for the victories and the failures. There is detailed analysis of the campaigns in which the Luftwaffe fought, with fresh perspectives on the Battle of Britain, the air defence of Germany and much new material about the air war on the Eastern Front and anti-shipping campaigns.
Luftwaffe: A Study in Air Power is based on exhaustive research conducted in archives around the world. It provides an insightful and radical reassessment of the Luftwaffe and forms an essential reference work.
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