The daylight strategic air campaign over the German Reich during the Second World War was one of the longest and most intense air battles in history, involving thousands of aircraft, dozens of units, and hundreds of separate aerial engagements.
DAY FIGHTERS IN DEFENSE OF THE REICH presents a unique look at the German defenses as they struggled to cope with the threat posed by the two American strategic air forces which were charged with destroying Germany's critical war industries and wresting control of the air over the Reich from the Luftwaffe.
Donald Caldwell is a graduate of Rice University with a BA in Chemistry.
After marrying his high school sweetheart, Caldwell served a tour of duty in the U.S. Navy, where he advanced to the rank of Mineman, 3rd Class.
Following separation from the Navy, Caldwell returned to Texas to begin a career in the chemical industry. In 1964, he joined The Dow Chemical Company in Freeport, Texas, and moved to verdant, Lake Jackson with his wife to raise three daughters, as well as picking up an MS in Chemistry from Texas A&M University along the way.
Caldwell's years as a Dow research scientist were spent doing a variety of interesting things. He is the holder of 19 U.S. Patents and have authored book chapters and technical papers in fields as diverse as industrial electrochemistry and composite materials science.
Furthermore, Caldwell is the author of several books about the Luftwaffe in World War II.
Excellent companion to his previous book. Loses a star for its format, the 'log entries' get a little dry but the pictures and information is excellent.
This book was really well researched and revealed the disparity between allied pilot training and that of the axis powers. Aircraft parity in design appears very even with outstanding advances on both sides.
Simply superb! This is more of a statistical analysis than a narrative history, the imbedded stories and the detailed tables paint a grim picture of the demise of the Luftwaffe from 1944 on. A must read for WWII air aficionados.