What do you think?
Rate this book
Aviation Elite Units #27
Jagdverband 44: Squadron of Experten
Jagdverband 44 was formed in February 1945 on Hitler's orders, to fly the Me 262 "Stormbird", the world's first operational jet fighter, and demonstrate its superiority. The unit was led by the legendary Adolf Galland, who recruited some of Germany's leading aces into it, to the extent that it was said that the Knight's Cross was its unofficial badge.
JV 44 engaged the US Eighth, Ninth, and Fifteenth Army Air Forces over Southern Germany and, with its significant speed advantage and powerful armament of cannon and rockets, the Me 262 proved a formidable interceptor in the hands of its expert pilots. In its brief operational existence, never able to get more than six jets in the air at any one time, this small unit achieved approximately 50 kills in less than a month. Unfortunately for the German defensive effort (though Galland himself was glad not to have prolonged the war) there were not enough Me 262s to have any overall effect on the Allied air campaign.
This book is a dramatic record of a highly individual unit and an exciting early chapter in the history of the jet fighter. Four of the world's ten surviving Me 262s are major attractions at flight museums in the USA and recently constructed replicas will soon be a feature of air shows around the nation and the "experten" aces of the Luftwaffe have an enduring fascination.
JV 44 engaged the US Eighth, Ninth, and Fifteenth Army Air Forces over Southern Germany and, with its significant speed advantage and powerful armament of cannon and rockets, the Me 262 proved a formidable interceptor in the hands of its expert pilots. In its brief operational existence, never able to get more than six jets in the air at any one time, this small unit achieved approximately 50 kills in less than a month. Unfortunately for the German defensive effort (though Galland himself was glad not to have prolonged the war) there were not enough Me 262s to have any overall effect on the Allied air campaign.
This book is a dramatic record of a highly individual unit and an exciting early chapter in the history of the jet fighter. Four of the world's ten surviving Me 262s are major attractions at flight museums in the USA and recently constructed replicas will soon be a feature of air shows around the nation and the "experten" aces of the Luftwaffe have an enduring fascination.
- GenresHistory
128 pages, Paperback
First published May 20, 2008
5 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Robert Forsyth
127 books6 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 26, 2016
Osprey Publishing has produced a richly fascinating book about a most unique German fighter unit --- Jagdverband 44 (JV 44) -- that was created in February 1945 "amidst political dissent within the leadership of the Luftwaffe." Its commander was Adolf Galland, the youngest general officer in the German military, distinguished fighter ace, and General of the Jagdwaffe (Fighter Arm) until his dismissal in January 1945. Galland's goal in setting up JV 44 was to prove the efficacy of the Messerschmitt ME 262 jet fighter in the purely fighter role in combat. (The deployment of the ME 262 in combat had been long delayed because of Hitler's insistence that it be used as a bomber.) To this end, Galland recruited some of the most highly skilled and experienced fighter pilots -- officers and NCOs alike --- to fly the ME 262 in combat over Austria and Southern Germany, where JV 44 was based during most of its 3-month existence.
This book also provides a richly detailed history of JV 44's activities as well as lots of interesting photos and illustrations of the various unit personnel, pilots, and aircraft. It's a winner and for any reader wanting to know more about this "Squadron of Experts", this is a good place from which to start.
This book also provides a richly detailed history of JV 44's activities as well as lots of interesting photos and illustrations of the various unit personnel, pilots, and aircraft. It's a winner and for any reader wanting to know more about this "Squadron of Experts", this is a good place from which to start.
May 8, 2020
It's a good book, as a factual read about what happened at a point in history. I'm dropping it to the 3 though because, good as it is, it's really just a chronological statement of facts and I like my reads to have a bit more inspiration to them.
If you're a military/aviation history but, you should enjoy learning about this - Adolf Galland, one of Germany's most decorated fighter pilots. setting up a jet unit at the end of WWII to defend Germany against the oncoming Allies. It's fascinating, interesting but ultimately not very inspiring (to me at least) - I'd have liked to have been in Galland's head more and understanding why he took the decisions he did and the effect that the loss of some of his friends had on him.
To be fair the book and the author, I don't think the book is intended as any more than statement of facts but I likely wouldn't read it again, cover to cover, but would you it to refer to.
If you're a military/aviation history but, you should enjoy learning about this - Adolf Galland, one of Germany's most decorated fighter pilots. setting up a jet unit at the end of WWII to defend Germany against the oncoming Allies. It's fascinating, interesting but ultimately not very inspiring (to me at least) - I'd have liked to have been in Galland's head more and understanding why he took the decisions he did and the effect that the loss of some of his friends had on him.
To be fair the book and the author, I don't think the book is intended as any more than statement of facts but I likely wouldn't read it again, cover to cover, but would you it to refer to.
March 7, 2025
Beginning was hard to get into but ended up being very good and informative on the German side of WWII
March 22, 2010
Gives a lot of detail of how this last and most famous jet squardron came to be. Wish it would have given information on what became of the pilots and jets after VE day. Good reading & never before seen pictures
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews