German Night Fighter Aces of World War 2

Osprey Aircraft of the Aces #20

by Jerry Scutts, Jerry Scutts

When the Luftwaffe entered World War 2, its nightfighter force was virtually nonexistent thanks to its leader, Reichmarschall Hermann Göring, who boasted that bombs would never fall on Germany. By mid-1940 his folly was evident; the first night fighter wing was hastily formed with Bf 110s. Initially capable of detecting targets by visual acquisition only, the force greatly improved its effectiveness with the creation of the 'Giant Würzburg' radar chain. By the end of 1942, the night fighter force controlled some 389 fighters and had destroyed 1,291 RAF bombers in that year alone. Complete with first-hand accounts and detailed colour illustrations, this book profiles the many variations of night fighters, and the men who made ace flying them.

Genres: World War II, History, Aviation

100 pages, Paperback

First published June 5, 1998

Reviews

[Jeff]

This book covers the topic too thinly. It touches on several aspects of the German night fighter campaign but doesn't really focus on any particular aspect - not even the aces themselves, in spite of the title. It's okay, but I was left unsatisfied and immediately moved on to other books in search of a deeper understanding of the subject matter. By Goodread's standard, "It was okay" equates to 2 stars, hence the rating.

[Robert Hepple]

First published in 1998, 'German Night Fighter Aces of World War 2' is number 20 in the popular 'Aircraft of the Aces' from Osprey. In the usual format, less than 100 pages suffices to give a basic overview of the operations of the German night fighter force, and the aces that dominated it. This is supported by over 90 good photos, more than 30 colour profile artworks, and some scale plans of aircraft types featured. A lot in a small package, and a great read.