[leonventer]

Ruy,

Originally Posted by Ruy Horta

How are these two titles in general?

Ikaros I've seen quoted from before, but the MacLean book is new to me.

Skawran's "Ikaros" is a detailed study of the psychological and physical makeup of fighter pilots in general, and several Luftwaffe aces in particular. It's especially valuable because Skawran spent most of the war with Luftwaffe units, and he interviewed many of the men he describes.

The chapter headings and page counts are as follows:
1. The pilot in comparison with members of the other armed services (3 pages)
2. The personalities of fighter pilots in the First World War (4 pages)
3. The period between the two world wars and its influence on the emergent people (18 pages)
4. The fighter pilot types of the Second World War (78 pages)
5. The exhiliration of flying and fighting (6 pages)
6. A comparison of the fighter pilot types of the First and Second World Wars (36 pages)
7. The development of the fighter pilot (34 pages)
8. The living conditions of fighter pilots (10 pages)
9. The beliefs/values/motivations of fighter pilots (8 pages)
10. Ikaros (3 pages)
Bibliography
Name Index

Chapter 4 is the heart of the book, in which Skawran describes around 30 Luftwaffe aces in varying degrees of detail and categorizes them as follows:

• Die "Genialen"
• Die Kämpfer
  • Der Kraftvolle Kämpfer
  • Der sture Draufgänger
  • Der Führertyp
• Die stetigen Könner
  • Die Harmonisch-Kraftvollen
  • Die Kaczmareks
• Die "Sonnenvögel"
• Die Kindlich-Naiven
• Die ehrgeizig-feinnervigen Jäger
  • Die Intellektuellen und die Sensitiv-Vitalen
  • Die Schießer

(See http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?p=29485 for Skawran's description of Oesau.)


MacLean's contribution is not as significant as Skawran's, but it's useful because it highlights a primary document type that's been neglected, namely the Luftwaffe's personnel evaluation reports. You might consider getting his two-volume work if you're interested in:

• the criteria and documents that were involved in Luftwaffe evaluations
• the general nature and values of Luftwaffe pilots and unit commanders
• the specific qualities of the 113 covered men, and the attitudes and styles of their superiors

The reports provide interesting insights and they enable you to get a bit closer to the people and the times. For example, a great deal of importance was placed on appearance, social skills and manners, and most evaluations contain a variation of the statement: "He is firmly rooted in National Socialist ideology."

Regards,
Leon Venter