It's my periodic request for Book recommendations!

[NickM]

Hi, guys:

Just wanted to drop a line & ask for some recommended reading material; I just 'scored' myself a used copy of 'Footsteps of the Hunter' by Dickfeld; Now...other than the fact that his flying career went into remission in late 43 early 44, I noticed that he was Jagdwaffe pilot who flew 'from first to last' & was in all the Major fronts: East, West, the Med;
So...I had the following question: Are there any other wartime flying memoirs from pilots who ALSO flew 'first to last' or at least flew in all three of the major fronts? Preferrably in English if not that's OK--who knows what skills I'll be picking up in the future, eh? I had heard the Julius Meimberg & Emil Clade had written wartime memoirs in German--and I'm pretty sure they flew on all fronts too--though maybe too young to be 'first to last-ers'; Has anyone had the opportunity to read them?
Thanks ahead of time;

NickM

[kaki3152]

The Meimberg Book has a Web site with some chapters on PDF files and is a fairly recent book. Worth look,I/m thinking about buying this book, though I do struggle with German.
The Emil Clade memoir dates fronm the early 80s I think.
There is also a book written by a II/JG-51 pilot whose name escapes me at the moment

[Andrew Arthy]

Originally Posted by kaki3152

There is also a book written by a II/JG-51 pilot whose name escapes me at the moment

Hi,

Perhaps you mean: Günther Rübell, Kreuze im Himmel - Wie Auf Erden: Fronterleben im Jagdgeschwader Moelders, Orion Heimreiter Verlag, Heusenstamm, 1980.

There's also this: Günther Stedtfeld, Jagd über den Wolken, WTB-Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Eltville/Rhein, 1975.

Cheers,
Andrew A.

[WEISNER]

All of the books written by Steinhoff are definatly worth a read as you know he flew on all fronts, and also in the Jet. also the book "Luftwaffe fighter ace" ISBN 1-904010-94-6 by Norbert Hannig is a good read as he flew in the east and in the defence of the Reich.
Another good read is "I flew for the Furher" by Heinz Knoke, although not a multiple front book it is an excellent read, though hard to find.
hope this helps..
Kevin

[Jim Oxley]

'I flew for the Fuhrer' by Heinz Knoke has been reprinted in 2004 by Cassell Military Paperbacks, so it shouldn't be too hard to find.

And Steinhoff's 'Messerschmitts Over Sicily' is a great read.

[NickM]

Thanks, guys! And no sweat I have the Knoke & Steinhoff books AND...IF my bookseller ever gets it together, I should have the Hannig book some time before I reach retirement ago...
Oh, and Andrew, what can you tell me about those other two German titles that you mentioned?

NickM

[Andrew Arthy]

Hey Nick,

The below is from memory, because I don't have the books to hand.

I'd recommend both books. Rübell's is more of a 'history', while Stedtfeld's is more of a 'story'.

Rübell concentrates quite a bit more than half of his book on the first half of the war, up until II./J.G. 51 moved from the Eastern Front to the Mediterranean in November 1942. His coverage of II./J.G. 51 in the Mediterranean generally matches the primary sources that I have, and Prien uses him as a source, which would indicate Rübell's book is accurate.

I have to admit that I haven't been through too much of Stedtfeld yet. He doesn't include dates, and real names are substituted (similiar to what 'Peter Henn' did in his book about his time with II./J.G. 51.)

There aren't many photos in either of them, although those included are interesting enough.

I prefer Günther Rübell's book because it includes dates and real names. However, if you can find either for a reasonable price, I would recommend buying them.

I'd be interested to hear what other members have to say about these two books.

Cheers,
Andrew A.