Arming the Luftwaffe

[Richard T. Eger]

Dear Ed and Dénes,

First, oh yes, the P-80 had a less than glorious introduction, eventually being grounded after multiple crashes.

For all to get a better feel for the book, here is the description from McFarland's webpage:

"About the Book
During World War II, aviation was among the largest industrial branches of the Third Reich. About 40 percent of total German war production, and two million people, were involved in the manufacture of aircraft and air force equipment. Based on German records, Allied intelligence reports, and eyewitness accounts, this study explores the military, political, scientific, and social aspects of Germany’s wartime aviation industry: production, research and development, Allied attacks, foreign workers and slave labor, and daily life and working conditions in the factories. Testimony from Holocaust survivors who worked in the factories provides a compelling new perspective on the history of the Third Reich.

About the Author
Daniel Uziel has worked at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and for the Israeli Air Force and the German Foreign Office. He spent a year as a research fellow with the U.S. National Air and Space Museum and has written a book on propaganda and the Wehrmacht and several articles on World War II aviation history, the Germany army and the Holocaust."

And, here is the table of contents:

"Table of Contents

Acknowledgments v
Introduction 1

1. The Aviation Industry at War 7
2. The Aviation Industry and the Air War 51
3. Reorganization of Aircraft Production 71
4. From Technological Expertise to Slave Labor 144
5. On the Production Lines—Daily Life in the Factories 194
6. The “People’s Fighter” as Case Study of a Late-War Program 236

Conclusion 263
Chapter Notes 269
Bibliography 293
Index 299"

Maybe there aren't all that many of us that are interested in how the German aircraft industry was set up and how it changed throughout the war, which might explain the paucity of books on the subject. The fact that German aircraft production actually reached its highest level in 1944 despite the massive Allied air bombardment I believe is covered in detail in the book. Just how many books can anyone cite that can tell you what life was like in the factories? The entire subject of the influence of politics and Allied bombardment on production I find quite fascinating. In the face of overwhelming odds, the industry kept going full tilt. Even in 1945, when the end was clearly obvious to one and all, production plans still projected into 1946.

To those that might find this account to be of interest, I heartily recommend this book.

Regards,
Richard