What is your favourite REAL WW2 aviation book?

[Bombphoon]

In light of the recent post about AI 'authors' manufacturing WW2 aviation books with little to no work behind them, what's your favourite REAL WW2 aviation book recommendation, that displays real original research, photos, analysis etc?

I'll start the ball rolling.

My favourite is Luftwaffe Fighter-Bombers Over Britain: The Tip and Run Campaign 1942-43 by Chris Goss, with Peter Cornwell and Bernd Rauchbach. I recommend the 2003 hardback first edition by Crecy.

Although there had been information in the landmark After The Battle The Blitz Then & Now Vol.3, up until this book's publication, for 60 years, there had been no specific published work on these fascinating and somewhat overlooked Luftwaffe Jabo raids along England's east and south coasts.

The author majorly rectified this in his 336-page work, packed full of rare photographs - including some astonishing photos of strafing south coast gas holders, hotels etc taken by the pilot from the cockpit - no mean feat whilst flying a single-seat fighter at speed with (possibly) light anti-aircraft fire and RAF fighters about!

The author expertly uses multiple sources from both sides, RAF and Luftwaffe aircrew etc, to give a more complete story of the campaign (often, Luftwaffe authors rarely use UK ground/ARP sources for balance). (The only anomaly in the book is that the infamous and controversial January 1943 Sandhurst Road School bombing is barely mentioned/no photos).

Also included are bomb plot/flight maps of some of the raids, plus 10 extensive appendices, sources/bibliography and an index.

The larger 10" x 8" hardback book size is a bonus and the photo reproduction is of good standard (not sure about the reprint paperback versions?)

A great example of how a campaign history should be written.

Five star/thoroughly recommended.

[Chris Goss]

I am blushing......... you are too kind. I should add I wrote it, Peter Cornwell helped with advice on the 1940 while Bernd is my co-researcher of many years in Germany. I am please to say that since publication, nobody has come up with new material which disproves what I have written which for me is both pleasing and a relief! BTW 20 Jan 43 is covered in some details from pages 174 to 185 but concentrating on what was a dreadful incident which cost the lives of 38 children, 6 teachers and another 26 civilians close by I felt would have reopened many wounds and memories

[NickM]

My 'Absolute Favorite' book about WW2 aviation is The JG26 War Diary by Donald Caldwell...the absolute crown jewel of my WW2 aviation collection and a great cross reference for virtually every other ETO unit history or memoir.
A Close second it the Lipfert War Diary==all flying all the time.


NM

[kaki3152]

I agree with the Lipfert Diary. I would also add the two books by Steinhoff; The Final Hours and the Straits of Messina. Lastly "Stormbird" by Buchner and "Top Secret Bird" by Spate.

[Bombphoon]

Originally Posted by NickM

My 'Absolute Favorite' book about WW2 aviation is The JG26 War Diary by Donald Caldwell...the absolute crown jewel of my WW2 aviation collection and a great cross reference for virtually every other ETO unit history or memoir.
A Close second it the Lipfert War Diary==all flying all the time.


NM

Is it much different to the two JG 26 War Diaries books/is it the same thing/is it much different/worth getting?

[Nick Beale]

Martin Middlebrook’s The Nuremberg Raid for its recounting of what actually happened to the people involved in such a momentous event and what it took to mount a raid and defend against it.

Richard Smith and Eddie Creek’s Jet Planes of the Third Reich for showing just how much could be discovered about what was then still quite mysterious and how it could be presented.

[Steve Coates]

Nick

Good call on JPTR. I know it's one of the books of which Eddie is proudest for exactly the reasons you state. It represented a real leap forward at the time. There's always merit in reading Richard's writing and appreciating how he would knit things together.

Steve

[Jim Oxley]

That's a tough question.There are so many excellent books. I'd have to break it down by Theatre.

Eastern Front
The Black Cross Red Star series. 6 volumes, and still going strong.

Mediterranean Front
Mediterranean Air War Series. A lasting tribute to Chris Shores

Western Front
JG26 War Dairies as already mentioned. Outstanding.
And
Nachtjagd: The Night Fighter Versus War over the Third Reich 1939-45 by Theo Boiten. This man knows his subject

Britain (because I see it as a Theatre in itself)
Luftwaffe Fighter-Bombers Over Britain, as already mentioned.

Intruders over Britain. The story of the Luftwaffe's night intruder force - the Fern Nachtjager, by Simon Parry. A much neglected subject.
Good to see Chris Goss has released a book on this same subject, which i hope to buy soon.
And
The Last Blitz: Operation Steinbock Luftwaffe Operations Over Britain January to May 1944, by Ron MacKay.

[NickM]

Originally Posted by Bombphoon

Is it much different to the two JG 26 War Diaries books/is it the same thing/is it much different/worth getting?

I'm unclear--my copies of the War Diaries are from when they got first published back in the late 1990s and even though they were hard bound, decades of reading and rereading has taken it's toll on them. If you mean the 'Stackpole' version is the same or not, I cannot say. It's possible new info has been including but I don't know. Still...the best part I like about The Diaries is at the end, there is an alpha list of every casualty suffered by JG26 as well as alpha listing of every pilot who claimed air to air victories, in chronological order (IE: the pilots are in alpha order and their vic tallies are chronological). IF stackpole has the same levels of info, then by all means buy the books.

[Bombphoon]

Sorry - I mis-typed - I meant is Caldwell's book JG 26: Top Guns of the Luftwaffe much different from his two JG 26 War Diary books? Thanks.