|
|
|||||
Author: Claire Rose Knott While much has been written about German night-fighters and night-fighter aces, this latest book from Classic Publications proves that there is always something new waiting to come out. This book examines the lives of two Princes who became highly successful night-fighter pilots. The first is Prince Heinrich Zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, who was the third highest scoring nightfighter ace in the Luftwaffe. The second is Prince Egmont zur Lippe-Weissenfeld, who ranked 21st in that list of aces. Both pilots flew a variety of aircraft, and interestingly, both died within a few months of each other, in early 1944. This book provides a detailed look at the lives of these two Princes, from their early interest in aviation through their combat careers and their final days. The book is divided into three chapters: an introduction to night-fighters, followed by a chapter on each of the Princes. The introduction is useful, as it puts into context the events that surrounded the main subjects of this book. The chapters on each of the Princes are quite insightful, as these are not your typical Luftwaffe pilots. Prince Egmont zur Lippe-Weissenfeld was an Austrian, for example, and was not particularly pleased with the Prussian occupation of his homeland. Yet he gave it his all in aerial defense of Germany and Austria. Distrust and uncertainty about home politics was common between both pilots, but these views remained on the ground. In the air, they were Luftwaffe pilots, and defending their homeland was their primary concern. In addition to a thoroughly researched and documented text, which draws upon a huge array of archival materials as well as personal correspondence in the Prince's families, this book contains a wealth of photographs, many never published before. These include photos of the Princes and their aircraft, as well as photos of ceremonies, R&R trips, and more. Complementing these are several color profile illustrations, providing a nice reference for those interested in colors and markings. This is a fascinating book and one well worth reading. I recommend this to anyone interested in night-fighters, and the Luftwaffe in general. My thanks to Specialty Press for the review copy. |
Digg
this story!
|
||||
|
|||||
