When I requested this book for review, I was expecting a book of profiles of various World War II German aircraft. It was a great pleasure to discover that this book is actually a detailed history of the Luftwaffe, covering not only the organization and aircraft, but also the men, strategy, and tactics that made the air arm of the Third Reich the formidable war machine that it was.

After the end of World War I, the Treaty of Versailles deemed that the Germans were prohibited from having any land- or sea-based air forces. While the Allies felt this was justified, Germany believed the policy was too strict. Covered in the first chapter of the book, the process used for getting around the restrictions of the treaty is well explained, in which German industry developed aircraft for “commercial” aviation. In actuality, many of the aircraft developed for Lufthansa in the 1930s eventually found homes in the military. Of course, Hermann Goring was very influential in encouraging the secret development of aviation capabilities. By 1935, Hitler publicly defied the restrictions and began full military rearmament. When world did not respond, Germany eventually joined in operations of the Spanish Civil War. Again, the warnings were not heeded, and Poland fell in 1939, followed by the Battle of Britain in 1940, as World War II began.

The second chapter delves into the structure and organization of the Luftwaffe. This chapter covers the command structure, group and squadron structure, training procedures, and even uniform components and types. Safety equipment, such as headgear, life vests, and parachutes are examined.

The book progresses into the area of strategic bombers in the next chapter. Several of the bomber types and variants are mentioned, along with the tactics and preparation for missions. Mission procedures for navigation, bombing runs, landing, and even evasion & capture are explained. There are anecdotal accounts of pilots and crew who were captured and incarcerated. Actually, these anecdotes are located throughout the book in accord with each chapter topic.

Next covered are the Fighter operations. The Bf 109 and the Fw 190, the mainstays of the Luftwaffe Fighter arsenal, are both covered in detail, as well as the Me 262 jet fighter and rocket-powered Me 163. Tactics are covered, for both fighter and interceptor roles, in fairly good detail. There is a section in this chapter on Nightfighters and their specialized equipment and tactics.

The next chapter focuses on Ground Attack aircraft and tactics. Aircraft types begin with the Junkers K 47, progressing through the Henschel Hs 123A and on to the vaunted Ju 87 Stuka, the premier ground attack weapon of the Luftwaffe. Eventually, the Bf 109s and Fw 190s were used in the ground attack role as the Stuka became less effective.

The German Navy also had several aircraft that were used during the war, including flying boats and floatplanes, as well as a variety of bombers that could be used for attacking shipping targets with either bombs or torpedoes. These are covered in the chapter titled Sea Eagles-Maritime Operations.

The Fallschirmjager, airborne troops dropped into combat areas by parachute, are detailed in the chapter on Ground Forces. Uniforms and tactics are explained, as well as operational tactics and specific operations. The Field Regiments are included in this chapter, which included anti-aircraft units and anti-tank units. Of course, there were maintenance crews, auxiliaries, fire service, and civil defense units under the control of the Luftwaffe. The book concludes with a story from German Ace Walter Nowotny, as well as thoughts, in reverence and contemplation, of the brave German pilots who fought and died in service to the Luftwaffe.

Hitler’s Eagles: The Luftwaffe 1933-45 is a fascinating book, filled with historical information and reference material. The strategy and tactics used, along with the incredible technological advances in aviation made by the Luftwaffe in World War II, are a testament to what was, and what could have been were it not for the Allied efforts. The book is best enjoyed when it is absorbed slowly, taking in the information page by page and gaining a fuller understanding of the men, machines, and tactical operations. For scale modelers, this is an enjoyable reading experience and an excellent source of information. For fans of historical aviation, the book is a must-have reference that will be used again and again. I would give the book my highest recommendation.

I would like to express my gratitude to Osprey Publishing for providing the book, and to IPMS for the opportunity to review it.