Aces of the Legion Condor (Aircraft of the Aces)
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"Aces of the Legion Condor".
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Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
If you are interested in the fighter aspect of the air combat in the Spanish Civil War (from the Nationalist perspective) there are worse places to start than here. As in other volumes in the series, you get a chronological telling of events, with a historical introduction to the conflict, the decisions that led to the formation of the Condor Legion, and (for the main part) the operations of the Legion's units.
Most of the high scoring aces are mentioned, with some of their actions described but this reads more like a report of daily operations, with the focus on the aces at times quite limited. Moelders, for instance, who was both the highest scorer, as well as a significant contributor does not really get more than 4 paragraphs, with Galland similarly sparsely treated.
What the book does have, is a wealth of period photographs (not always fitting chronologically to the text), some very nice colour drawings, and it will give you an overall flair of operations of Condor Legion (again almost exclusively the fighter arm thereoff). At the end there is a useful summary of all high scorers (5 victories or more), together with their later, WW2 air combat accomplishments and career steps.
What is unfortunately covered very lightly, is the development of aerial tactics (again a couple of paragraphs at two different parts of the book), so for that you will need to look elsewhere. I was also missing an evaluation of how the He-112 compared to the Bf-109, and there is hardly any indication on the difference in performance and use of the C - E versions of the latter, too.
Overall it is a good 'executive summary' but if your interest in the conflict was piqued, you will do much better with one of the more comprehensive sources the author provides in the bibliography.
Final note for the Kindle edition - the transfer was very well executed, with the pictures of an appropriate size, and titles properly starting and ending on the same page (not always true of picture captions but that is easier to excuse with the format).
Most of the high scoring aces are mentioned, with some of their actions described but this reads more like a report of daily operations, with the focus on the aces at times quite limited. Moelders, for instance, who was both the highest scorer, as well as a significant contributor does not really get more than 4 paragraphs, with Galland similarly sparsely treated.
What the book does have, is a wealth of period photographs (not always fitting chronologically to the text), some very nice colour drawings, and it will give you an overall flair of operations of Condor Legion (again almost exclusively the fighter arm thereoff). At the end there is a useful summary of all high scorers (5 victories or more), together with their later, WW2 air combat accomplishments and career steps.
What is unfortunately covered very lightly, is the development of aerial tactics (again a couple of paragraphs at two different parts of the book), so for that you will need to look elsewhere. I was also missing an evaluation of how the He-112 compared to the Bf-109, and there is hardly any indication on the difference in performance and use of the C - E versions of the latter, too.
Overall it is a good 'executive summary' but if your interest in the conflict was piqued, you will do much better with one of the more comprehensive sources the author provides in the bibliography.
Final note for the Kindle edition - the transfer was very well executed, with the pictures of an appropriate size, and titles properly starting and ending on the same page (not always true of picture captions but that is easier to excuse with the format).
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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4 reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Luftwaffe Aces of the Spanish Civil War!
26 Jun 2011
Format:Paperback
During the Spanish Civil War, Luftwaffe 'volunteers' saw air combat in Heinkel 51 and Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters. Over 20 pilots including such legendary figures as Werner Molders, Hannes Trautloft and Gunther Lutzow scored five or more kills. Luftwaffe authority Robert Forsyth chronicles the combat exploits of those pilots in this excellent 2011 Osprey publication, #99 in their 'Aircraft of the Aces' series.
Though Forsyth's book is entitled ACES OF THE LEGION CONDOR, Luftwaffe fighter pilots such as Trautloft, Herwig Knuppel and Kraft Eberhardt had already been in action prior to the Legion's creation in November 1936 as part of Sonderstab W. Their Heinkel biplanes, though not world-winners, generally triumphed over the grab-bag collection of aircraft operated by the Republican forces. When Soviet I-15 and I-16 fighters were introduced in November however, the He 51's days as an air-superiority fighter were over. The He 51 squadrons were switched to ground-attack chores and Bf 109s, along with additional pilots, were hurriedly dispatched to Spain. These reinforcements, whose ranks included such luminaries as Lutzow, Molders, Walter Oseau, Wolfgang Lippert, Wilhelm Balthasar and Herbert Ihlefeld, quickly regained control of the Spanish skies for Franco. By war's end, the 26 Legion Condor aces had claimed 190-odd kills.
For those with little knowledge of Legion Condor ops or the Spanish Civil War in general, Forsyth's book is an informative, well-illustrated and exciting summary of the Legion's men and missions. As documented in ACES OF THE LEGION CONDOR, the German units played decisive roles not just in air combat but ground attack as well. His use of first-person reminiscences, some quite extensive, bring the Legion's war to life. On an off note, I was surprised at the scanty coverage given to Molders' record, given that he was the top-scoring ace with 14 kills but that's just me.
As always, Jim Laurier's profile artwork is first-rate; likewise, Mark Postlethwaite's cover art.
In short, ACES OF THE LEGION CONDOR is another fine addition to the Osprey Aces series. Forsyth's well-researched book provides a fascinating, 'you-are-there' look at the Legion Condor's fighter units in combat. Recommended.
Though Forsyth's book is entitled ACES OF THE LEGION CONDOR, Luftwaffe fighter pilots such as Trautloft, Herwig Knuppel and Kraft Eberhardt had already been in action prior to the Legion's creation in November 1936 as part of Sonderstab W. Their Heinkel biplanes, though not world-winners, generally triumphed over the grab-bag collection of aircraft operated by the Republican forces. When Soviet I-15 and I-16 fighters were introduced in November however, the He 51's days as an air-superiority fighter were over. The He 51 squadrons were switched to ground-attack chores and Bf 109s, along with additional pilots, were hurriedly dispatched to Spain. These reinforcements, whose ranks included such luminaries as Lutzow, Molders, Walter Oseau, Wolfgang Lippert, Wilhelm Balthasar and Herbert Ihlefeld, quickly regained control of the Spanish skies for Franco. By war's end, the 26 Legion Condor aces had claimed 190-odd kills.
For those with little knowledge of Legion Condor ops or the Spanish Civil War in general, Forsyth's book is an informative, well-illustrated and exciting summary of the Legion's men and missions. As documented in ACES OF THE LEGION CONDOR, the German units played decisive roles not just in air combat but ground attack as well. His use of first-person reminiscences, some quite extensive, bring the Legion's war to life. On an off note, I was surprised at the scanty coverage given to Molders' record, given that he was the top-scoring ace with 14 kills but that's just me.
As always, Jim Laurier's profile artwork is first-rate; likewise, Mark Postlethwaite's cover art.
In short, ACES OF THE LEGION CONDOR is another fine addition to the Osprey Aces series. Forsyth's well-researched book provides a fascinating, 'you-are-there' look at the Legion Condor's fighter units in combat. Recommended.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
excellant from the start.
6 Aug 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Robert Forsyth is well known for meticulous research and good narrative in the same book. This volume is no exception. Many know of the Luftwaffe "Experten" from WWII, but this volume answers how many of them got their start, gaining experience and expertise that was unmatched when the war began. This was learned in Spain's Civil War. Robert does a great job of blending narrative with detail and personal stories.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
The Legion Condor Authority !!!!!
30 Jun 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I am a long time reader and fan of the Osprey series of aviation titles and the "Aircraft of the Aces" series in particular. These books are top notch concise, thorough, informative, and thrilling resources. Aces of the Legion Condor continues this streak of victories and then some! As a student of the various Jagdgeschwader/Verband/Gruppen and Luftwaffe fighter units of all orders of battle I have long pined for an Osprey title on the legendary Legion Condor (a.k.a.- Condor Legion, Legion Kondor, etc.). This is one of the least storied and most misunderstood Luftwaffe units and this book delivers beautifully with an expert blend of the stories behind the planes and the men who flew them.
The Legion Condor was the modest beginnings of many of the Luftwaffe's great aces and leaders that would emerge in the six years of bloody conflict that was soon to follow this baptism of fire in the Spanish Civil War.
The experiences these formations were exposed to aided the Luftwaffe to forge and refine fighter tactics in dogfighting, bomber escort, and intercept missions that made them the nearly unstoppable force the would be for much of the Second World War. Figures such as Adolf Galland and Werner Molders tasted their first victories and gained priceless experience they took back to Germany to train the growing fighter force for the coming conflict.
The descriptions of the planes, the sweltering summers, the nerve racking missions, to the glow of victory in the pilots' own words, this book is a must have for any WW2 fighter enthusiast; for this is the flagship work on "where it all began".
The Legion Condor was the modest beginnings of many of the Luftwaffe's great aces and leaders that would emerge in the six years of bloody conflict that was soon to follow this baptism of fire in the Spanish Civil War.
The experiences these formations were exposed to aided the Luftwaffe to forge and refine fighter tactics in dogfighting, bomber escort, and intercept missions that made them the nearly unstoppable force the would be for much of the Second World War. Figures such as Adolf Galland and Werner Molders tasted their first victories and gained priceless experience they took back to Germany to train the growing fighter force for the coming conflict.
The descriptions of the planes, the sweltering summers, the nerve racking missions, to the glow of victory in the pilots' own words, this book is a must have for any WW2 fighter enthusiast; for this is the flagship work on "where it all began".
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