BF 109D/E Aces 1939-1941 (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces No 11) [Paperback]

John Weal (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 1996 | Series: Aircraft of the Aces (Book 11)

The period covered in this volume was considered to be the 'glory years' for the Jagdwaffe - fresh from the experience gained in the Spanish Civil War - and for the Bf 109 in particular. Many famous pilots scored their first kills in the classic dogfights staged over Poland, Western Europe, the Channel and finally southern England. Some 40 Knight's Crosses were awarded in 1940 alone. However, after sweeping all before them in support of the Blitzkrieg across continental Europe, the Bf 109E pilots were to suffer badly during the Battle of Britain, the result of poor tactics inflicted upon them by the Luftwaffe High Command, and their mount's less then generous range.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces series combines full colour artwork, the best archival contemporary photography, and first hand accounts from aces to bring history's greatest airborne conflicts to life.

About the Author

Arguably the finest profile artist in the business, John Weal’s love of German aircraft makes his work a treat for students of the subject. He has written several Aces volumes, and two books on the JU 87 in the companion series Combat Aircraft.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (November 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1855324873
• ISBN-13: 978-1855324879
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.2 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #737,502 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fills in the gaps on Me-109 history., October 18, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: BF 109D/E Aces 1939-1941 (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces No 11) (Paperback)

Weal and Price have teamed up to present a fascinating examination of the Me-109 aces of the Spanish Civil War and the early days of WW II. Dr. Price's experience, both as a Bomber Command member and decades of research and writing experience on WW II aviation come to light, just as Weal's evaluation of the aircraft and the men who flew them inform the reader, both expert and novice alike.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Overall very comprehensive., April 27, 2000

By 

Aaron Newlands "Sithgod" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: BF 109D/E Aces 1939-1941 (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces No 11) (Paperback)

this book overall is very good. the information is well laid out and easy to read. the author tries not to bog down with excessive information. it is pretty tight throughout. alot of aces that i had never heard of, which was good as i wasn't just reading stuff i had before. i would have prefered a little more information on the aces, rather than the campaigns. the book is packed with excellent photos and lots of them, it is still an excellent book and worth the read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Flashing Start of the Bf109 in European Skies., April 26, 2006

By 

Maximiliano F Yofre "Maxi" (Buenos Aires, Argentina) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: BF 109D/E Aces 1939-1941 (Osprey Aircraft of the Aces No 11) (Paperback)

As I say in my Amazon's Profile: "I am a science fiction fan and a history buff (especially WW II, Napoleon, Civil War, Ancient Rome), I read omnivorously on these subjects."

Osprey's different collections are a great resource for History "aficionados". In a very compact book series with excellent presentation, first quality paper and nice reproductions gives the reader a succinct and complete view of the subject.

"Aircraft of the Aces" is a very specialized series, reviewing in each volume a special brand and model of aircrafts in a limited war-time period.

Mr. John Weal has provided excellent profiles of specific airplanes, showing personal marks from the pilots, badges from the squadrons, different paintings styles, rank insignias and any relevant detail.

The photographic material is outstanding there are many less known airplanes photos and portraits of German aces as Galland and Molders.

Mr. Weal collects lots of personal anecdotes from pilots and some times is able to reproduce first person reports from confronting pilots, giving the reader a very dynamic perception of that specific "dog-fight".

Finally a brief section is dedicated to the Knight's Crosses winners, their record at the moment of wining the distinction, the final count of victories and war period death date if suitable.

This book is a good short volume that will be appreciated by neophytes, general public and very specially enjoyed by airplane modeling fans as it gives valuables details of different Bf109 variants.

Reviewed by Max Yofre.