Customer Reviews

Alert In the West: A Luftwaffe Pilot on the Western Front (Fortunes of War)

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The book is a collection of memoirs, which were compiled several decades after the events of WW2. It is probably because of that fact, that the book is not very heavy on details and data. For example, the author rarely mentions the dates of events. There are no maps, which would have been very useful if one would want to understand the larger context of events. On the other hand, the book contains several photos of the pilots of III./JG54 and their FW-190's. The style of the memoirs is wonderfully honest and devoid of propaganda clichés. The human aspect of the Luftwaffe pilot fighting for his life at the end of a lost war is depicted very convincingly. The book has a most moving final chapter, which culminates in one of the most poetic (and sad) images that has ever been written in the field of war memoirs.

Some limited information can be derived about the aerial combat tactics of the Luftwaffe and the Allies. The author describes many combat missions, the altitudes at which they were fought, the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the different aircraft, etc.

On the negative side, the editorial work on this book does not uphold very high standards. Some of the terms are translated incorrectly from the German and the text is plagued by numerous spelling mistakes. This is the third book from the Fortunes of War Series, which I have read and I must regrettably warn you that the poor editorial work is a feature, which plagued each of them.

As noted before. There is much information about individual sorties and dogfights. The British translation is terrible though. One would think the pilot was in the RAF instead of the Luftwaffe, there are just too many British colloquialisms being substituted for German ones. After awhile, I found the British phrases very distracting. I also agree that a few maps would make it a much more enjoyable read.

I do however think it fills a niche as a pilots perspective of the final days in the Luftwaffe.

The previous poster I think has the dates wrong though. I believe the book was first published in 1951, as "Alarm in Westen" by a German publisher. My old paperback is a translation published into English in 1966.

Good book,

I happen to have both "old" "I fought You from the Skies " and this new edition. New is better as this book reveals true names of Luftwaffe pilots - maybe the old version is from the time when Luftwaffe histories weren't so popular.

Good book in all - "langnase" is described very well and even Walter Nowotny gives appearance. Also added pictures give some faces to characters of the final battles in Europe.

Recommend warmly...

Juha Luukka

A classic story of a German pilot on the Western Front shooting down American and British planes during WW2. Hes a talented writer. A classic war book from the "other side"