Customer Reviews

German Jets Versus the U.S. Army Air Force: Battle for the Skies over Europe

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As a student of German World War II history I have to say I was somewhat disappointed in this book. However, if one is interested in the subject area covered by this book, and has a clear understanding of the author's point of view, it is an acceptable addition to the World War II history buff's library.

The book was written by William Hess, who is the official historian for the American Fighter Aces Association. It is made up largely of accounts taken (not surprisingly) directly from American fighter pilot combat reports and U.S. Army Air Force Records. The book retells the stories of numerous combats between U.S. pilots and German Jet and Rocket propelled aircraft, almost exclusively from the American prospective.

Hess almost completely fails to discuss the strategic importance or effect that the German jets had on the war or could have had had they been introduced by the Germans somewhat earlier than they were. I found a disappointing lack of information about the development of the German jet and rocket aircraft or about the training or lack thereof of the German pilots who flew the jets. This whole aspect was covered in the first eighteen pages of the book. There was painfully little discussion of the German manufacturing process, the technical aspects of the German planes, or the politics surrounding their use and deployment.

This book is filled by-in-large with first person combat reports by American pilots, and one is given only the most limited tactical view of the significance of these combats. The only lesson I learned from this book is that by the time the jets appeared in any numbers the Allies had such overwhelming airsuperiority over Europe that the Luftwaffe had no hope of making any impact on the course of the war regardless of the planes the German pilots flew.

This book, though somewhat small is nicely bound in black leather (or something that looks like leather), it contains 159 pages of text and numerous black and white photos, mostly of pilots. A more accurate title would have been "The U.S. Army Air Force Versus German Jets: The American pilot's perspective". The writing style of the book is easy to read and with all the first person combat reports it is somewhat exciting reading and moves along quickly. If you're looking for a basic introduction to this material, its a worthwhile investment. If you're looking for an in depth, balanced examination of the subject matter you'll probably be disappointed.

This author, William Hess, does always the same thing (see "ZEMKE'S WOLFPACK", the history of 56th Fighter Group): he takes the combat reports written by the pilots and publish them, with no particular insight, no human side to the history, no strategic comments. The result is an endless and boring reading of air combats after air combats. Argh!

Horrible. I think it would have been better for myself to have read directly the combat reports from the American fighter squadron's diaries. Hess writes in a cold style, that it's not echnical nor real: it's just cold and borign. I'll never read nothing from him again. THe books in the "OXSPREY AIRCRAFT OF THE ACES" are much, much better. Hess should read them.