To Win The Winter Sky [Paperback]

Danny S. Parker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 21, 1998

As Allied and German armies fought on the ground in the Battle of the Bulge, an equally desperate battle raged in the skies overhead, as enemy air forces fought the weather and each other for supremacy.Acclaimed author Danny Parker completes the narrative begun in his highly successful Battle of the Bulge. He covers the important and previously unexplored air aspect of a famous land battle. Those who thought they were thoroughly familiar with Hitler's last offensive will find a wealth of new information here, including exclusive interviews with war-time airmen, over 100 rare photos, the unknown story of German MIAs, Luftwaffe jets and other secret weapons, losses in men and aircraft for both sides from government archives, aircraft performance comparisons, and the innovations in tactics and technology that made victory for one side possible and defeat for the other side inevitable.Through all the facts and figures, Danny Parker weaves a compelling narrative about the airmen on both sides in the last desperate days of World War II, about their conflicts with the enemy and among themselves as they stood on the brink of victory--and defeat. As the end of the war drew near, Allied leaders were divided between British and Americans, air and ground commanders, and advocates of strategic and tactical air operations. On the German side, Luftwaffe leaders Hermann Göring and Dietrich Peltz sought to obey every order to the bitter end, while Luftwaffe fighter commander Adolf Galland struggled to save his last reserves of young pilots from a final and futile slaughter.Danny S. Parker is a former research consultant to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the Battle of the Bulge, and is the author of "Ten Percent Chance of Victory: The Last Operation of the German Airborne," and The Battle of the Bulge. He is highly regarded by veterans, historians, and active-duty military personnel.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Danny S. Parker is a former research consultant to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the Battle of the Bulge. He is the author of To Win the Winter Sky: The Air Way Over the Ardennes, and editor of The Battle of the Bulge: The German View and Hitler's Ardennes Offensive. He lives in Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Product Details

• Paperback: 532 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (June 21, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580970060
• ISBN-13: 978-1580970068
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #864,390 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in 1953, Danny S. Parker developed a keen interest in the history of the WWII at an early age. In 1991, he authored "Battle of the Bulge," an detailed campaign overview, followed in 1994 by "To Win the Winter Sky," a history of the last months of the air war. Over the last 17 years, he has researched an in-depth biography of Jochen Peiper, an infamous German personality in that conflict. This included over 200 interviews in the U.S. and Germany as well as many hours at the U.S. National Archives and the Bundesarchiv in Freiburg. Unique information developed on the Malmedy massacre saw the publication of "Fatal Crossroads" in 2011. A first book on Peiper, "A Deadly Past," will be released in 2012-2013. The author is particularly interested in preserving the rich history of the Second World War and through it conveying insight into the human condition. His other interests span the gamut: low energy home design, invention and machines, Zen practice and good coffee.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A master-writer piece of work !, July 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: To Win The Winter Sky (Paperback)

I bought this book in 1995. Mr.Parker wrote an outstanding book that relates the air and ground aspects of the Battle of the Bulge, of course giving enphase to the former. He deals with both American and German air units involved in the operation, placing the action under chapters according to the date of the events (for example, December, 16th, 1994), and makes a high opinion of Ninth Air Force units who really helped to stall the German advance through the Ardennes.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A book by an american to americans, September 2, 2002

By 

Luis (Lisbon, Portugal) - See all my reviews

This review is from: To Win the Winter Sky: The Air War over the Ardennes 1944-1945 (Hardcover)

This book offers very detailed information about american and allied operations, it starts in a very interesting way but the central part of the book is almost impossible to read. And why? Because it's an hipnotic list of allied bombardments and easy air victories, there's no references to german successes, all victories of the german fighter squadrons seem like never had taken place and its pilots were flying ducks. In this very american perspective, and the way in which the writer puts it, the comparison of losses is highly doubtful or incorrect.
Nevertheless, I highly recommend this book to your collection and also, that you go investigate and buy more books about the air war in europe to form your oppinion.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Air action above the Battle of the Bulge, January 1, 2002

By 

Duncan C. McDougall (Campton, NH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: To Win the Winter Sky: The Air War over the Ardennes 1944-1945 (Hardcover)

Parker is a dedicated historian. He has researched the records of the USAAF and RAF squadrons, and of the Luftwaffe Staffels involved in the last German offensive of World War II. In TO WIN THE WINTER SKY Parker faithfully reports their many actions. The book is rich with maps and photographs of the planes and personnel whose battles Parker chronicles. The text describes the many difficulties presented by that tough winter, as well as the uncertainties of operating from Belgian bases only a few miles from advancing German divisions. The battle was a brutal slugfest, in the air as on the ground.

I know no better history of the crucial roles played by the air forces throughout the 1944-45 winter battle over the Ardennes. Its detail answers many questions. For instance, I have long wondered whether the new Douglas A-26 Invader had been involved in the Battle of the Bulge. In "Winter Sky," I found my answer. The A-26 was employed by the 409th and, if a caption is correct on p. 274, the 416th Bomber Groups of the 97th Combat Bomb Wing. (I was curious because of my admiration for that great airplane, which went on to serve in the Korean and Vietnam wars.)

My only criticism is that Parker's approach to writing history is almost too thorough for me. Parker sacrifices readability for consistency, being careful to pay attention to all involved squadrons, and the book becomes monotonous as it chronicles so many daily actions, as taken from so many squadron reports. Hence, as a reviewer I am torn between four stars and five. I have decided to rate the book on its contribution to the history of WWII. As such, "Winter Sky" earns top marks.