Description

Featuring photography and illustrations throughout, a combat history of one of the most successful of the high-scoring Luftwaffe Jagdgeschwader during World War 2.

JG 54 'Grünherz' (Green Hearts) was formed from three disparate fighter 'Gruppen' immediately prior to the Battle of Britain. Having enjoyed immediate success over the Channel and South-east England during the summer of 1940, the unit was transferred to the Eastern Front in the spring of 1941 in preparation for Operation Barbarossa - the German invasion of the Soviet Union. JG 54 would remain a Jagdwaffe stalwart in the east, flying firstly Bf 109Fs and then the Fw 190. By war's end, the Geschwader's pilots had claimed over 9500 kills, and produced over 100 aces.

Men like Hans Philipp, Walter Nowotny and Otto Kittel are profiled in this volume, which reveals the struggle in the face of overwhelming odds that was the lot of the Jagdflieger on the Eastern Front.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER ONE
THE PARTS OF THE SUM

CHAPTER TWO
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN – BEFORE AND AFTER

CHAPTER THREE
BALKAN INTERLUDE

CHAPTER FOUR
RUSSIA 1941-43

CHAPTER FIVE
'GREEN HEARTS' IN THE WEST

CHAPTER SIX
EASTERN FRONT 1943-45

APPENDICES
COLOUR PLATES COMMENTARY
INDEX

Product details

Published Oct 20 2012
Format Ebook (Epub & Mobi)
Edition 1st
Extent 128
ISBN 9781782005339
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations 143 b/w; 28 col
Series Aviation Elite Units
Short code AEU 6
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

John Weal

John Weal is Osprey's primary Luftwaffe author and…

Illustrator

John Weal

John Weal is Osprey's primary Luftwaffe author and…

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