JG 300 Wilde Sau Vol. 1 Standard Edition

The Wilde Sau Geschwader JG 300 played a key role in the aerial defense of the Reich during the last two years of WWII but has never before been the subject of a serious and detailed study. This work thus fills a major void in the history of the war in the air. This chronicle has been assembled with the participation of more than 130 veterans and their families, traced and interviewed in the course of more than twenty years research. It sheds new light on flying operations and aerial combat as experienced by German fighter pilots in the battles that took place over Germany. Interspersed with numerous vivid personal accounts, it is a work that has a uniquely human and personal dimension. The authors have undertaken an in-depth comparative study of German, British and American primary sources and archival records, with the chief aim of minimizing errors and inaccuracies and ruling out dubious information. Far from seeking to glorify German or Allied aviators, they have reconstructed as accurately as possible the fates of the actors in this immense human drama and pay them due tribute. This history of JG 300 also deals with those aspects of the air war often neglected in the specialist literature such as the daily routines of the ground personnel and the navigation methods practiced by single seat fighters. Included are comprehensive loss and victory listings, and more than 800 photographs in the two volumes collected from private sources. Twenty six color profiles and paintings by Thomas A. Tullis and Richard Goyat are featured in Volume 1 with thirty color profiles in Volume 2. A leather bound, signed, limited edition is also available, ISBN 0-9761034-1-9, autographed by Hajo Hermann, founder of the Wilde Sau.

Anyone interested in WW2 air warfare (Western Front) should not hesitate to pick up copies of JG 300 Vols. 1 and 2 before they inevitably disappear from the shelves. These quality books are large and beautifully printed, 775 pages packed with personal accounts of life in a Luftwaffe Fighter unit during the latter years of WW2. Extraordinary effort has gone into the research of this unit (translated fro the original French by the reknowned historian Neil Page BA), with literally hundreds of excellent b/w photographs and numerous, vivid aircraft profiles (equisitely done by Tom Tullis) from each Gruppe. Combat reports, diary excerpts, veteran recounted battles and experiences, loss lists and victory lists round out an outstanding unit history. I have been reading them and scanning the photos for months, and I am constantly suprised by something new. These volumes are worth their weight in gold. Amateur Luftwaffe researchers and enthusiasts will absolutely treasure these volumes in their library. --By Daniel R. Taylor

Mr. JeanYves Lorant did a superb job on both parts of this chronicle. I was amazed with the number and quality of photographs, I loved the text and these two books (Part 1 + Part 2) became a pride of my Luftwaffe books collection. It's totally worth the money! --By Jaroslav Sauer -

My review applies to both volumes of this oustanding work, obviously a labor of love for the authors; we readers are the beneficiaries of their efforts. What could easily be a dry recounting of each day's activities for a Luftwaffe Fighter Wing engaged in the Defense of the Reich, instead becomes of personal narrative of a long struggle, against heavy odds, whose ulimate conclusion was readily apparent to those involved. The personal recollections of the pilots are what remains in one's mind after reading these books. Beautifully done aircraft profiles as well, printed on high grade paper, these are books to treasure. One subject continues to bother me; the repeated descriptions of USAAF fighters machine gunning helpless pilots in their parachutes, and on the ground. --By Robert A., Shoaf