Luftwaffe: The Allied Intelligence Files Staerck, Christopher and Sinnott, Paul

From the formerly secret files of the British Public Records Office

 Puts the reader inside Allied intelligence, poring through secret dossiers

 Contains hundreds of mostly unpublished photos, plus illustrations, diagrams, and plans

 Includes details of some of the most exotic aircraft of World War II, including the He 162 "people’s fighter" and the Me 264 "Amerika" bomber

German aircraft of World War II continue to be of great interest in Europe and North America because they were some of the most successful and unusual warplanes of the twentieth century. Many illustrated books cover the major types of Luftwaffe aircraft, but this one is very different. First, most of its photos have never been published before. They include secret shots of captured and deserting aircraft, aerial reconnaissance photos, photos obtained by Allied agents in occupied Europe, and captured German photos. Second, the background information includes a brief history of how the plane actually performed in combat, illustrated with anecdotes about thrilling missions. Third, the text is drawn from declassified British intelligence files, thick dossiers that were gleaned from MI6, OSS, and SOE agents in the field, from RAF and USAAF air crew combat reports, from POW interrogations, and from coded German message interceptions. The book’s extensive introduction also offers a history of Allied air intelligence, which grew from a handful of staff members to an efficient information-gathering machine that often knew many details of enemy aircraft before they had even become operational. Luftwaffe, then, is for the serious, discriminating student of aviation history and air combat in World War II.

CHRISTOPHER STAERCK is a writer and editor who focuses on topics of military history. PAUL SINNOTT worked for several years at the Public Record Office, Britain’s national archives. He is the author of Messerschmitt Bf 109: Pilot’s Notes. Both authors live near London.