Jagdgeschwader 54 'Grunherz'

Weal, John

ISBN 10: 1841762865 / ISBN 13: 9781841762869

Published by Osprey Publishing, Oxford, 2001

About this Item

Slender octavo, paperback, 128 pp., color plane profiles & illus., b/w photos, map, appendices, bib, index. Osprey Aviation Elite #6. Tipped-in inside the front cover is a signed b/w photo of Norbert Hannig who flew over 200 combat missions for the Luftwaffe, had 42 kills & became a Me262 pilot near the end of the war. On the next p. a signed color photo of Erich Rudorffer is glued in. He flew over 1,000 combat missions, had 222 kills, won the Iron Cross 1st & 2nd class plus the German Cross in Gold plus the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross w/Oak Leaves & Swords. Paperback book in fine cond.

Seller Inventory # 013299

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Jagdgeschwader 54 'Grunherz'
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing, Oxford
• Publication Date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1841762865
• ISBN 13: 9781841762869
• Binding: Soft cover
• Illustrator: Laurier, Jim
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Printing: 1st Printing
• Condition: Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Issued Without Jacket
• Signed: Signed by Subjects

About this title

Synopsis

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.

About the Authors

John Weal is Osprey's primary Luftwaffe author and artist. He has written, illustrated and/or supplied artwork for several titles in the Aircraft of the Aces series. He owns one of the largest private collections of original German-language literature from World War 2, and his research is firmly based on this huge archive.

Jim Laurier is a native of New England and lives in New Hampshire. He attended Paier School of Art in Hamden, Connecticut, from 1974–78, and since graduating with Honours, he has been working professionally in the field of Fine Art and Illustration. He has been commissioned to paint for the US Air Force and has aviation paintings on permanent display at the Pentagon.