Duel Under the Stars
A German Night Fighter Pilot in the Second Word War
Johnen, Wilhelm
English language edition of "Duell unter den Sternen" (Düsseldorf, 1956)
Wilhelm Johnen was one of the great night fighter pilots in the German Luftwaffe with thirty-four victories in the West. He tells of the attempts to protect Germany from the Allied carpet bombing and the aerial battles between fighters and the bomber armada that flew from Britain.
His first mission was quite eventful, he shot down one plane and was promptly shot down himself. He describes the successful dropping of 'tin foil' which lured the fighters away on false radar reports whilst the Allied bombers flattened Hamburg. He also relates Germany's hurried attempts to make their radar proof against these airborne 'red herrings'.
January, 1944 saw the first heavy raid on Berlin and Johnen's squadron was fighting with its back against the wall, but operations were carried out to the bitter end when they also had to contend with probably the best 'all-round' aircraft of the war, the Mosquito.
The book is an enthralling personal story and is also a dramatic account of some of the largest air operations in air history. It is also important as being one of the few English language accounts of a German night fighter pilot's experiences.
Hardcover with dust jacket
220 Seiten / pages
photos
very good condition
United Kingdom - 1994 - Crécy Books
Art.Nr. 22499
