Jagdgeschwader 53 'Pik-As'

by John Weal, John Weal (Illustrator), Mark Postlethwaite (Illustrator)

Overview

Arguably the archetypal Luftwaffe fighter unit of World War 2, JG 53 aircraft were encountered on almost every fighting front from the first day of hostilities until the last. During almost six years of near-constant campaigning, JG 53 took a steady toll of Allied aircraft in every theatre it fought over. The variety of camouflage finishes worn by its machines -winter white, desert dapple and Reich's defence black and the progression of variants are reflected in an eye-opening colour section. John Weal has spent several years researching in German archives and this, together with his personal contact with several veterans, results in an authoritative and human account of JG 53's long and eventful war.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781782006602
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	11/20/2012
Series:	Aviation Elite Units , #25
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	128
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Osprey's primary Luftwaffe author/artist, John Weal has written and/or illustrated six titles in the Aircraft of the Aces series and three in the Combat Aircraft series dealing with German aircraft and pilots, he has also supplied artwork for a further eleven books in the list. Possessing one of the largest private collections of original German-language literature from World War 2, his research is firmly based on this huge archive. This is his eighth book in the Aviation Elite Units series.
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.
Mark Postlethwaite was born in Leicestershire in 1964 and has developed a lifelong passion for aviation history. He first worked as a photographer before turning his attention solely to artwork, and is now highly regarded in his field for the quality and accuracy of his work. He became the youngest elected member of the Guild of Aviation Artists in 1991. Mark is a valued Osprey artist and has contributed to more than 100 of its books.

Table of Contents

Early Days     6
Sitzkrieg and Blitzkrieg     11
The Battle of Britain and Beyond     26
Barbarossa and Beyond     40
The Mediterranean, Act I     62
The Parting of the Ways     72
The Mediterranean, Act II     85
End in the East and West     106
Appendices     121
Colour Plates Commentary     123
Unit Heraldry     127
Bibliography     127
Index     128

Editorial Reviews

Chock full of photographs of the men and machines of JG 53, the book is further enhanced by several pages of color profiles showing the variety of camouflage schemes worn by this unit over the years. A book that needs to be on the shelf of every Luftwaffe and 109 fan, and one that I can highly recommend to you.” —Scott Van Aken, modelingmadness.com (December 2007)

From the Publisher