German Aircraft of World War II: Fighters, Bombers, Transports, Seaplanes

The flyers of the Luftwaffe spearheaded the German blitzkrieg during the early years of World War II, providing a key aerial element to the German war machine that swept all before it. Later in the war, the Luftwaffe concentrated on defense, producing the world’s first rocket- and jet-propelled fighters. features 52 of the greatest aircraft to fly for the Luftwaffe from 1939 to 1945. Included are the Junkers Ju-87 Stuka divebomber, an aircraft with a shrieking siren that terrorized ground troops and civilians in Poland, France, and the Low Countries; the Messerschmitt Bf 109, one of the most adaptable and long-standing fighters of the war that served in every theater in a variety of roles; the twin-engine Ju-88, which served as a tactical bomber in the early phase of the war and later as a night-fighter during the defense of the Reich; and the Messerschmitt Me 262, the first jet fighter to enter service for any air force and a highly-effective interceptor against Allied bombers from 1944 onward. Each entry includes a brief description of the type’s development and history, dynamic artwork, key features, and specifications.