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The Battle of the Airfields: Operation Bodenplatte 1st January 1945 - Hardcover

Franks, Norman

 
9781898697152: The Battle of the Airfields: Operation Bodenplatte 1st January 1945
Hardcover
ISBN 10: 1898697159 ISBN 13: 9781898697152
Publisher: Grub Street Publishing, 1995

Synopsis

At first light on the morning of 1st January 1945, over 800 Luftwaffe fighters took off from their bases in Germany to attack Allied airfields in Holland, Belgium and France. Some of these surprise attacks proved successful, some were hardly noticed, while others were disastrous for the attackers. Basing his account on information from both Wing and Squadron diaries, with many first-hand accounts from the men who were there, Norman Franks paints a picture of that winter morning and the rest of the day. In these attacks, and in the air battles which were fought at low level across the open countrysides and over towns in the low countries, the Luftwaffe lost up to 300 of their fighter aircraft and over 200 pilots were killed or taken prisoner. The damage inflicted on the Allied air forces was some 200 aircraft but with little loss of life and the Allies were able to replenish their forces within days - whereas the Luftewaffe had greater difficulty in finding new pilots. Operation Bodenplatte was planned as a lightening blow to smash the British and American forces in north-west Europe. In fact it turned out to be the Luftwaffe's final act of self-destruction.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

Synopsis

At first light on the morning of 1st January 1945, over 800 Luftwaffe fighters took off from their bases in Germany to attack Allied airfields in Holland, Belgium and France. Some of these surprise attacks proved successful, some were hardly noticed, while others were disastrous for the attackers. Basing his account on information from both Wing and Squadron diaries, with many first-hand accounts from the men who were there, Norman Franks paints a picture of that winter morning and the rest of the day. In these attacks, and in the air battles which were fought at low level across the open countrysides and over towns in the low countries, the Luftwaffe lost up to 300 of their fighter aircraft and over 200 pilots were killed or taken prisoner. The damage inflicted on the Allied air forces was some 200 aircraft but with little loss of life and the Allies were able to replenish their forces within days - whereas the Luftewaffe had greater difficulty in finding new pilots. Operation Bodenplatte was planned as a lightening blow to smash the British and American forces in north-west Europe. In fact it turned out to be the Luftwaffe's final act of self-destruction.

About the Author

Norman Franks is a respected historian and author. Previous titles for Pen and Sword include InThe Footsteps of the Red Baron (co-authored with Mike OConnor), The Fighting Cocks, RAF Fighter Pilots Over Burma, Dogfight, The Fallen Few of the Battle of Britain (with Nigel McCrery) and Dowdings Eagles. Over the course of his career, Frank has published some of the most compelling works on First World War fighter aviation, being one of the worlds leading authorities on the subject. He lives in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Publisher
Grub Street Publishing
Publication date
1995
Language
English
ISBN 10 
1898697159
ISBN 13 
9781898697152
Binding
Hardcover
Number of pages
224