Jagdgeschwader 53 - Pik-As

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 defense black - and the progression of variants are reflected in an eye-opening color 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.

Contents:

• Introduction
• The Phoney War and France
• The Battle of Britain and After
• Barbarossa – the Invasion of Russia
• Defending the North Sea Coast
• To the Mediterranean – Malta and El Alamein
• Out of Africa – Tunisia, Sicily and Italy
• Round Two in Russia
• Normandy
• Defense of the Reich ·
• The End in East and West
• Appendices: Unit Commanders, Knight’s Cross recipients