Luftwaffe
How the Luftwaffe rescued downed airmen in the North African desert — from both sides
Many aircrews in the North African theatre had call to be thankful for the daring exploits of the Wüstennotstaffel, the Luftwaffe’s dedicated desert rescue unit
How the Luftwaffe's deadly Condors roamed the Arctic and Polar regions
The four-engined Focke-Wulf Fw 200s were most often active over the Atlantic, to the west of France. However, the type’s long range allowed it to go much further afield
Why didn't the Messerschmitt Me 262 change the course of the war?
With its shattering performance and heavy armament, Messerschmitt’s Me 262 was a deadly opponent for any Allied aircraft, yet its impact was only felt during the last few months of the Second World War. Its development had begun in 1938, so what really happened?
Germany commits to buying more than 30 F-35A Lightning IIs
The Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) announced it will procure a total of 35 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fifth generation fighter aircraft after its budget committee approved the close to €10bn purchase on December 14
Who was Luftwaffe ace Roloff Von Aspern?
Many airmen paid the ultimate price in World War Two and some – especially from the German side – appear to have been forgotten. Chris Goss sheds light on a Luftwaffe ace who was killed in action and whose body was never found
1./JG 53 – The Luftwaffe’s ‘Ace of Spades’
Nine Messerschmitt Bf 109E-equipped Jagdgeschwaders would take part in the Battle of Britain, each of which was made up of nine staffels. Chris Goss relates the story of one of these – 1 Staffel/Jagdgeschwader 53...
US State Department approves German F-35A purchase
In a further step towards Germany’s purchase of the F-35A, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced on July 28 that US State Department approval had been granted for the proposed Foreign Military Sale to the German government of F-35 aircraft, munitions and related equipment for an estimated cost of $8.4bn.
Luftwaffe vs Mighty Eighth: The battle to stop US bombers
Robert Forsyth details how the Luftwaffe attempted to defend the Third Reich against the mass daylight formations of US heavy bombers
Why did Germany launch the Blitz?
Think of the Blitz, and the Luftwaffe’s heavy, sustained bombardment of British cities and industrial objectives that began in September 1940 springs to mind first. But that was just part of Germany’s series of bombing offensives against the British Isles, right up to the V1 and V2 campaigns. What were the strategic objectives underpinning them, and how effective did they prove?
Germany to buy F-35A stealth fighters in astonishing switch
Germany’s astonishing about-face in defence matters has continued, just weeks after pumping €100bn into the country’s defence budget, with the announced intention to acquire the US-manufactured F-35A fifth generation stealth fighter