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This is a nicely-researched book with a maddening series of little mistakes, which detract from an otherwise well-written narrative. The publishers would do well to invest in hiring a professional editor and/or proof-reader, as they cannot expect individual authors to all be adept at spotting errors. For instance, early on in a general discussion about German awards and decorations, the text mentions the Iron Cross being instituted in 1813 and then being re-instituted in 1870 "without change." Although the reverse sides of the two closely resembled one another, the 1813 Iron Cross had a totally blank obverse whereas the 1870 types had a Prussian crown at the top of the vertical arms, the initial "W" in the center, and the date 1870 at the bottom. There were certainly some changes. So far I've only looked closely at the most famous names, but there are detail errors in nearly every one. For instance a passage in the bio of Ernst Udet mystified me, as it goes into detail about his support for the development of the supposedly deficient Ju-88, saying that it was "soon taken out of service for good." In fact the Ju-88 was a backbone of the Luftwaffe bomber force and it served in a wide variety of roles on every front. Between 1936 and 1945 more than 16,000 were eventually produced. Although he credits Udet with most of the blame for the Luftwaffe's later equipment shortcomings, he had plenty of assistance -- including from the Austrian Corporal himself. I'm not going to beat this book to death, it's a welcome addition to my library, but there are certainly enough errors to prevent it from being a quotable reference without verification from other sources.Read full review
Great study well written
Verified purchase: No
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