{"title":"Books by Chris Goss","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9781802822595","title":"Royal Navy and Army Helicopters of the 1970s and '80s","description":"\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback \/ softback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43172648714418,"sku":"9781802822595","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781802822595_ef4aa248-a2ff-4c30-ae46-01829269e363.jpg?v=1786027163"},{"product_id":"9780859791519","title":"The Luftwaffe Fighters' Battle of Britain","description":"\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback \/ softback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56295139246453,"sku":"9780859791519","price":10.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780859791519_f434fd23-f19b-475c-bb3c-1714eaed5802.jpg?v=1786015908"},{"product_id":"9780859791762","title":"Luftwaffe Fighter-Bombers Over Britain","description":"\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback \/ softback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56295281852789,"sku":"9780859791762","price":10.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780859791762_cfff49b9-012d-472b-8dac-269a92cd2167.jpg?v=1786015910"},{"product_id":"9780859791571","title":"The Luftwaffe's Blitz","description":"Due to the failure of the day campaign during what has become known as the Battle of Britain, on 7 September 1940, the Luftwaffe commenced bombing London and major cities, predominantly by night. What became known as the Blitz continued until May 10,1941 with many towns and cities across the country being attacked and London being struck 57 nights in succession. \u003cp\u003eBy the end of May 1941, over 43,000 civilians, half of them in London, had been killed by bombing and more than a million houses destroyed or damaged in London alone. The Blitz failed to break the morale of the British people and any thoughts of a German invasion were cancelled with German attention quickly being transferred to the Soviet Union. Accordingly, the intensity of the attacks against mainland Britain lessened considerably. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMuch has been written about the Blitz from a British perspective but \u003ci\u003eThe Luftwaffe''s Blitz\u003c\/i\u003e tells the story from the viewpoint of the German aircrew involved, many of whom were shot down and taken prisoner. Using over 30 first hand accounts and previously unpublished photos, \u003ci\u003eThe Luftwaffe''s Blitz\u003c\/i\u003e details the Luftwaffe''s assault against the United Kingdom in 1941, covering the major attacks and those that occurred during the remaining months of that year. Integrated with accounts from the aircrew of RAF''s embryonic night fighter force as they fought against the Luftwaffe night after night in very difficult and sometimes primitive circumstances, this book provides a new perspective on the Blitz from the attacker''s point of view.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56295426752885,"sku":"9780859791571","price":10.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780859791571_cee37933-701c-4f3c-a29d-a7b16088c5f6.jpg?v=1786015909"},{"product_id":"9781472855329","title":"Operation Steinbock 1944","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe story of Germany's disastrous last cross-Channel Blitz in early 1944, which left the Luftwaffe devastated and barely able to oppose the D-Day landings.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOperation \u003ci\u003eSteinbock\u003c\/i\u003e, or as it became known, the ‘Baby Blitz’ was the Luftwaffe’s last sustained night bomber offensive against the United Kingdom. In this book, renowned Luftwaffe historian Chris Goss explains how and why the Luftwaffe's last cross-Channel campaign was such a contrast to the Battle of Britain and subsequent Blitz of 1940–41. In 1944, the Luftwaffe’s under-trained, hard-pressed, and inexperienced bomber crews were out-thought and outfought by their opponents, who combined the latest ground-controlled radar with powerful new night fighters and advanced anti-aircraft defences, including radar-assisted guns and even anti-aircraft rockets. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePacked with dramatic original illustrations, explanatory diagrams, 2D maps of the strategic situation and 3D maps recreating key missions, this book tells the story of Operation \u003ci\u003eSteinbock \u003c\/i\u003eand its crucial consequences. The Germans' last air campaign over England ended in late May 1944, with the Luftwaffe having lost hundreds of much-needed aircraft and crews. Just days later, the Allies stormed ashore across the beaches of Normandy, and the Luftwaffe could do little to stop them.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56301131137397,"sku":"9781472855329","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781472855329_21f78049-b9ac-4541-a3be-59f04bb82570.jpg?v=1786021035"},{"product_id":"9781473899407","title":"FOCKE-WULF Fw 190","description":"As the war began to turn against Germany, the Luftwaffe was forced to defend the Reich against increasingly overwhelming numbers of Allied fighters and bombers. The Focke-Wulf Fw 190, together with the Bf 109G, was the mainstay of the Luftwaffe's Reichsverteidigung (Defence of the Reich) fighter force, both by day and by night.   As the war progressed, the US Eighth Air Force, suffering heavy losses over Germany, changed tactics. The escorting US fighters had been expected to fly alongside the bombers to provide close protection. But this meant that they could not chase after the enemy when in combat, having to return to the bombers. So, from early 1944, the decision was made to free the fighters, allowing them to fly ahead of the bomber stream clearing the skies of German fighters.   To counter this, the Luftwaffe developed the Gefechtsverband, or battle formation, composed of two units of Bf 109s and one Sturmgruppe of Fw 190s. In Gefechtsverband operations, the Bf 109s would engage the Allied fighters, particularly the long-range P-51 Mustangs, leaving the more heavily-armed Fw 190s to attack the bombers. Though the large Gefechtsverband formations were unweildy and not always effective, when they did work well, the powerful and well-armoured Fw 190s wreaked havoc amongst the US bombers.   Meanwhile, on the Eastern Front, the Fw 190 was incresaingly relied upon for fighter and Jabo missions against a dogged Soviet Air Force. With the tide well and truly turned against the Luftwaffe, newer versions of the Fw 190, such as the F and G variants, were intruduced as well as the superlative D-9 which was powered by the Jumo 213 A engine, armed with two MG 131s and two MG 151\/20 guns and had a new fuselage and wings.   In this second volume detailing the service of the Fw 190, Chris Goss has assembled photographs, many of which have come from the archive of the late Dr Alfred Price, to illustrate the final years of the type's war.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56301144670581,"sku":"9781473899407","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781473899407_c6409d3b-a522-4c5f-833e-5f0486ddbb37.jpg?v=1786034534"},{"product_id":"9781473899568","title":"FOCKE-WULF Fw 190","description":"The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was widely regarded as the Luftwaffe's finest fighter. It first saw service in France in August 1941, immediately proving itself at least the equal of the then latest Spitfire variant, the Mk.V.   There were a number of characteristics which contributed to the Fw 190's success. The first of these was that it had been designed from the outset to be a weapons platform, rather than an aircraft to which weapons were added, as was the case with previous fighters. This meant that it could carry a wide range of armament in the form of various combinations of bomb racks, cannon pods and, later, unguided rockets.   It was also built to withstand heavy punishment, with the extensive use of electrically-powered equipment instead of the hydraulic systems which, used by most aircraft manufacturers of the time, were more susceptible to failure if damaged by gunfire. The relatively small diameters of electrical wires were much less likely to be hit by gunfire than larger hydraulic pipes.   Another element in the Fw 190's construction which added to its durability was its wide-tracked, inwards-retracting landing gear, as opposed to the much narrower, outwards-retracting landing gear of the Messerschmitt Bf 109\\. This gave the Fw 190 much greater stability on the ground which resulted in far fewer ground accidents than experienced by the Bf 109.   The Fw 190's BMW 801 D-2 radial engine also produced 1,677 horse power, giving the early Focke-Wulf 190 A-8 a top speed of more than 400 miles per hour - which was considerably faster than the early variant Spitfires.   It was the Spitfires with which the Fw 190 pilots frequently had to contend when in combat over the English Channel, and particularly during the Allied raid on Dieppe in August 1942, when more than 100 Focke-Wulfs (from Jagdgeschwaders JG 2 and JG 26) engaged Spitfires and Hawker Typhoons, claiming sixty-one Allied aircraft 'kills' against just twenty-five losses of their own.   The Fw 190's weapons capability also saw it used as a fighter-bomber. The Fw 190 A-3\/U3 Jabo was used with considerable effect against Allied shipping in the Channel and against the south-eastern coasts of England in 1942 in tip-and-runs raids. These fast, low-level attacks proved very difficult for the defending RAF squadrons to counter and only one Fw 190 was lost on these operations.   In this illuminating study of the early service of the Fw 190, Chris Goss has assembled a unique collection of photographs illustrating the wide use of this highly versatile aircraft.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56301484474741,"sku":"9781473899568","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781473899568_2e0a0024-f15f-42bd-b654-9cb139bfe7a1.jpg?v=1786034535"},{"product_id":"9781473899483","title":"MESSERSCHMITT Bf 109","description":"The most iconic German aircraft of the Second World War, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 was the Luftwaffe's principal fighter from 1939 until 1942 when the superior Focke-Wulf Fw 190 came into greater prominence. The Bf 109 served in every theatre of the war, though in this book the author examines the Tip and Run era, D-Day and the Eastern Front.   In the later years of the war, the Bf 109 fought with some success in the defence of Germany against Allied bombers. The Bf 109 was the most produced fighter aircraft in history and more aerial kills were made with this fighter than any other aircraft. Indeed, A total of 105 Bf 109 pilots were each credited with the destruction of 100 or more enemy aircraft; thirteen of these men scored more than 200 kills, while two scored more than 300\\. The Bf 109 was flown by the three top-scoring fighter aces of the war: Erich Hartmann, the top-scoring fighter pilot of all time claiming 352 victories, Gerhard Barkhorn with 301 victories, and Gunther Rall, who claimed 275 victories. All of them flew with JG 52, a unit which exclusively flew the Bf 109 and was credited with over 10,000 victories, chiefly on the Eastern Front.   The Bf 109 was also supplied to several of Germany's allies, including Finland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Slovakia.   In this selection of unrivalled images collected over many years, the operations of this famous aircraft in the latter part of the Second World War are portrayed and brought to life.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56301493682549,"sku":"9781473899483","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781473899483_847485f4-6764-4e90-99b1-ee38de1fbb98.jpg?v=1786020557"},{"product_id":"9781526782892","title":"Brothers in Arms","description":"The unforgiving and deadly combats fought in the skies over the United Kingdom during the Battle of Britain were, in many respects, personal affairs - one man against another. These duels, and the emotions and stress they generated, are revealed in this day-to-day, blow-by-blow account of the part that two front line fighter units, one British and one German, played in the events of the summer of 1940.   This is the story of the Battle of Britain as seen through the eyes of the men of 609 (West Riding) Squadron, based in southern England, and 1\/JG53, a Luftwaffe staffel based in northern France. The tense action of aerial combat and the relief felt by individual pilots surviving these encounters, the elation of a successful  kill', or the tragedy of seeing a friend shot down, highlight the common fears felt by airmen on both sides of the fight.   We learn of exhausting, unremitting action, and days of frustrating weather-induced inactivity, along with those brief moments of leisure and pleasure grasped from the daily struggle for survival. What we also discover is that there was, in many regards, little difference in the experiences and reactions between the men defending king and country and those fighting for the F hrer - creating a form of bond derived from those shared experiences, of indeed, brothers in arms.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56303359918453,"sku":"9781526782892","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781526782892_7aa73734-a0c5-43d5-b47d-8f88a9c03929.jpg?v=1786021917"},{"product_id":"9781802820416","title":"British Ground-Attack Aircraft of the 1970s and 80s","description":"\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback \/ softback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56306803016053,"sku":"9781802820416","price":15.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781802820416_6ae4fe7e-cfa2-408e-9599-d4124b1866c4.jpg?v=1786027118"},{"product_id":"9781802821970","title":"British Reconnaissance Aircraft of the 1970s and 80s","description":"\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback \/ softback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56307139969397,"sku":"9781802821970","price":15.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781802821970_b2f15aad-d08f-45f2-b956-b3924ac684b5.jpg?v=1786027141"},{"product_id":"9781802824858","title":"Luftwaffe Fighters of World War II","description":"\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Hardback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56307288899957,"sku":"9781802824858","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781802824858_a95c83d3-59f8-4059-9485-ecf2cd354d44.jpg?v=1786027218"},{"product_id":"9781848324459","title":"Heinkel He 111","description":"The Heinkel He 111 was the main work-horse of the Luftwaffe's bomber force throughout much of the Second World War. Consequently, when Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, three entire Kampfgeschwader consisted of He 111s. Initially used as direct support for the German ground forces, as the campaign progressed the He 111 was switched to attacking the Soviet infrastructure, particularly trains and marshalling yards, and used as a transport aircraft taking in supplies and for troop evacuation. Variants of the He 111 were used in anti-shipping roles, in both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and even for aerial launching of V-1 flying bombs, continuing the war against the towns and cities of the United Kingdom. In this selection of unrivalled images collected over many years, and now part of Frontline's new War in the Air series, the operations of this famous aircraft in the latter years of the Second World War are portrayed and brought to life. A companion title to Heinkel He 111: The Early Years.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56308571505013,"sku":"9781848324459","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781848324459_f2c7f838-b87f-4f77-b418-54c7fd9b068e.jpg?v=1786029194"},{"product_id":"9781913870935","title":"British Bombers: The 1970s and '80s","description":"\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback \/ softback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56309243249013,"sku":"9781913870935","price":15.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781913870935_8426c1a4-6232-483f-a587-8b62a3caa0dd.jpg?v=1786030781"},{"product_id":"9781913870393","title":"British Fighters of the 1970s and '80s","description":"\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback \/ softback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56309483438453,"sku":"9781913870393","price":15.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781913870393_ecc50e70-44e0-4cea-bc99-b88cd2f6141e.jpg?v=1786030763"},{"product_id":"9781472812674","title":"Fw 200 Condor Units of World War 2","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn illustrated history of the 'Scourge of the Atlantic' and its audacious attacks on Allied shipping.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Fw 200 Condor first made an appearance over Norway in April 1940, flying with the unit that eventually become synonymous with it – Kampfgeschwader 40. As the war in the west progressed, and German forces advanced, French airfields opened up, allowing the Condor to fly around the UK and out into the Atlantic, where it rapidly established itself as one of the key menaces to Allied shipping. Able to attack shipping directly, or able to guide U-Boats to their prey the Condor scored its first major success when it crippled the liner Empress of Great Britain.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut the tables were to turn on the 'Scourge of the Atlantic' as mechanical failures induced by their harsh operating environment and changes in Allied tactics began to take a toll. Vulnerable to aerial attack, the deployment of Allied carriers and their associated fighters combined with the introduction of more loing range maritime patrol aircraft exposed the Condor's deficiencies.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePacked with rare first-hand accounts, profile artwork and photographs, this is the history of one of the unsung types to take to the skies during World War 2.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56312438358389,"sku":"9781472812674","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781472812674_a0123396-8e0b-4ea1-8dbf-4d17d7361325.jpg?v=1786020443"},{"product_id":"9781472829634","title":"Dornier Do 17 Units of World War 2","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eInitially designed as a high-speed mail aeroplane and airliner, the Do 17 first made an appearance as a military aircraft in the Spanish Civil War, both as a bomber and in reconnaissance roles.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the early stages of World War II, it, together with the Heinkel He 111, formed the backbone of the German bomber arm over Poland, France, Belgium and the Low Countries, and saw action in almost every major campaign in this period. However, by the start of the Battle of Britain, the Do 17’s limited range and small bomb load meant that it was ripe for replacement by the Ju 88. Though it performed well at lower altitudes, the model suffered heavy losses during raids, particularly during the Blitz and were increasingly phased out.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis fully illustrated study uses detailed full-colour artwork and authoritative text from an expert author to tell the full operation story of one of Nazi Germany’s best light bombers from the early years of World War II.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56312439046517,"sku":"9781472829634","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781472829634_b04b0a51-3480-4547-ab01-6b16bac0f895.jpg?v=1786020597"},{"product_id":"9781526781208","title":"Dornier Do 17 in the Battle of Britain","description":"During Britain's desperate struggle for survival that in the summer of 1940, the Dornier Do 17 played a prominent part in raids designed at neutralising the RAF's ability to resist and the British people's will to fight back. Having been built to outrun contemporary fighters when introduced into the Luftwaffe in 1937, it had become the Luftwaffe's main light bomber, and for the attack against Britain, three bomber wings, KG 2, KG3 and KG77, were equipped with the Do 17\\. But by 1940, the Do 17 was nearing obsolescence and, with its weak defensive armament, it fell prey to Fighter Command's Hurricanes and Spitfires.   Its vulnerability was starkly revealed on 18 August 1940, when eight Dorniers were shot down and nine damaged in attacks on RAF Kenley, and on 15 September - Battle of Britain Day - when twenty were shot down and a further thirteen damaged. On that day, Sergeant Ray Holmes rammed his Hurricane into a Do 17 that was reportedly aiming for Buckingham Palace. Part of the bomber's wreckage fell to earth near Victoria Station.   In this comprehensive pictorial record of the Do 17, the bomber's role throughout the period of the Battle of Britain is displayed in the author's unique collection of British and German photographs. These photographs, coupled with first-hand stories from those who flew and those who fought against the Do 17, bring those desperate days and dark nights back to life in the manner which only contemporary images and accounts can achieve.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56312558485877,"sku":"9781526781208","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781526781208_97684a75-1d54-40e7-ab26-337e69f4d659.jpg?v=1786021893"},{"product_id":"9781472867872","title":"Junkers Ju 88C Day and Nightfighters","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn illustrated account of the action-packed combat missions \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003ecarried\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e out by the Luftwaffe's powerfully armed Junkers Ju 88C day and nightfighters.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Junkers Ju 88A was the Luftwaffe's most effective medium bomber during much of World War 2, and its high speed and surprising agility made it an ideal candidate for conversion into a \u003ci\u003eZerstörer\u003c\/i\u003e (destroyer) fighter. Initially designed to be used as a long-range bomber escort, the solid-nosed Ju 88C fighter boasted powerful cannon that made the aircraft ideally suited to the nightfighter role. Its unrivalled endurance also meant the Ju 88C could undertake sweeps of the Bay of Biscay from the French Atlantic coast in search of Allied maritime patrol aircraft hunting U-boats. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLuftwaffe historian Chris Goss charts the action-packed service history of the Ju 88C through first-hand accounts and combat reports from the crews that flew the twin-engined \u003ci\u003eZerstörer\u003c\/i\u003e into combat. Newly commissioned profile artworks and more than 50 photographs of aircraft and crews help detail the aircraft’s conversion from a fast bomber into a deadly heavy fighter that proved to be the scourge of Allied bomber and patrol aircraft.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56368894214517,"sku":"9781472867872","price":16.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781472867872_ed811fa6-6176-4397-bc28-bbebe2c89890.jpg?v=1786020456"},{"product_id":"9781036111151","title":"Luftwaffe Intruder Operations Over the United Kingdom","description":"On 17 July 1940, Oberst Josef Kammhuber took command of the Luftwaffe’s 1 Nachtjagddivision after his release from French captivity. He was tasked with combating RAF bombers, which were increasingly threatening Germany during the Battle of Britain. Kammhuber’s strategy, the Fernnachtjagd (long-range night fighter missions), focused on targeting bombers while they were vulnerable during takeoff and return to bases.Kammhuber believed that converted German bombers like the Dornier Do 17Z and Junkers Ju 88, flown by experienced crews, would be ideal for these missions. The first claims from Fernnachtjagd occurred on 23 July 1940, when Luftwaffe pilots mistakenly shot down a Bristol Blenheim, thinking it was a Vickers Wellington. These night missions continued over the next few years, with varying success.By 1942, the campaign shifted to a “stopgap” phase, and the introduction of the Messerschmitt Me 210 and Me 410 marked further changes in the tactics and aircraft used. While Fernnachtjagd operations had some impact in 1941, by 1944, their effectiveness had diminished. Notably, during the Allies' Berlin raid on 19 February 1944, the Luftwaffe claimed more RAF bombers than the entire Me 410 campaign achieved in 14 months.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56419724788085,"sku":"9781036111151","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781036111151_17c4fc2a-5bc0-4e47-80d1-9e00701a71bb.jpg?v=1786016959"},{"product_id":"9781473883093","title":"Dornier Do 217","description":"\u003cp\u003eEntering service in early 1941, the Dornier Do 217 was designed as an improved version of the ‘Flying Pencil’, the Do 17 bomber. The Do 217E-1 twin radial-engine bomber first flew in October 1940, the same month that the production of the Do 17 ceased.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Do 217 was initially used for conventional bombing and anti-shipping missions around the United Kingdom, including the infamous Baedeker Blitz against British provincial cities in 1942\\. The Do 217 was the main German bomber in this theatre until late 1943, when it started to be replaced by the Messerschmitt Me 410 and Junkers Ju 188\\. During this period, the Do 217E was improved, leading to the introduction of the Do 217K or M, the difference between the two being the engines.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Do 217 would be deployed in all of the Luftwaffe’s campaigns and fronts in the Second World War. Curiously, though, the only operational units to use the type on the Eastern Front were the night reconnaissance units, aside from which only occasionally did other Do 217 units fly missions against Stalin’s forces.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith the delay in the Heinkel He 177 entering service, it was the Do 217 that became the first aircraft in history to be used to deploy precision-guided weapons in combat. This came on 21 July 1943, when Do 217s of KG 100 attacked Allied shipping in Augusta harbour, Sicily, using Fritz X radio-guided glide bombs. Then, on 25 August 1943 twelve Do 217E-5s from II.\/KG 100 attacked a convoy off the Spanish coast with a similar weapon to the Fritz X, the Henschel Hs 293 radio-guided glide bomb. This attack resulted in damage to three warships.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn response to the intensifying Allied strategic bomber offensive, additional night fighters were needed by the Luftwaffe. The Do 217E-2 was therefore modified by fitting four MG17s and four MG-FF 20mm cannon in a solid nose. The rear firing guns, including the MG131 in the turret, were retained, as was the ability to carry bombs, creating the Do 217J-1 which was intended as a night intruder. The Do 217 also served extensively as a night fighter, with examples being fitted with Lichtenstein radar and obliquely mounted upward-firing MG151 cannon in the fuselage, the so called Schräge Musik modification.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite the Do 217’s versatility and wide-spread deployment – all of which is explored here by the author through a remarkable set of archive images, many of which have never been seen in print before – production ceased in October 1943\\. By the following year, the Do 217 had become obsolete.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56419831742837,"sku":"9781473883093","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781473883093_ecf61c25-7cda-40d9-a49f-a6b0aed37f5f.jpg?v=1786020517"},{"product_id":"bloody-biscay","title":"Bloody Biscay","description":null,"brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57481679012213,"sku":"9780859791755","price":10.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780859791755.jpg?v=1786089967"},{"product_id":"warburtons-war","title":"Warburtons War","description":null,"brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57492242661749,"sku":"9780907579434","price":7.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780907579434.jpg?v=1786529072"},{"product_id":"junkers-ju-88","title":"Junkers Ju 88","description":"Designed as a fast bomber that could out-run the fighters of the era, the twin-engine Junkers Ju 88 became one of the most versatile aircraft of the Second World War. Such was the success of the design that its production lines operated constantly from 1936 to 1945, with more than 16,000 examples being built in dozens of variants - more than any other twin-engine German aircraft of the period.  From an early stage it was intended that it would be used as a conventional light bomber and as a dive-bomber. As such, it served in the invasion of Poland, the Norway campaign, the Blitzkrieg and the invasion of France and the Battle of Britain. This latest volume in Frontline's Air War Archive examines the Ju 88s use in the latter years of the Second World War. The type's use as a torpedo bomber or reconnaissance aircraft, as well as its deployment in Russia, over the Bay of Biscay and in the Mediterranean theatre are all explored. Even its use in the Mistel flying-bomb is covered. In this selection of unrivalled images collected over many years, the operations of this famous aircraft in its twilight years are portrayed and brought to life.","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57502181032309,"sku":"9781473892361","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781473892361.jpg?v=1786781000"},{"product_id":"helmut-lents-logbook","title":"Helmut Lent's Logbook","description":"\u003cp\u003eCredited with 110 aerial victories, Helmut Lent was one of the most successful German night-fighter aces of the Second World War.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBorn on 13 June 1918, he initially served as a day fighter pilot in the Luftwaffe, flying Messerschmitt Bf 110s during the early campaigns of the war. Lent’s combat career began over the North Sea, Norway and the early stages of the Battle of Britain but in September 1940 his unit transitioned to night fighting.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs part of Nachtjagdgeschwader 1, after initial self-doubts as to his ability, he established himself as a formidable night-fighter pilot, adapting to the emerging technology of radar-guided interception. His aircraft of choice was the Messerschmitt Bf 110 but in 1944 he flew the Junkers Ju 88, both of which he used to devastating effect against Allied bombers conducting night attacks over German territory; of his 110 victories, 102 had taken place at night. By 1943, Lent had risen through the ranks, eventually taking command of Nachtjagdgeschwader 3, and would receive numerous decorations, including the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds, Germany’s highest military honour. He was the first night fighter pilot to receive this award, defining his status as a leading figure in aerial combat at night.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLent’s career was cut short on 5 October 1944, when his Ju 88 crashed on landing in an accident. He succumbed to his injuries two days later at the age of 26. Such was his standing in the eyes of the Luftwaffe, that Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring spoke at his funeral.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBased around Lent’s own pilot’s logbooks and a unique collection of rare archive images, as well drawing on surviving combat reports and documents from the Lent family archive, the renowned aviation historian Chris Goss explores the life and service of one of the top-scoring night fighter aces of all time.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57502238343541,"sku":"9781036199296","price":25.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781036199296.jpg?v=1786781059"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-chris-goss.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}