"Das vergesssene As"- Der Jagdflieger Gerhard Barkhorn.

Looking through some books under "lockdown" I picked out this book on Gerhard Barkhorn by Bernd Barbas published by "Luftfahrtverlag START" who publish "Luftwaffe in Focus and U Boat in Focus publications.
The text is in both German & English, using a range of black and white and colour photographs mostly from the subject and friends who served with him, the supporting text documents his service in the Luftwaffe.
The book is a first-class publication hardback, high gloss paper pin-sharp reproduction, richly illustrated showing a range of aircraft, ground and aircrew/pilots at work in all sorts of environments. ( The photos are almost entirely from private sources so few if any will have been published before, the text and captions are insightful and intelligent.)
Barkhorn's post-war service in the German Airforce is also covered in some detail.
An excellent book from an excellent firm.
I have purposely tried to pick out some sample photos showing as much ground activity as possible, the primative working conditions in Russia are very evident.
https://www.luftfahrtverlag-start.com/books/luftwaffe/ View attachment 33214 View attachment 33215 View attachment 33216 View attachment 33217 View attachment 33218

 

Those couple pages are just popping with unbelievable information. Is that last picture of a Me 323 in a winter color scheme?

 

Yes, it looks like the unpowered version, on its undercarriage, it seems to be being towed by a Famo. prime mover.
The caption for the photo reads;
"A JG52 airfield in the Kuban bridgehead in February 1943. It must be Slavyanskaya, for the Bf109 on the left ("White 3") is a machine of the 4th Staffel and the Bf109 on the right<<+- is that of Geschwaderkommodore Oberst.lt. Hrabak. While on the Taman Peninsula, Barkhprn's 4. Staffel and the Geschwaderstab were only together on the airfield. In the center of the photo is a Me321 (W5+SW) of GroBsegler-Kommondo2. From the beginning of February until the end of March 1943, this unit took part in the airlift in support of the Kuban bridgehead, operating three gliders from Bagerovo in the Crimea."

The two photos below are from their equally good book.
"Mit der Kamera an der Front
Als Kriegsberichter bei der I.(J)/LG 2 und dem JG 77"
A captured Hurricane.

It has to be said, quality publishing.

 

The HJ collected RK awarded men autographs who were ordered by Göbbels to have mostly Hoffman postcards to give the people who asked for them mostly for propaganda purposes.

 

Oh yes I have a couple Mölders ones climbing in his plane. Lucky me. And severall photos of his marriage