I`ve already got Adolf Galland`s autobiography (First & Last*) and have read it a few times, but I`d like a biography of the man as well. A quick trawl of the internet revealed at least two but which is the best ? I was a little put off both because they claimed to be "official" or "authorised", I want one which isn`t "air brushed" (for instance what was Galland`s real attitude to the Nazis, whilst they appeared to be winning). * Incidentally does anyone know if an index is available for it ?
I have three : - 'Adolf Galland - A Pilot's Life In War And Peace' by Werner Held. Basically, a picture book published by Champlin Museum Press, Arizona in 1986. 'Fighter General - The Life Of Adolf Galland' by Toliver & Constable ( Ampress, Nevada, 1990 ) 'Adolf Galland - The Authorised Biography' by David Baker ( Windrow & Greene, London, 1996 ). Of these, the best is Baker's book - but this is more of a what-he-did-and-when ; it doesn't really get into Galland's thoughts and feelings. Toliver and Constable certainly aren't going to get into politics. With all the main players now having passed from the scene, it's possible that it is now too late for us to have a real, in-depth, warts-and-all biography ( like, for example, Richard Morris' biography of Guy Gibson ). The Champlin reprint of the methuen 'First and Last' does feature a full index.
I'm afraid my 'scanner' is a little point-and-shoot camera and isn't really up to the task.....FWIW, I've dug out also my 1st edition of the Methuen 'First and Last' which features the same index......
My edition of Galland`s autobiography is an American import published by Buccaneer Books, and it doesn`t have any index...... Incidentally, we went round the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight`s visitor centre the other week and the guide was, how can we put it, a little less than confident about all those kills that Galland claimed, has anyone any thoughts on this ? I have to say I find some of the astronomical claims from some German pilots to be a bit hard to believe.
I agree - so do some serious Luftwaffe authors ...quoted in Roba's new history of JG 53 " it is nonetheless a fact that many of these pilots' victory claims were no more than flights of fancy and that they were encouraged to file these claims by a benevolent hierarchy and propaganda media looking for new heroes ". FalkeEins - the Luftwaffe blog: A history of Jagdgeschwader 53 'Pik As' part 2 Batailles AƩriennes 59