Germany, Luftwaffe. Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939-1945, Band I, Jagdflieger (Knights Cross Recipients of the Luftwaffe, Volume I, Fighter Pilots)

Hardcover, gray cloth cover, the Iron Cross insignia on the front cover and the text on the spine in a gold-coloured ink, with dust jacket, entitled "Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939-1945, Band I, Jagdflieger" (Knights Cross Recipients of the Luftwaffe, Volume I, Fighter Pilots), by Ernst Obermaier, published and copyrighted by Dieter Hoffmann of Mainz in 1966. It chronicles in great detail the history of the Knight's Cross and its Luftwaffe recipients during the last six years of the Third Reich, from 1939 to 1945, through extensive and detailed research by the author, the text in both German and English, featuring biographies and large photographs of the various recipients, along with photos of various groups and memorabilia. In addition, eighteen Fighter Group insignia appear beside the listings for the various recipients in the Wing Honour Rolls of Holders of the Knight's Cross chapter. As stated on the dust jacket: "There were hard and troublesome 20 years for our author Ernst Obermaier to compile this new volume. In most cases the addresses of the Ritterkreuzträger or their next relatives were unknown, and much travelling inside Germany and to foreign countries was necessary to collect this most interesting material. The assiduity however was rewarded! A complete compilation of the Luftwaffe's Ritterkreuzträger now can be presented, and we are sure that this time will be a unique reference-book for all those interested in aerial warfare." It begins with a Foreword by Fighter Pilot General Adolf Galland, followed by an Index, an Introduction, an Explanation of Abbreviations and Designations, and an Explanation Concerning the Designation of Flying Units. It contains nine chapters: 1. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross; 2. The Way to the Knight's Cross - by the Fighter Pilots Association; 3. Holders of the Oak Leaves with Swords and Diamonds, in Chronological Order of Bestowal; 4. Holders of the Oak Leaves with Swords, in Chronological Order of Bestowal; 5. Holders of the Oak Leaves; 6. Holders of the Knight's Cross, in Alphabetical Order; 7. Wing Honour Rolls of Holders of the Knight's Cross; 8. The German Fighter Pilots in World War II - by the Fighter Pilots Association; 9. German Fighter Pilots with more than 100, and German Knight Fighter Pilots with more than 40 Victories. It concludes with a four-page Alphabetical Index of all Holders of the Knight's Cross contained in this book. The book contains 256 pages of text in both German and English, along with multiple photographs, printed in black ink, on a thick white paper stock, measuring 215 mm (w) x 300 mm (h) x 26 mm (d). It exhibits extensive wear, tearing and paper loss on the dust jacket, along with light spotting on the covers, however, the pages within remain pristine. Better than very fine to near extremely fine.