Adolf Galland
 Robert Michulec and Donald Caldwell
 

 

"Only rarely do I get captured by any book as I was by this one. Quite honestly, I got absolutely hypnotized by it."
- Christer Bergström, 12oClockhigh.net

This book is a compact biography of the best-known member of not only JG 26, but the entire Luftwaffe. The fame of Adolf Galland rests not only on his skill as a fighter pilot—he was one of only of a handful of pilots to claim more than 100 victories against the Western Allies—but on his skills as a combat commander and his successes and failures as General of the entire German fighter force, a position that he held for three full years. His combat career, from the Condor Legion in Spain through his outstanding success in JG 26 to his final, futile command of JV 44, the “jet unit of the aces”, at the end of World War II, is covered fully with data tables, color paintings and profiles, and photographs. One unique feature is a list of every Bf 109 Galland flew.
         Equal attention is given to his career after he left JG 26 to become General of the Fighter Arm, where his responsibilities were much more significant for Germany’s air war than his combat prowess, as outstanding as that was. The book contains a list of these duties, prepared by Galland during his post-war captivity and supplied to the authors from his files. The authors then present their evaluation of his success in his job, based on modern historical research. His battles with Hitler and Göring over the strength, disposition, and honor of his fighter force, which ultimately cost him his job, are well known from his classic memoir, The First and the Last, but his duties covered much more than generally recognized.
         Another highlight of the book is an interview conducted in Galland’s home a year before his death in 1992. It is unique in being published with a bare minimum of editing to give the reader a feel for the interviewer’s task—not all questions are answered!
         The book is one of Mushroom Model Publications’ “Blue Series”. It is an 88-page softback on heavy, coated paper for best reproduction of the profiles (all new) and photographs (many new or unusual).

Selected Reviews:
 

“I have just read Robert Michulec's and Don Caldwell's new biography Adolf Galland, and I am overwhelmed. Only rarely do I get captured by any book as I was by this one. Quite honestly, I got absolutely hypnotized by it.
         “The book is written with a strong and basic respect for the man Adolf Galland, whom at least one of the authors—Don Caldwell—knew personally. But this does not make the authors avoid an honest analysis of Galland's various activities and decisions during World War II. To the contrary, they deal with both Adolf Galland's successes and some of his weaker spots. This creates a realistic portrait of a man of flesh and blood—rare when it comes to such biographies—and increases the reader's respect for this man…
         “The only little flaw I can think of is that it is such a small book... I would have wished it was four times that size. But maybe there will be an ‘expanded edition’ in the future? Until then—hurry to get this one!” — Christer Bergström, twelve o’clock high.

“The two authors are well known in the Luftwaffe community, especially Don Caldwell, for JG-26 research.  So you know that the book is well researched and written.  I highly recommend this book.” — Floyd Werner, ipmsusa.com.

“Adolf Galland by Robert Michulec and Donald Caldwell is a concise, well-priced summation of one of the most famous personalities of the Second World War. With the combination of wartime photos and very attractive profiles, the book represents a great one-stop reference source for virtually all of Galland’s documented mounts, making this title ideal for modelers. The analysis of Galland’s tactics and war record make interesting reading too. The text is succinct but informative with the emphasis being on the famous ace’s war record. However, the authors do not view Galland through rose-colored glasses. In addition to documenting his combat and leadership skills, they also raise the issues of overclaiming of victories (a common practice for virtually all fighter pilots), his occasionally intemperate decisions in the heat of battle, and his shadowy post-war visit to South America. A nine-page transcript of a discussion between  Donald Caldwell and Adolf Galland makes for interesting reading, and provides some personality insights.” — Brett Green, hyperscale.com.
 

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