In many ways, the Heinkel He 177 'Greif' (Griffon) was Nazi Germany's 'lost' strategic bomber. With some fundamental creases ironed out, and built in large numbers, the He 177 would have offered the Luftwaffe the means with which to carry out long-range, mass bombing attacks against targets of a strategic nature. Although competing interests and personalities served to prevent this from happening, from mid-1943 the aircraft nevertheless saw service over England, the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and in Russia. The He 177 flew to the end of the war, with some machines undertaking extremely hazardous low-level missions against Soviet armour in Poland in late 1944-45.
This fascinating book, filled with detailed artwork and contemporary photographs, tells the story of this aircraft, including the political infighting at the top of the Luftwaffe's hierarchy that stymied its development, its radical technical design and its state-of-the-art weaponry.
ISBN: | 9781472820396 |
Publication date: | 26th July 2018 |
Author: | Robert Forsyth |
Publisher: | Osprey Publishing an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) |
Format: | Paperback |
Pagination: | 96 pages |
Series: | Combat Aircraft |
Genres: |
Second World War Modern warfare Air forces and warfare Military vehicles Military history Warfare and defence History |