The Knullenkopfstaffel

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This narrative chronicles the 1st Staffel of Luftwaffe Aufklärungsgruppe (F)/123 from its inception in 1935 to the conclusion of the war in Europe in May 1945. Readers follow the Staffel's soldiers on their initial missions over France and during the Battle of Britain, feeling the crew's tension amidst heavy flak over Liverpool and experiencing dramatic moments during a photoreconnaissance flight over London in autumn 1940. Original mission reports provide insight into various operations, including night reconnaissance sorties, guiding S-Boats against coastal convoys, and reconnaissance over British landing zones at Dieppe. The author utilizes German and British documents, including the war diary of this Luftwaffe Staffel, personal diaries, and airmen logbooks, to illustrate the increasingly dire circumstances faced by long-range reconnaissance Staffeln on the Channel front. Following a relocation to Italy, the Staffel suffers significant losses during perilous missions over North Africa, Malta, and Sicily before disbandment. In early 1945, the Staffel is reformed, flying long-range jet reconnaissance with the Ar 234 until the war's end in Europe. This meticulously researched work draws on reliable archival material, interviews, mission reports, and previously unreleased photographs, featuring 380 B/W images, 12 maps, 10 color profiles of aircraft, a complete loss list, award documents, and the fates of selected soldiers, offe