Boasting pilots who had been blooded in the Spanish Civil War, Jagdgeschwader 53 (JG 53) 'Pik As' or 'Ace of Spades' achieved great success in the skies over France and Britain in 1940. It was infamous amongst its opponents for the quality and calibre of its aces - men such as Werner Moelders, Hans-Karl Mayer and Rolf Pingel. These aces won numerous Knight's Crosses for their exploits in 1940, credited with 258 victories, with 51 pilots being killed or captured. This study follows these pilots of JG 53 into battle, telling the stories of their victories, losses, and ultimate fate. Containing 36 profile illustrations depicting the drastic change in appearance of their aircraft over time, and complemented by thorough research, this book is a welcome addition to Osprey's popular Aircraft of the Aces series.

Author Biography

Chris Goss is a recently retired senior Royal Air Force officer who has studied the 1939-45 air war over northwest Europe for many years, specialising in Luftwaffe air operations. He has amassed a substantial collection of original wartime material and photographs as a result of interviews and extensive correspondence with veterans and their families. Chris has written more than 14 books, including Bloody Biscay, Brothers in Arms and The Luftwaffe's Blitz, as well as Combat Aircraft 115: Fw 200 Condor Units of World War 2, which is due for publication by Osprey in 2016. Chris Davey has illustrated more than 30 titles for Osprey's Aircraft of the Aces, Combat Aircraft, and Aviation Elite Units series. He is one of the last traditional airbrush artists in the business and is based in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, UK.