Hitler's Squadron: The Fuehrer's Personal Aircraft and Transport Unit, 1933-1945 - Touch and Go - Book Review

Air & Space Power Journal, Summer, 2003 by Lt Col Robert F. Tate

Hitler's Squadron: The Fuehrer's Personal Aircraft and Transport Unit, 1933-1945 by C. G. Sweeting. Brassey's (http://www.brasseysinc.com/index.htm), 22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, Virginia 20166, 2001, 192 pages, $31.95 (hardcover).

Talk about finding a niche and filling it, C. G. Sweeting has done exactly that. His book Hiter's Squadron is a detailed look at a relatively unknown aspect of Luftwaffe history. The author, former curator for the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum and author of three other books on World War II aviation, has written a fascinating book about the squadron and pilot responsible for flying Hitler during his time as Fuehrer. Likewise, the Fliegerstaffel des Fuehers (F.d.F) was responsible for the air transport of other high-ranking German officials and heads of state from other nations.

In this well-written, extremely informative, and expertly presented book, complete with dozens of rare and previously unpublished photographs, anecdotal stories, and historic sidebars, Sweeting takes the reader into a unique component of the Luftwaffe. In addition to the transport unit itself, the author closely examines the life and career of Hans Baur, Hitler's personal pilot. In February 1933, Hitler chose this Lufthansa captain and veteran of World War I as his personal pilot and commander of the transport unit. Baur, who had complete control in selecting the personnel and equipment for the squadron, was the only pilot (with the exception of one flight in 12 years) with whom Hitler ever flew. An officer in the SS, Baur was an unrepentant Nazi who never renounced either Hitler or National Socialist ideals or even admitted the existence of the Holocaust. For his loyalty to Hitler and the Nazi Party, Baur spent 10 years as a prisoner of war in the Soviet Union, finally released in 1955. Because Baur's achiev ements as an organizer and pilot are worthy of further exploration, Sweeting's book Hitler's Personal Pilot: The Life and Times of Hans Baur may also merit reading.

Overall, Hitler's Squadron is an enjoyable book. The excellent technical information and pilot reports on lesser-known German aircraft such as the Ju-52, FW-200 Condor, and Ju-290 of the F.d.F. presented in the appendices make for worthwhile reading by themselves. Hitler's Squadron will have a significant impact on Luftwaffe history and will make a great addition to any aviation library.