“STUKA-PILOT HANS ULRICH RUDEL – His Life Story in Words and Photographs”, by GuntherJust. Schiffer MILITARY HISTORY Publishing, Ltd.: 1990, 292 pages, 9”x 11 ½”, hardcover;$59.95. Visit, www.schifferbooks.com.No publisher in the world can match, let alone surpass, Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. when itcomes to specializing in publishing German and other Axis military subjects of World War II.Case in point is the last book listed above, the life story in words and photographs of the mosthighly decorated soldier of World War II, Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Stuka pilot, Hans-UlrichRudel, the famous “Eagle of the Eastern Front”. Imagine pouring over 600 high resolutionphotographs on high gloss paper with a large magnifying glass candidly zeroing in on enemyfighting men in actual air combat or relaxing in peace. Buffs, World War II enthusiasts, armchairhistorians, and military strategists know precisely what this reader and reviewer isrecommending. “You want to know what it was all about it? Damn it, BE THERE! to meet theenemy face to face, read and digest the documents and commentaries about him. Read and seefor yourself why it was the Soviet, Allied, American and British pilots all exclaimed the samewords, “What a pity Hans-Ulrich wasn’t wearing our uniform! He was probably, on either sideof this dastardly war, the best pilot known to recorded aviation history.”Of course, by May 8 th , 1945, the day when World War II was officially over, there was nothingleft of the Luftwaffe other than the great gift Germany reluctantly gave the Allies, theMesserschmitt Me262, the world’s first jet – capable of flying 150 miles per hour faster thanany fighters the Allies sent to intercept them, including the hallowed Spitfires. The jet engineMe262 brought to the final months of the war a rare echo of the performance German aviationhad enjoyed 10 years before with the birth of the Me Bf109. As for Rudel, he left all of us afighting motto for all dangers and ordinary aspects of life, “You are only lost if you give up on
yourself . . .”
