WGFB: Black Fokker Leader (GS)

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 06-09-2011 03:55

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Book Title:

Black Fokker Leader.

Author:

Peter Kilduff.

ISBN:

978-1-906502-28-7

Category:

Biography

Format:

Hardback

Summary:

An interesting angle on the last recipient of the Pour le Merit.
Kilduff has obviously an intimate knowlege of Carl Degelow, taken from corespondence with the man himself and interviews with those who knew him.
It makes a refreshing change from the usual biographys of pilots of the time,in that it is more concerned with the man than his victories.
It also gives an insight into the workings of the management side of the German air force, and shows a man who stuck by his principles to the end.
All in all an interesting read that gives a different slant on the war from the German perspective.
Rob.

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**gully_raker** · 06-12-2011 22:53

Yes Rob, a great read. I got the book last year & was impressed by Degalows attitude of "Bring down the Aircraft, you dont have to "kill" the Pilot". A true Knight of the Air.

This book inspired me to buy Kilduff's book on Goring which just concentrated on Goring's childhood & WW1 service. Most enlightening about his view of himself (Goring) as a "Chosen" one.

**somaliavet** · 06-16-2011 05:44

I bought the book earlier this year and pretty much devoured it. It was a good quick read that I would highly recommend. An interesting sidenote was Degelow's service during the Third Reich and his view of the Nazis.

**Baldrick62** · 03-20-2012 15:32

Just finished this, and really enjoyed its concentration on later war events. Its a hell of a lot harder to operate when you're going backwards, and this provided good insights into the trials and triumphs of the Luftstreitkrafte in the closing period of 1918, as well as a sympathetic treatment of an honourable man.

**MoonSylver** · 09-24-2012 15:31

Just picked up this authors "Richthofen: Beyond the Legend of the Red Baron" a few weeks ago & getting ready to ready it, & just discovered this weekend that he had written this one & the one on Goring as well, both of which I am also interested in reading.

Apparently he has one coming out in December on Rudolph Berthold which I'm also highly interested in reading, as he's another fascinating individual to me.

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 09-25-2012 01:44

Originally Posted by MoonSylver

Apparently he has one coming out in December on Rudolph Berthold which I'm also highly interested in reading, as he's another fascinating individual to me.

That is one I will be adding to my Christmas list also. When I went through my books on airmen recently, I realised just how under represented the Central Powers were getting on my bookshelf these days.
Thanks for the heads up Rob.
Rob.

**MoonSylver** · 09-25-2012 05:07

Originally Posted by Flying Officer Kyte

That is one I will be adding to my Christmas list also. When I went through my books on airmen recently, I realised just how under represented the Central Powers were getting on my bookshelf these days.
Thanks for the heads up Rob.
Rob.

My pleasure.

At the rate I'm reading right now & with as much as I still have ahead of me I suspect you'll probably read it well ahead of me, so you'll have to let me know how it is.

**Flying Officer Kyte** · 09-25-2012 07:58

Originally Posted by MoonSylver

My pleasure.

At the rate I'm reading right now & with as much as I still have ahead of me I suspect you'll probably read it well ahead of me, so you'll have to let me know how it is.

Don't hold your breath Rob.
You havn't seen the pile of books I've still got to read. Havn't even started Game of Thrones yet, and my Good Lady has nearly finished them.
Rob.

**Nightbomber** · 09-25-2012 10:08

Pile of books

That's my problem as well. But fortunately I have recently finished "Black Fokker Leader", which was an excellent read.
But most of all I read even more about American volunteer pilots and it's going to be a subject of a separate thread of mine soon...

**7eat51** · 01-13-2013 19:45

Originally Posted by gully_raker

Yes Rob, a great read. I got the book last year & was impressed by Degalows attitude of "Bring down the Aircraft, you dont have to "kill" the Pilot". A true Knight of the Air.

This book inspired me to buy Kilduff's book on Goring which just concentrated on Goring's childhood & WW1 service. Most enlightening about his view of himself (Goring) as a "Chosen" one.

Your comment on Degalow's attitude, alone, is enough for me to purchase this book. My father shared a story about a German pilot in WWII who didn't shoot down a U.S. bomber his friend was on, but directed the pilot back to England. The German pilot originally scrambled to shoot down the bomber, but once he saw had badly the crew and the plane were hurt and that they were lost, he signaled for the bomber pilot to follow him and sent them back to safety. It is refreshing to hear stories of chivalry during war.