On March 30, 1945, the USAAF captures their first flight-worthy Me 262 A-1a and starts the wheels in motion that leads to Colonel Harold Watson to sending 10 Me 262s to New York City. Five were given to the US Navy and five were kept by the USAAF. Enjoy all 11 volumes of "Messerschmidts Over America” in text and photographs!

On March 30, 1945, the USAAF captures their first flight-worthy Me 262 A-1a and starts the wheels in motion that leads to Colonel Harold Watson to sending 10 Me 262s to New York City. Five were given to the US Navy and five were kept by the USAAF. Enjoy all 11 volumes of "Messerschmidts Over America” in text and photographs!

On March 30, 1945, the USAAF captures their first flight-worthy Me 262 A-1a and starts the wheels in motion that leads to Colonel Harold Watson to sending 10 Me 262s to New York City. Five were given to the US Navy and five were kept by the USAAF. Enjoy all 11 volumes of "Messerschmidts Over America” in text and photographs!

On March 30, 1945, the USAAF captures their first flight-worthy Me 262 A-1a and starts the wheels in motion that leads to Colonel Harold Watson to sending 10 Me 262s to New York City. Five were given to the US Navy and five were kept by the USAAF. Enjoy all 11 volumes of "Messerschmidts Over America” in text and photographs!

On March 30, 1945, the USAAF captures their first flight-worthy Me 262 A-1a and starts the wheels in motion that leads to Colonel Harold Watson to sending 10 Me 262s to New York City. Five were given to the US Navy and five were kept by the USAAF. Enjoy all 11 volumes of "Messerschmidts Over America” in text and photographs!

On March 30, 1945, the USAAF captures their first flight-worthy Me 262 A-1a and starts the wheels in motion that leads to Colonel Harold Watson to sending 10 Me 262s to New York City. Five were given to the US Navy and five were kept by the USAAF. Enjoy all 11 volumes of "Messerschmidts Over America” in text and photographs!

Dramatic story of World War II in the air How the U.S. built an air force of 2.3 million men after starting with 45,000 and defeated the world's best air force Vivid accounts of aerial combat Winner, 2011 San Diego Book Awards for Military & Politics In order to defeat Germany in World War II, the Allies needed to destroy the Third Reich's industry and invade its territory, but before they could effectively do either, they had to defeat the Luftwaffe, whose state-of-the-art aircraft and experienced pilots protected German industry and would batter any attempted invasion. This difficult task fell largely to the U.S., which, at the outset, lacked the necessary men, materiel, and training. Over the ensuing years, thanks to visionary leadership and diligent effort, the U.S. Army Air Force developed strategies and tactics and assembled a well-trained force that convincingly defeated the Luftwaffe.