The arduous development of a dedicated naval air arm for Germany's resurgent military was fraught with the kind of fierce inter-service rivalry that was rife throughout the turbulent history of the Third Reich. However, almost despite the odds, a small dedicated maritime strike force was assembled, germinating during the Spanish Civil War before being committed to action from the first days of the invasion of Poland.
Concurrently, the operational Luftwaffe developed its own maritime units that would eventually subsume all of the Kriegsmarine-controlled formations as the war years progressed. This new book by the well-known author of German naval operations in WWII offers, for the first time, an in-depth study of all the Luftwaffe maritime operations. This is the first of two volumes and takes the story up to 1942. The story of Luftwaffe maritime operations has frequently been written about in fragmentary terms, delineating between the planned naval air arm operating under Kriegsmarine direction and the operational Luftwaffe.
Each branch of service and even aircraft type has usually been studied in isolation. This book, however, broadens the lens to study the development of German naval aircraft as a whole, not as separate independent services but rather as a concerted attempt to engage the enemy at sea in every theatre of operations, from Norway and Western Europe to the Mediterranean and the Eastern fronts, and, of course, over the Atlantic. Through ship-board aircraft, torpedo bomber attacks, minelaying and reconnaissance missions, Luftwaffe maritime aircraft played a vital role in Germany s naval war and the author analyses all the operations and the successes in the early years of the War.
This first volume ends in 1942 when, despite great success, petty rivalry and naked arrogance combined to foreshadow the eventual defeat of the Luftwaffe's war at sea. Heavily illustrated throughout, this detailed and exciting operational history will be of huge appeal to both naval and aviation historians and enthusiasts.
About the Author
Lawrence Paterson has spent many years researching aspects of German naval operations and has written more than ten books on various aspects of the Kreigsmarine, including Donitz's Last Gamble, Black Flag, Schnellboote and, most recently, Hitler's Forgotten Flotillas, a study of the Kriegsmarine's security forces, all published by Seaforth.
Industry Reviews
Eagles over the Sea provides a comprehensive treatment of its topic, with a good balance between aircraft and people, the narrative being enhanced by eyewitness accounts from airmen who took part in some of the operations covered. The choice of illustrations is ... good, with a number of images of individuals alongside those of aircraft and ships... Eagles is to be recommended as likely to be the definitive work on the subject for a long time, of interest to both those concerned with the Second World War in the air, and those whose interests lie in its conduct at sea. --Warship
This is an epic two-volume set (2nd volume: Eagles Over the Sea 1943-45) that required years of meticulous and dedicated research that ... has no rival. With facts, figures and personal accounts and opinions by participants both German and Allied, the books establish the author as one of the post-war's researchers and writers on a level with Gordon Prange and Walter Lord whose several works on Pearl Harbor and Mid-way have set their own level of expertise for many years. --Naval Aviation News
Eagles Over the Sea is an excellent addition to the often neglected historiography of Luftwaffe maritime operations in the mid-to-late-war period. Paterson's compilation of official reports, first-hand accounts, and insightful analysis weave together the various threads that made up each theatre of operation's combat chronology. Human actions and errors, developing technologies, changing tactics, and the struggle to continue operations amidst the ever-encroaching allied forces are all covered in a flowing, detailed style that provides. --The Northern Mariner / Le marin du nord
This book is meticulously researched and presents a wealth of both technical and personal information, all supported by a plethora of photographs. --Air Power History
This book presents an impressive amount of detail which dedicated researchers will find authoritative yet is also very readable to more casual readers who are interested in understanding an aspect of German Luftwaffe operations previously overlooked by historians. I highly recommend this book and believe it strongly deserves your consideration. --The Australian Naval Institute
This is a good addition to the literature on the Luftwaffe, focusing on a key element of the war, but one where the Germans had to cope with a self-inflicted wound imposed by Goring as well as the inherent dangers of operating over the sea and British and Soviet opposition. --History of War
This is a really intriguing book. What purports to be a history of Luftwaffe maritime units is actually a very human story about failed relationships, inter-service rivalries, and individual one-upmanship by very senior officers who should have known much better. This utterly depressing, all-too-familiar backdrop is brightened by individual examples of courage and tenacity by both tactical units and individual crews.... Good stuff. --The Naval Review
