The First Pathfinders Operational History of Kampfgruppe 100, 1939-41

Book Code:  SA0059

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The First Pathfinders Operational History of Kampfgruppe 100, 1939-41

 

A superbly detailed account of the formation, equipment & tactics, and the nightly operations carried out by this pioneer Luftwaffe bomber unit, from Nov. 1939 to Dec. 1941. After participating in the Norwegian campaign, it was trained to be a pathfinder unit, marking targets in England. With the British air defence system supreme by day, the Luftwaffe turned to concentrate their attention towards nocturnal bombing missions on major cities and ports. For this purpose they perfected the technique to become known as `pathfinding' - the illumination of the target area by a special force as a forerunner to an intense bombing raid. This vital role was to be played by Germany's best known bomber unit, Kampfgruppe 100. .Within a detailed and full history of this unit from 1939 until 1941, comes a fascinating account of its operations over Britain, as night after night German bombers went about the systematic destruction of Britain's major cities, Much of the Luftwaffe's success in many of these attacks was due to Kampfgruppe 100's ability to drop incendiary bombs to start fires in the target area without falling victim to anti-aircraft guns or night-fighters. But high praise must go to the many civilians who acted as fire watchers, dousing the fires as soon as they took hold, and the fire services, together forming an effective team to frustrate the German onslaught by night. Although Kampfgruppe 100 stayed operational for less than two years to carry out this all-important special task, the Gruppe was assured a place in the annals of military history/ They were the First Pathfinders.

 

Kenneth Wakefield

Hardcover with d/w 256pp Crecy Books 1992