Heinkel He 219 Units by Martin Streetly

Heinkel He 219 Units by Martin Streetly

An illustrated study of the famous Heinkel He 219 – the Luftwaffe's only pupose-built nightfighter – and its role in the bitterly contested nocturnal defence of the Reich.

Originally conceived as a high-performance reconnaissance aircraft, the Heinkel He 219 went on to become the Luftwaffe’s only purpose-built nightfighter. Despite its many sterling qualities (including ejector seats for its two crew members), the type’s production was bedevilled by political manoeuvring and consequently it was only used in strength by one unit – the Luftwaffe’s elite Nachtjagdgeschwader 1.

In this volume, respected historian Martin Streetly examines the development of the He 219, from its origins through to its implementation against the RAF’s ever-more destructive night offensive. First-hand accounts from Nachtjagdverband crew shed light on the He 219’s successes and failures in battle, while archive photos and newly commissioned artwork demonstrate the unique design and technology of this near-legendary aircraft.

Martin Streetly is a full-time author who specialises in the history, technology and application of defence electronics. His career in military and aviation publishing spans 36 years.

Gareth Hector has worked on numerous Osprey aviation titles over the past 18 years, producing some of the finest battlescene and cover artwork seen in these volumes.

Based in Poland, Janusz Swiatlon has produced artwork for a variety of British and European publications for many years.