Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 30 was established December 14, 1916 and allocated to the German 6th Army, facing the British Army Air Service in 1917 and 1918. The unit achieved 64 aerial victories and lost eight pilots in aerial combat; another six died in airplane crashes without enemy involvement. Written by two German authorities in the field of World War I aviation the book presents the detailed and unique history of this German fighter unit. The book is based on interviews with and information from four former members of Jagdstaffel 30 that were done by one of the authors in the 1970s, unpublished German documents, daily German Army Reports of the activity in the air, personal rosters, and information from allied sources. The book also contains a detailed war dairy excerpt and – never published before – the complete logbook of one of the unit’s pilots. The color profiles in the book are based on the recollections of the former members of Jagdstaffel 30, period photographs, and original German documents. These offer an authentic source for enthusiasts and model builders. The book gives a close look to the pilots, their adventures, their personalities, and their dangerous missions. It shows that the young German pilots were far away from the stereotype of the “stiff neck Prussian” and present these young men as they really were. This book is a must for everyone interested in the authentic history of the Great War in the air.
