Luftwaffe over America: The Secret Plans to Bomb the United States in World War II - Hardcover

Manfred Griehl is a renowned aviation expert and the author of Luftwaffe X-Planes: German Experimental Aircraft of World War II (1853675776).

Interesting drawings and photos of six engined bomber projects with well researched text, including a final account of Hitlers progress towards a nuclear bomb, with test explosions --By Mr. J. Cliffe

This interesting and well written book examines developments in Nazi Germany to conduct a strategic bombing campaign against the United States following a successful invasion of the Soviet Union. Fortunately for the American people, the German invasion of Russia was not so successful. Had it been, Adolph Hitler would have had the resources available to produce enough long-range strategic bombers to pummel the American east coast. The style of the book is a bit technologically oriented. Nonetheless, there is a great deal that the reader will find eye-opening. First, are indications that the Nazis may have detonated two small atomic bombs late in the war, indicating that they were much further along in the development of atomic weapons than has been previously believed. Certainly the portion of the book devoted to trans-Atlantic bombers is of tremendous interest, especially since the Third Reich's flying wings appear to be precursors of American Stealth aircraft. The Germans also experimented with mid-air refueling for their bombers and the use of towed, winged fuel tanks. I found the parts of the book devoted to submarine launched ballistic missiles and even submerged barge-launched ballistic missiles of particular interest, proving that there are few obstacles that human ingenuity and technology cannot overcome. Finally, the author discusses the threat of Nazi weapons of mass destruction, especially chemical and biological weapons. It is for good reason, then, that the Americans classified documents discussing all these developments for a period of 100 years following the Second World War. Particularly disturbing were hints by the author that some of the German WWII underground facilities, which may have numbered in the several hundreds, were never found. Could there be a Nazi flying wing, loaded with weapons of mass destruction, waiting in some long-forgotten underground hanger? An interesting read! --By Gilberto Villahermosa

This interesting and well written book examines developments in Nazi Germany to conduct a strategic bombing campaign against the United States following a successful invasion of the Soviet Union. Fortunately for the American people, the German invasion of Russia was not so successful. Had it been, Adolph Hitler would have had the resources available to produce enough long-range strategic bombers to pummel the American east coast. The style of the book is a bit technologically oriented. Nonetheless, there is a great deal that the reader will find eye-opening. First, are indications that the Nazis may have detonated two small atomic bombs late in the war, indicating that they were much further along in the development of atomic weapons than has been previously believed. Certainly the portion of the book devoted to trans-Atlantic bombers is of tremendous interest, especially since the Third Reich's flying wings appear to be precursors of American Stealth aircraft. The Germans also experimented with mid-air refueling for their bombers and the use of towed, winged fuel tanks. I found the parts of the book devoted to submarine launched ballistic missiles and even submerged barge-launched ballistic missiles of particular interest, proving that there are few obstacles that human ingenuity and technology cannot overcome. Finally, the author discusses the threat of Nazi weapons of mass destruction, especially chemical and biological weapons. It is for good reason, then, that the Americans classified documents discussing all these developments for a period of 100 years following the Second World War. Particularly disturbing were hints by the author that some of the German WWII underground facilities, which may have numbered in the several hundreds, were never found. Could there be a Nazi flying wing, loaded with weapons of mass destruction, waiting in some long-forgotten underground hanger? An interesting read! 10 of 10 people found the following review helpful 4.0 out of 5 stars paper dreams and ugly realities 7 Dec 2008 By Alexander T. Gafford - Published on Amazon.com Format:Hardcover Several of the reviewers get the point of this book but one or two do not. The bungling command of the Nazi war effort is never better revealed than in the numerous verbatim quotes from this well researched book. This was in itself almost enough to ensure that the Luftwaffe would never have the ability or will to attack the American East Coast. (Can you imagine Donald Douglas successfully appealing to FDR to reverse a decision of the American military about some project? That kind of thing happened all the time in the Third Reich.) The addtional factors of lack of natural resources, the overwhelming pressure of the Combined Bomber Offensive (another controversial subject)and Allied ground advances further lengthened the odds against any successful strategy of America attack. One additional point that author makes clear is the lack of engineering design and development resources available to the Nazi state. Even if raw materials had been avialable through conquest, it is clear that there was a major bottle neck in detailed design and engineering development skills, especially being frittered away between competing and overlapping projects. The subcontracting of such work to engineering staffs in occupied countries gave the surely to be expected nil results. There appparently was no lack of conceptual design resources, hence all the visionary paper sutudies that it took decades to actualize. The protracted and painful history of the He177 was being repeated in the Great Hope project of the Me 264, a B29 look alike that with Boeing's resources could have been no doubt sucessfully developed.(The B29 project was very difficult and fraught with problems overcome with a massive and determined effort.) --By Alexander T. Gafford