An autobiography by the Father of the Night Fighters, Wolfgang Falck. Illustrated by Thomas Tullis.
250+ photos, 200 pages, color aircraft profiles of Falck's Me 110s, 8.5" X 11", hardcover, full color DJ
Standard Edition ISBN 0-9721060-1-4
“His name – The Happy Falcon - fits him well for he looks like a falcon. He is not big enough to be an eagle. But he has the aquiline features which artists and novelists love to ascribe to heroic bird-men…He was particularly well liked” From a magazine article entitled “Memories of Peace”, 1 March 1940 originally appearing in THE AEROPLANE.
Wolfgang Falck found himself in the most unique position when German Luftwaffe high command decided to form a night fighting force. Because of his leadership capabilities and knowledge of military tactics plus the fact that he was a very capable fighter pilot, Falck was selected to create the Nachtjagd and became known affectionately by his men as the Father of the Night Fighters.
From his earliest recollections, Falck wanted a military career. Little did he realize as a youth, that he would be come an elite fighter pilot, or Jagdflieger. Here in his autobiography Wolfgang Falck provides the reader with a fascinating behind the scenes personal view of life in the leadership of the German Luftwaffe, its successes, its operations and failures, the interrelationship of personalities involved and ultimately the end of WWII and Hitler’s Third Reich. Falck brings the reader an upfront and personal view of his experiences in the last desperate days and on through his immediate post war survival. In the years following the end of WW II, Falck was employed by major aerospace companies, North American Aviation and later Mc Donnell Douglas, both firms with offices located in Bonn-Bad Godesberg, Germany. After retirement, Falck made his home in the beautiful Alpen village in Austria giving thanks to God for his adventure through a fascinating life.
He is one of the few whose life covered nearly all of the 20th century; Imperial times, WWI, Revolution and civil war, the depression, the Third Reich and WWII, and finally the Federal Republic of Germany. His path has truly been multi-faceted. Wolfgang Falck peacefully passed away at the age of 96 on 13 March 2007.
“I firmly believe that we pilots – from both sides – were convinced that when the war was over we would treat each other again as cavaliers and gentlemen." -Wolfgang Falck.
