As Hitler unleashed his terrifying Blitzkrieg against the nations of Europe, the world was stunned by his air force -- the Luftwaffe -- with its vast array of latest-technology warplanes.

And yet, six years earlier the German war machine hardly existed. But from 1933 to the end of World War II, the German aviation industry was at the cutting edge of design excellence and technology, producing a series of high-performance classic designs that would have a dramatic effect on the aircraft of the future.

Among the many planes described and illustrated here are such outstanding types as:

-- Focke-Wulfe craft

-- Heinkel fighters and bombers

-- Messerschmidt attack planes and transports

-- Revolutionary Junker designs

-- Early jet fighters

This book describes these feats of aviation engineering. Every warplane that Hitler's Luftwaffe flew in front line combat is featured, with rare photographs, detailed artwork, and comprehensive descriptions. Here are the planes that form the foundation of modern military flying and weaponry.