Hungarian Aces of World War 2

Featuring first-hand accounts and combat reports, this book tells the story of the Hungarian fighter pilots who became aces, and the planes they flew.

This work charts the careers of the 20 Hungarian and Bulgarian pilots who officially "made ace" during World War II, plus the two Hungarian Americans who fought with the Eighth Air Force in 1944 and 1945. It contains first-hand accounts from a number of the aces and material from combat reports.Hungary's air arm grew up in secret during the 1930s, as the country was forbidden from building its own airforce following the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in World War 1. In June 1941, Hungarian pilots joined Germany in the invasion of Russia where they fought on until 1945. Bulgaria, on the other hand, never declared war on Russia, although it supported German efforts in Yugoslavia and Greece by declaring war on the Western Allies. From late 1943 through to mid-1944 Bulgarian pilots attempted to defend industrial and military sites from American bombers, but by July 1944 the Bulgarian armed forces had surrendered to the Russians. This book commemorates the 20 aces who hailed from Hungary and Bulgaria.