V2
London: Hurst and Blackett, 1954. Octavo, navy cloth, spine embossed with gilt lettering, front cover embossed with gilt outline of rocket, 264 pp., illustrated endpapers, colour frontispiece, eight double-sided black-and-white plates, one black-and-white diagram included. Tail end of spine slightly bumped and rubbed, tail edges of covers very slightly rubbed, light spotting on fore-edge and tail edge of text block, leaves 45 to 65 have a faint ripple at lower edges and pale watermarks on some of the upper edges, edges of dust-jacket are worn and torn without loss of text; otherwise a very good copy with a very good dust-jacket. Second printing of first British edition (also published in 1954). From 1930 to 1945, Major-General Walter Dornberger was head of the German Army's research and development of the V2 liquid-propellent rocket – the world's first. During this time he controlled the huge experimental station at Peenemünde on the Baltic Sea island of Usedom. In this illuminating account of his experiences, Dornberger offers startling insights into the machinations of the Nazis, Hitler's initial disinterest in the project and Himmler's later extraordinary decision to hand over control of the project to a man who had not seen a day's military service.
Dornberger's fascinating account not only details the technical knowledge required to make the V2 become a reality but also commits to history a revealing portrait of the German military's inner circle. Item #4893
Price (AUD): $250.00