The Star of Africa: The Story of Hans Marseille, the Rogue Luftwaffe Ace Who Dominated the WWII Skies

Publication Date:November 15, 2012
"Having read other biographies of Marseille . . . I was surprised to fi nd that this gracefully written new work adds fascinating details and accounts from extensive interviews with Luftwaffe 'Experten' that make it worth reading no matter how deeply immersed in Marseille lore you might already be."
- Aviation History magazine "Heaton expertly portrays Marseille as one of history's great fighter pilots, as well as a man who lived life to the full and who fought with honor." -- Dennis Showalter 
The Star of Africais a biography of the dramatic life and meteoric career of German Luftwaffe Captain Hans-Joachim Marseille, the "Star of Africa." Marseille, a legendary figure in the annals of military history, had 158 kills to his name and was one of the rare recipients of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds, the Third Reich's highest honor awarded for valor in combat. Unlike other German fighter aces, Marseille is also a famous figure in the public imagination in the United States and other English-speaking countries, where his rebellious nature, iconoclastic behavior, and early death have nourished his reputation just as greatly as his exceptional skill and chivalrous conduct as an adversary.