Arnold Döring was just twenty-three years old when he flew his first mission against the Soviet Union on June 21, 1941. On that day he started writing his diary. His account not only describe the technical aspects and the difficulties posed by weather and terrain, but are also filled with suspense, with detailed descriptions of bombing raids and narrow escapes from enemy fighter planes. With detached professionalism, Döring offers us thrilling, action-packed snapshots of life as a Luftwaffe pilot.

This volume of the diaries, translated into English for the first time, covers the period from August 1943 to May 1945, when the author was flying sorties as a nightfighter, including Operation Gisela, the largest and final operation of the Luftwaffe against the Allies. Despite experiencing crash-landings, near misses, terrifying night missions and precarious flights with too little fuel and under-trained crew, Döring survived through his skill and instincts, as well as a fair amount of luck.