On Special Missions

This is the remarkable story of the Verschuchsverband -- the Trials and Research Unit of the Luftwaffe High Command, one of the most intriguing, clandestine and rarely-covered units of the Luftwaffe before and during World War II. The Verschuchsverband was tasked with the assessment of captured Allied fighters using the so-called 'Wanderzirkus Rosarius' which toured German fighter units displaying captured British and American aircraft such as Spitfires, a Typhoon, a Mosquito, P-51 Mustangs, P-38 Lightnings and P-47 Thunderbolts which were all repainted in German markings. Many of those are illustrated in color by leading aviation artist Tom Tullis. This is the first time that the story of this unit has been told and it offers a fascinating insight into German aeronautical history during the Nazi rise to power and during the war years.