De Adelaar van het Eskader – Jack D. Hunter – Dutch WWI Aviation Novel

This is a rare Dutch-language edition of Jack D. Hunter’s iconic First World War aviation novel The Blue Max, published under the translated title De Adelaar van het Eskader (The Eagle of the Squadron). Issued as part of the Witte Raven war series, this paperback represents a striking example of Cold War-era European interest in Anglo-American war fiction and its reinterpretation through local publishing.

Historical Context:
First published in 1964, The Blue Max catapulted Jack D. Hunter (1921–2009) into prominence for his portrayal of the brutal air war over the Western Front and the psychological toll it took on the men who fought it. This Dutch edition preserves the gripping narrative of Bruno Stachel—a lower-class infantryman-turned-fighter pilot whose obsessive ambition to earn the Pour le Mérite ("Blue Max") drives him into moral collapse.

Hunter, a former U.S. Army counterintelligence officer fluent in German, infused the novel with precise historical atmosphere, particularly regarding the Imperial German Air Service and its social dynamics. This edition offers unique value for collectors of international military literature and WWI-era aviation fiction.

Translated Summary (from rear cover):

“A gripping story about the brutal aerial combat of the First World War, a struggle in which flying the antique 'crates' of the era was an exceptionally perilous undertaking. Hunter masterfully captures the deadly chess game: Stachel, burdened with deep insecurities; Heidemann, the pragmatic professional officer; Kettering, the disillusioned philosopher seeking solace in pornography; Von Klugermann, the aristocrat delving into Stachel’s past; and Stachel’s mistress, a relentlessly provocative nymphomaniac—and many others.”

Physical Details:

• Softcover, approx. 5 x 7.5 inches

• Language: Dutch

• Publisher: Witte Raven series

• Cover artwork features dramatic WWI dogfight illustration

• Interior pages mildly age-toned; tight binding with light shelfwear to edges

• Spine and corners remain intact; overall good+ vintage condition

Collector Notes:
This edition is a compelling addition to any WWI aviation or Jack D. Hunter collection, particularly for multilingual collectors or those interested in international literary adaptations of military fiction. The presence of the Pour le Mérite on the protagonist's collar, translated through European cultural lenses, underscores the award’s enduring symbolic power in 20th-century literature.