As the Second World War entered its final phase in Central Europe, Hungary became the focus of some of the most intense urban and operational fighting on the Eastern Front. Volume 2 Siege and Breakout picks up the story in January 1945, as Soviet forces encircled Budapest and launched the siege that would decide the fate of the Axis in Hungary. Against this backdrop of collapsing fronts and desperate resistance, the skies above the Hungarian capital and surrounding plains remained a critical battleground. This volume provides a detailed and richly illustrated account of the final five months of aerial operations over Hungary. It examines the role of the Royal Hungarian Air Force and the Luftwaffe as they attempted to stem the Soviet tide, as well as the growing might and tactical sophistication of the Red Air Force. With access to wartime diaries, combat records, and personal accounts, the book brings to life the dogfights, bombing missions, and close air support that accompanied some of the bloodiest ground fighting in Europe. Special attention is given to Operation Konrad - the series of German attempts to relieve the siege of Budapest - and to the air support that accompanied those offensives. The volume also covers the final Soviet push westward, including operations in western Hungary and into Austria, as well as the last actions of the Hungarian and German air units before the Axis surrender. Beyond operations, Volume 2 explores the logistical strain, attrition, and morale collapse that affected all sides, and offers insight into the strategic decisions that shaped the final outcome of the campaign. Rare photographs, colour profiles, and detailed maps help illustrate the evolution and destruction of Hungary's air war during the last brutal months of the conflict. This second volume completes the first comprehensive English-language history of the air war over Hungary in 1944?45. Together with Volume 1 From Summer Skies to Autumn Firestorms, it provides a definitive narrative for military historians, aviation enthusiasts, and all those interested in the final struggles of the Eastern Front. AUTHOR: Dmitriy Khazanov, who was born in 1954, is a military historian and a Russian aviation historian. He graduated from Moscow Institute of Electronics and Mathematics in 1977, attaining his Candidate of Technical Sciences PhD qualification in 1989. He was born in Moscow, and still lives in the city. He has written about 60 books or monographs, and more than 200 articles, including those that have been translated into English, French, Japanese, Spanish, Polish, and Czech. 153 b/w photos, 23 colour profiles, 3 b/w maps, 5 tables
