Here at Wing Leader, we don’t publish ‘celebrity’ authors. Instead we prefer to stick with the specialist historians who have been studying their subject for decades. The ones who have travelled across Europe interviewing veterans from both sides. The ones who have all the official records to hand, and who have the knowledge to understand how to use them. And most importantly, the ones who really know what happened in the summer of 1940.

That’s why we are proud to announce our new book ‘Zerstörer’ by internationally renowned researchers and authors, John Vasco and Peter Cornwell. Their collective knowledge of the events of 1940 is unmatched, and draws upon their decades of research into primary sources, from the Bundesarchivmilitärarchiv (BAMA) and the Deutschdienststelle (WASt.) in Germany, to the Public Record Office (now the National Archive), Imperial War Museum, RAE Farnborough, and MoD (Air Historical Branch) in England.
They have also interviewed and corresponded with hundreds of relevant combatants on both sides over several decades, and work closely with other leading historians who have also conducted decades of research into the period, such as Chris Goss, Andy Saunders and Simon Parry.

Originally published 30 years ago, this updated and expanded version of over 300 pages, contains new information regarding events concerning the Messerschmitt 110 and its crews in 1940, with particular emphasis on the Battle of Britain. It is supplemented by just under 600 photographs, many new and previously unpublished, and demolishes many myths, misconceptions, and downright incorrect information, on the Messerschmitt 110 previously in print.

Printed to the highest standards in hardback, this book is THE definitive work on the Bf 110 in 1940, and eclipses anything else that has gone before it. If you want to understand what it was really like to be a Luftwaffe airman in 1940, in their own words, then this is the book for you.

About the Authors

John and Peter are two of the most knowledgeable Battle of Britain historians in the world. They have spent their life researching the air war in 1940 from both sides and have interviewed hundreds of airmen who took part in the Battles of France and Britain. Their research is second to none and many modern books are based upon their work.

John Vasco

John Vasco is a retired Management-grade civil servant married to Anne with two children and two grandchildren.

With research into the Messerschmitt Bf 110 in particular, and the Battle of Britain in general, spanning 45 years, he is the author/co-author of 9 books on the Bf 110, his book on the unit history of Erprobungsgruppe 210 having gone to a second edition in 2002.  He is considered to be the No.1 expert on the Bf 110 day fighter in the world.  His work with Peter Cornwell over the decades saw them mine a lot of information on their travels throughout Germany and Austria.

He was a ‘Specialist Editor’ of the 12-volume Red Kite series of books, ‘Luftwaffe Crash Archive’, and is a ‘Specialist Contributor(Luftwaffe) to the Red Kite ‘Battle of Britain Combat Archive’ series by Simon Parry, also published by Red Kite.  He has also contributed to many works by other authors, notably ‘The most dangerous enemy’ by Stephen Bungay.

He is an accomplished guitarist, having started gigging in the night clubs of Liverpool in January 1969, and performed at many of the venues that the Merseybeat era bands performed at, including the world-famous Cavern Club aged 18 while still at school.  He finally retired as a semi-pro guitarist with a local band in September 2022.

Peter Cornwell

Best known for his contribution to the iconic Battle of Britain Then & Now (After the Battle 1980), Peter had been researching aircraft losses over Europe 1939/40 since the 1960s, his first work on the subject appearing in The Messerschmitt 109 (Harleyford 1964). His further work on The Blitz Then & Now trilogy (1987/90) established unprecedented levels of detail on British & German aircraft losses of the period. This was continued in his epic Battle of France Then & Now (2007) that also included losses of the Dutch, Belgian, French, & Italian air forces involved. Peter is also author of To Scale The Skies (Spellmount 2011) a well-received biography of Group Captain Johnny Wells DFC.

A doyen amongst British military aviation historians, he retired in 2018 and now divides his time between his home in Cambridge and north Norfolk while researching family origins in 16th century rural Cambridgeshire and driving his vintage MG sportscar to local shows.