My first reaction to this series was “What?  Another book on the ME-109?  Just what we needed.”  However, I just HAD to look, and when I saw what they were, I bought them.

This amounts to a two volume set, so I will review them as one work, even though three authors are involved.

 These books provide a LOT of information on the ME-109 series, all in 82 pages with 61 color plates in each volume.  In addition to a very brief developmental history, there are pages devoted to markings, camouflage schemes, unit insignia, and  an explanation of the system of numbers, bars,  chevrons, etc. used by the Luftwaffe fighter units for in-flight identification. There is even a page devoted to the major historical events of the period so the reader can understand how the development of the aircraft related to what was happening in the war.

 The book is organized into sections,  each devoted to a particular variant.  Individual modifications are covered, with the differences between each different version.  The color plates provide excellent  profiles of the type in chronological order.  Side views dominate, but several pages are devoted to plan views showing wing and tailplane camouflage patterns. There are a few photographs, all excellent.

 The volumes appear to be well researched, and limited bibliography is included at the back.  Colors appear to be right on the money, and only one drawing in Vol. 2 appears to be off register. 

I did spot a couple of very minor problems.  In the drawings,  the drop tanks seem to be overly large.  They mention an Emil Hartmann, when they mean Erich.  And since the work was translated from the French, there are a few strange wordings that are sometimes hard to understand. Translations are always a problem in technical writing.

 The real value of this book is in its completeness.  For a recently started modeler without an extensive library, this would be a good place to start, as it contains nearly everything needed to construct a model of almost any ME-109, except for information on interior details and colors.  A color view of a cockpit interior would have completed the book, along with information on the colors of landing gear struts, wheels, etc.

 I would highly recommend this book.  It is a high quality paperback, not too large for the bookshelf, with more information than I’ve seen in an aviation reference book for a long time.  I have seen a number of other books in this series, and have the one on the Curtiss P-40, which is also excellently done. Now, I’m waiting for them to do one on the FW-190.

 October 2005

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