It may be difficult for some to believe but the modern Luftwaffe (sometimes called the Bundeswaffe) has been around now for 50 years. Reconstituted in 1956 with T-6s, T-33s, F/RF-84Fs, and Sabres as part of the initial outfitting, the service grew to large numbers during the Cold War and has, as have many services, been shrinking in numbers ever since. This is as much due to the loss of the Soviet Union as the main threat and the need for fewer military weapons as a result.

This latest book by AirDoc covers the modern Luftwaffe in sections, generally covering 10 year spans. It starts with the build-up of the service and its difficulty in finding qualified crews for its new planes. A number were ex-WWII pilots who were able to handle the faster aircraft, and certainly several of the 'brass' were WWII aces.

The equipment was initially aircraft made in the US and France but with the coming of the 60's, types specifically designed for the Luftwaffe such as the Fiat G.91 came into service. This was also the time of the F-104 and the early problems with this aircraft; much due to the lack of proper respect for the airframe as pilots transitioned from the rather sedate Sabres into this much more potent airframe. The 70's was the Phantom era and the introduction of the Alpha Jet and Tornado, which carried on into the 1980s. With the 90s and into the 21st century, the service saw reductions in units and the introduction of the Eurofighter, which will be the Luftwaffe's main fighter for many years to come.

The book is full of high quality images, most of which are in full color, making this a really great reference for modelers. Written in both German and English, it is an excellent read, though I do wish that AirDoc would not put in those background images on the pages as it makes the wording difficult to read. Aside from that one minor complaint on my part, it is an excellent book and one that I know you will delight in reading.

August  2006

My thanks to AirDoc for the review book. You can find these at your local hobby shop and if not, ask them to order them for you. You can also order direct by e-mailing them at www.airdoc.eu

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