With their excellent Jagdwaffe series coming to conclusion, Classic figured that they'd get going on the other arms of the Luftwaffe; specifically the Kampfflieger. This particular volume starts us off with the early days of the bomber force starting with the most forgettable Do-11 and continuing up to the fall of France in mid 1940.

When you see the names Smith and Creek on the cover of a book about the Luftwaffe, you know that you are getting the best research that there is, and this one is no exception to their other fine works. Of particular note is the meticulous order of battle that is provided from time to time throughout the book, indicating not only the changes in designation of the various groups (which can be quite confusing), but also what was available to the Luftwaffe at certain periods of time. I found the explanation of pre-war bomber codes to be most enlightening as I had no clue as to reasoning behind such a convoluted system.

If you want images of some great pre-war bombers such as the Ju-86, Do-17, Ju-52 and others, then this is a gold mine for you. There is good coverage of the Kondor Legion as well as the other events leading up to WWII. As is typical with Classic books, this one has personal stories from those who were there as well as excellent profile artwork based on actual photographs, and not just mere hear-say.

In all, this is as outstanding a publication as their Jagdwaffe series and a must for those who are interested in the subject.

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