There is a particular fascination with German prototype and paper project aircraft that doesn't seem to carry over to any other WWII era air force. Perhaps it is due to innovation and imagination borne from desperation, but Luftwaffe project aircraft have continued to spawn many books and continued interest.

This particular book is the third in a series that covers Ground Attack and Special Purpose aircraft. Unlike many other similar books, this one not only covers paper projects but also prototypes that, for whatever reason, never reached full scale production. This means that there are aircraft from the late 30s through the war itself.

The amount of information available on the 140 or so aircraft covered in this volume varies from minimal to rather extensive. In addition to covering some rather fanciful aircraft, this volume also covers weapons systems that were somewhat beyond the norm. It includes weapons used in combat such as the R4M rocket and V-1 missile as well as those which were merely tested such as the X-7 air-ground rocket. Also included are radar sets that were only in their early stages of development.

Each aircraft is accompanied by either a photograph or two, aset of drawings, a color painting, or all three. Several of these aircraft have already made it into model form, the Blohm and Voss P 194 being a prime example. Others are merely awaiting some enterprising mold maker to come along and produce yet another addition to what modelers refer to as "Luft '46".

Overall, an excellent book and a fine read. If you are fascinated by what was and could have been, then this is a book that belongs in your library.

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