This is the next in a long series of books on the WWII Luftwaffe. This time, it concentrates on those units flying the Junkers Ju-87 'Stuka', probably one of the more recognizable aircraft of WWII. It is also probably the most successful dive bomber ever developed and saw action from the first to the last days of the conflict.

This volume covers the activities from its inception until the end of 1941. Here are all the great successes of the Luftwaffe from the work with the Condor Legion, through the Polish, Norwegian, Dutch, Belgian and French campaigns in the west. These honed the use of the Stuka as an army close support and mobile artillery weapon.

These skills were put to greater use during the operations in Yugoslavia and Greece, being especially effective during the Crete campaign where it was devastating to the Royal Navy. Many ships were either sunk or badly damaged by the Stuka, showing that the dive bomber was a formidable weapon when used with aclarity.

Such formidability was quickly tempered when the Germans did not have complete control of the skies. Ju-87 operations during the Battle of Britain were cut short as units were decimated by defending Spitfires and Hurricanes of the RAF.

The volume leaves us on the gates of Moscow after spearheading another lightning advance of the German Army.

In line with other books in this series, there are a number of superb color profiles and the period photographs from whence they were derived. There are also interviews with pilots and personalities that were involved with the aircraft and various operations to add some color commentary to what is a superlative book.

It is one that I immensely enjoyed reading and one you can buy with complete confidence that you are getting the best.

February 2007

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