During the years of WWII, it was pretty much a requirement to have fighter units held back in the home country to counter the attacks by enemy planes. In the case of Germany, this job became more and more important as the war wore on. Early on it wasn't that big a requirement as the British sent their day bombers over with out fighter escort and were relatively easy picking for the few units in the path.

When the British switched to night area bombing, then the job fell to the night fighter groups and the day fighters were sent elsewhere. Pretty much by 1943, when the USAAF came and started day bombing, then the requirement for more day fighter units in the home country was more pressing.

The vast majority of the planes involved in these home defense units were 109s and 190s. This particular book looks at the 190 units; mostly from JG 1/2/6/11/26 and later, JG 301. These units were, for the most part, equipped with the 190A. Later in the war the improved 190D and a few Ta-152Hs were available, though in the latter case, it was the typical too little, too late.

Many 190 aces were successful in bringing down a goodly number of US B-17s and B-24s; especially before escort fighters were available. Once the mass armadas of many hundreds of bombers escorted by many hundreds blanketed the skies, successes against the bombers became very few and far between.

In this book on 190 aces, author John Weal provides us with the usual diary approach to how these units performed from the initial incursions after the war started until the overwhelming bombing campaign at the end. Individual combat sorties are highlighted as well as a comparison between numbers claimed and actual events from both sides.

This is all enhanced by a superb selection of period photos and the usual center section of color profiles of some of the planes that participated. In all, it is a fine addition to the Aces series and a book I know you will enjoy reading.

February 2011

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