Following up on the superb first volume on the Stuka, this one concentrates on the latter half of the war. During this period the Stuka proved itself to still be a most efficient dive bomber and able to perform its duties despite increasingly heavier losses due to a lack of German air superiority. This was most keenly felt in the Eastern Front as Soviet forces grew in strength month after month.

While the initial volume was on the Ju-87A/B/R, this one concentrates on the later D model. It was obvious that the Ju-87s replacement, the Me-210 was not going to be a success, so the best way to overcome that was with an updated Ju-87. This aircraft had increased power, more armor and aerodynamic refinements. It was able to carry heavier loads and a wider variety of them.

Despite a weakness in the new landing gear, which often resulted in the early Ju-87B/R units being installed, the D model was very much a successful aircraft when used in areas that had limited enemy air superiority. It went on to be developed into a most potent weapon with the installation of two 37mm canon in the G model. With this armament, no enemy armor was safe and these aircraft, though very few in number, racked up an impressive tally of destroyed enemy tanks. I found it surprising to read that at no time during the war, were there ever more than 360 Stukas on the Eastern Front, making their successes even more impressive.

Peter Smith does a superlative job telling the remainder of the story of this aircraft with its operations in Russia, the Mediterranean and the Balkans. This includes the special night attack units which switched to Stukas when the regular dive bomber units went over to the FW-190. Still, the Stuka was in use right up until the very end of the war, making it one of the longest operating types in the German arsenal.

In line with other books in this series, there are a number of superb color profiles, drawn by Tom Tullis, 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.

April 2007

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