The imprint in the mind of many of what comprised the Luftwaffe in the early years of the war was the Ju-87 Stuka. Photos of these aircraft entering into a dive on targets below and the sounds of the screaming sirens attached to these aircraft were, to many, the epitome of the Luftwaffe. The first truly successful dive bomber, the Ju-87 was to many the epitome of the class so was given the nickname Stuka (which in German is short for  Sturtzkampflugzeug, or dive bomber).

A highly successful aircraft when there was no enemy air protection, the Stuka was able to wreak havoc early in the war and in those theaters of operation where the Luftwaffe was able to hold local air superiority, such as in Russia, North Africa and in the Balkans. When confronted with a determined air defense, such as was experienced over Great Britain, the Stuka was little more than target practice.

This is the fifth in the 'Black Cross' series and carries on in a similar format to the previous editions. It provides an overall look at the aircraft, combined with a plethora of diagrams and photos taken from the Junkers archives. These images are more on the design and detail of the Ju-87 than they are on the war record. This is basically a specs book. To be sure, there are some excellent photos of the aircraft in action, including a number of color images that were quite new to this reviewer, but the bulk of the book is on the airframe and systems. There are sections on the use of the Ju-87 in aviation medicine as well as one on the Stuka as a propaganda tool, both quite interesting. This is capped by a larger than usual modelers section that includes not only the standard plastic kits, but also card and paper models from the early 1940s.

Overall, it is an excellent book, not only as a primer on the type, but especially for the detail modeler or those interested in the technical aspects of the aircraft. It is a book that every Luftwaffe enthusiast should have on their shelves.

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