Author: Captain Eric 'Winkle' Brown CBE DSC AFC RN
Publisher: Hikoki Publications
ISBN: 978-1-902109-15-2
Binding: Hardcover
Pages: 272
Eric Brown managed to fly a huge range of aircraft during his flying career (nearly 500 different types!), and he documented all of his experiences in several publications over the decades. This book from Hikoki Publications is a greatly expanded reprint of his 1977 work. While the original title only covered seventeen aircraft, this one brings the total to 35, covering all the major aircraft flown by the Luftwaffe during the Second World War.
Given the great number of aircraft presented, the most logical structure would be to organize the book by manufacturer, and that is just how they did this one. The manufacturers include Arado, Blohm & Voss, Bücker, Dornier, Fieseler, Focke-Wulf, Heinkel, Henschel, Junkers, Messerschmitt, and Siebel. Some aircraft have extensive detailed notes, while others are more a cursory examination, but they all are based on Brown's own personal experiences flying the type. Often times the account includes recollections of the people as well as the planes, making these stories interesting to read.
A listing of the aircraft includes: Arado Ar 232B, Ar 234B, Ar 240; Blohm & Voss Bv 138, Bv 141, Bv 222; Bücker Jungmeister; Dornier Do 18, Do 24, Do 217, Do 335; Fieseler Storch; Focke-Wulf Fw 189, Fw 190, Fw 200C, Ta 152, Ta 154; Heinkel He 111, He 162, He 177, He 219; Henschel Hs 129B; Junkers Ju 52/3M, Ju 87D, Ju 88, Ju 188, Ju 290; Messerschmitt Bf 109G, Bf 110, Me 163B, Me 262, Me 410; Siebel Si 204D. In addition to the text, there are plenty of photos, as well as cutaway drawings and color illustrations.
This is a great expansion to the 1977 edition, making it a great addition to fans of Luftwaffe aircraft. My thanks to Specialty Press for the review copy.