Luftwaffe Fledglings 1935-1945

Luftwaffe Training Units & their Aircraft
By Barry Ketley & Mark Rolfe
Hikoki Publications, 1996
ISBN 0-9519899-2-8
88 pages, softbound
Available from Specialty Press for $21.95

Reviewed by Chris Banyai-Riepl

When it comes to military aircraft there is generally heavy coverage of the fighters and bombers, with other types such as reconnaissance types, getting less attention. Regardless of the aircraft type, though, they all have one thing in common. Everyone who flew a fighter or a bomber had to start with a training unit, flying basic aircraft. Since every pilot started with one of these units you'd think that there would be a lot of information out there on them, but the reverse is true. Outside of this book, the coverage of Luftwaffe trainers is incredibly slim, generally consisting of one or two photos in amongst the Bf 109s and Fw 190s. With this title, we now have a good coverage of this interesting subject.

With nothing to build on, this book has to start at the beginning, with the first training units in 1935. Photos and text provide a clear picture of how these training units were equipped and staffed. The majority of the book provides descriptions of the variety of trainers used by the Luftwaffe throughout the war. The color section is outstanding as well, with the back cover and inside front cover filled with unit emblems. The color profile section offers a great selection of trainers, from small biplanes to large bombers.

This book provides a great balance to the current crop of Luftwaffe fighter and bomber books out there and should be a part of any German aviation library. My thanks to Specialty Press for carrying the Hikoki product line. Check their website for more great titles from this publisher.