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Classic Publications |
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Luftwaffe Colours: Nachtjager Volume One The Luftwaffe Night Fighter Force 1939-43 |
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by David P. Williams |
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Reviewed By Bill Weckel, #43974 |
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MSRP: £16.99 GBP ISBN: 1903223539 Nachtjager is the first of a two-part set which chronicles the Luftwaffe's night fighter force during the period of 1939 to 1943. This 96 page soft cover book consists over 200 photos (some in color and many not previously published), fourteen large color aircraft profiles, and various maps and data tables. The book is an addition to the Classic Colours series and the format follows that of the previous Jagdwaffe books. The layout, design, printing and binding of the book is all excellent. The writer gives some excellent background on the origins of the force. I was surprised to learn, for example, that the German Air Force responded to the first round of night raids by basically reactivating the same defensive system it used during the First World War - the coordinated use of searchlights, anti-aircraft artillery, and fighter aircraft vectored towards their target by searchlight and star shell. The first German night fighter victory actually occurred in 1917 when a BE2b fell to the guns of an Albatros D.III. There are first-hand accounts of night fighter intercepts over both Great Britain and the continent, and detailed accounts of the night fighter force operations on the Eastern Front. The book is as much a modeler's reference as it is a historical piece; Each color profile includes RLM paint color call-outs. The profiles are extremely well done and very large in size. Volume One concentrates on the Arado Ar-68, Me-109, early mark Me-110's, the Junkers Ju-88, and the Do-217, as each aircraft was adapted to the night fighter role. The volume features photos and descriptions of the various radar and weapons systems employed through 1943, such as the FuG202 and SN-2 radars, and the Schrage Musik cannon. For the historian, biographies of the commanders and top scoring night fighter pilots are included, and make this volume a sort of "who's who" of the fledgling force. Helmut Lent, and Wolfgang Falck are well represented, among others. |
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| While I have never had a strong leaning toward Luftwaffe aircraft, this book has really piqued my interest, and since receiving it, I've found myself digging the Me-110G out of my stash and giving it a serious looking over. I give Nachtjager a solid five out of five stars. It's an excellent publication in every respect and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Luftwaffe night fighter, or as a great introduction for someone who is unfamiliar with the topic. For purchase information, please see www.ianallanpublishing.com. I'd like to thank Ian Allan Publishing for providing the review copy, and John Noack for coordinating the IPMS-USA review program. | |
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